Abstract: Improved computer-implemented techniques for providing relevant information to mobile electronic devices are disclosed. According to one aspect, usage of mobile electronic devices can be monitored and usage data can be formed. The usage data can then be used to perform an action. The action can operate to provide more relevant information, such as digital (e.g., online) information or rewards, to the user. In one embodiment, usage of mobile electronic devices can be monitored and users of such mobile electronic devices can be provided with rewards based on their usage. Another aspect pertains to monitoring locations of a mobile electronic device for a duration of time and then providing location-specific information based on the locations of the device.

Abstract: Methods and computer storage media for creating contextual-display advertisements are provided. A request for a contextual-display advertisement to be presented on a page is received. Upon receiving the request, the page is evaluated to determine the context of the page so that the resulting advertisement is contextually related to the requesting page. The contextually related text and base image are extracted from their respective database to be merged into a contextual-display advertisement. The visual characteristics of the advertisement text are manipulated to provide visual congruity among the elements of the advertisement. Additionally, the placement of the text on the base image is optimized to provide a contextual-image advertisement that is then rendered to be presented on the requesting page.

Abstract: Value tracking of automated clearing house (“ACH”) payments processed by an ACH operator includes receiving an ACH file for ACH processing. The ACH file comprises ACH payments originated by a remote sending point on behalf of a sending customer. A sum value of the ACH payments is added to a value of prior payments processed for the sending customer during a specified time period to obtain an accumulated payment value. The accumulated payment value is compared to a pre-established payment cap to determine whether the accumulated payment value exceeds the payment cap. The ACH payments are processed in response to a determination that the accumulated payment value does not exceed the payment cap. Whether to override the payment cap can be determined in response to a determination that the accumulated payment value exceeds the payment cap.

Abstract: A machine, manufacture, process, composition, and product produced thereby Representatively, there can be a computer-aided method for managing cash flows for a transaction, the method including the steps of: receiving respective descriptions of risks; receiving statistical assumptions for said risks; receiving financial assumptions for said risks; calculating, from the descriptions and the assumptions, expected cash flows corresponding to said risks for time periods; receiving actual cash flows information from occurrence of events corresponding to said risks; accounting for a first party to the transaction owing the expected cash flows to a second party to the transaction; accounting for the second party owing the actual cash flows to the first party; and computing a net settlement, for each of said time periods, between the parties in the transaction to manage the actual cash flows and the expected cash flows.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a mobile telephony infrastructure for transferring electronic payments are provided. A user provides an amount of cash and a mobile telephone number to a distributor who then communicates to a payment processor the telephone number and the amount of cash provided. The payment processor then sends a payment code to the mobile telephone of the user. The user then can show the payment code to a merchant or other payment recipient to provide payment. A merchant can scan or otherwise receive the payment code from the user's mobile telephone, and transmit the code along with the amount of money to be received to the payment processor. The payment processor then credits the merchant's account with the appropriate amount of money, and transmits a new payment code to the user's mobile telephone reflecting the amount of money remaining after the payment to the merchant.

Abstract: An improved computerized method for provides credit card services by a card issuer. The improvement operates in connection with continuing education offered to a constituent of an organization. In this context, the constituent has an account with the card issuer and the improvement includes storing, in association with the account, data associated with a provider's course approved by the organization for enrollment by the constituent. It also includes processing incoming merchant charges to be posted to the account to flag any charge identified as pertaining to the approved course by the associated data and to store such charge as flagged. Finally it includes deferring billing of any flagged charge, pending settlement of such flagged charge under an arrangement with the organization.

Abstract: In certain embodiments, a computer system and process for use in a trading system are provided that allow trading entities to compress trade records while simplifying the reconciliation process. Advantageously, compressed trade records are processed by a custodian firm, while uncompressed reconciliation data are processed by a central counterparty. In some embodiments, a computer system and process are provided that allows trading entities to compress trade records across markets. Advantageously, compression across markets provides a larger pool of eligible trade records for compression, increasing the number of compressible trades, and thus reducing fees paid by the trading firm and the amount of data transmitted.

Abstract: Methods and systems, including computer program products, consistent with the invention may manage invoices for a customer. For example, methods consistent with the invention may obtain customer transaction data reflecting transactions made by the customer. The method may then generate, from the obtained customer transaction data, compressed transaction data and detailed transaction data, wherein the compressed transaction data without the detailed transaction data is used to generate an invoice to the customer. The method may then provide the compressed transaction data to a service processor for performing invoice management functions based on the compressed transaction data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring through completion the automated processes performed by a bank in validating Image Cash Letters for purposes of check clearing under the provisions of the Check21 Act.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for conducting a two-stage live auction for on-site and on-line bidders, the two stages including a live, in-person auction component and a real-time online bidding environment component. Bidding information associated with an item in the online bidding environment is updated to reflect a current bid associated with the item in the live, in-person auction. During the live, in-person auction, a bid is be accepted from an online bidder in the online environment that reflects the online bidder's bid price for the item. Subsequently, the system bids on behalf of the online bidder against other online bidders as well as one or more live bidders that are participating in the live, in-person. As such, the live auction enables real-time online bidding in a live, in-person auction.

Abstract: An Internet system for and method of automatic optimizing quantitative business objectives of sellers (advertisers) with synergistic pricing, promotions and advertisements, while simultaneously minimizing expenditure and discovery and optimizing allocation of advertising channels that optimize such objectives.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides systems and methods for performing money transfer transactions via a wireless communication device, such as a cellular phone. In accordance with the invention, the wireless communication device is associated with, or automatically linked to, at least one payment source account (i.e., the wireless communication device is associated with a payment source account that may be automatically charged for payment of account balances, authorized charges, and/or money transfers). In a preferred embodiment, the wireless communication device is associated with at least one pre-paid payment source account. In one example, the wireless communication device is a pre-paid cellular phone and/or is associated with a pre-paid money transfer account. In certain aspects, the wireless communication device may access a pre-directed phone number, e.g., *55, to access a money transfer service provider.

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: An electronic exchange system network includes a trader site having an automated trading system capable of submitting orders to an exchange site. The automated trading system determines whether an order should be submitted based on, for example, the current market price of an option and theoretical buy and sell prices. The theoretical buy and sell prices are derived from, among other things, the current market price of the security underlying the option. A look-up table stores a range of theoretical buy and sell prices for a given range of current market price of the underlying security. Accordingly, as the price of the underlying security changes, a new theoretical price may be indexed in the look-up table, thereby avoiding calculations that would otherwise slow automated trading decisions. Other techniques may be used in addition or in the alternative to speed automatic decision-making. In addition, a system of checks may be conducted to ensure accurate and safe automated trading.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for facilitating financial advising and planning for a user. The system includes a portfolio integration module that integrates goals, assets, savings, and risk tolerance to develop a customized strategy for financial portfolio planning. A portfolio reconciler module facilitates comparison of the customized strategy to other strategies and projected user financial decisions in order to further facilitate the financial portfolio planning. A stochastic modeling module uses data from the portfolio integration module and the portfolio reconciler module in a stochastic modeling analysis using a synchronous stationary bootstrap sampling method to construct a proposed situation portfolio. A simulator module forecasts the effects of the proposed situation portfolio on the user's portfolio, and monitoring, simulating, designing, and testing the portfolio integration module, the portfolio reconciler module, and the stochastic modeling module.

Abstract: This invention provides a system and method for reducing the fraud related to remittance transactions initiated at web portals. In one embodiment, mobile technologies that are available to consumers can be used to reduce fraud associated with remittance transactions. For example, a funding agency computer that enables a remittance transaction can request that a mobile platform computer verify a customer with a mobile personal identifier. The mobile platform computer can request the mobile personal identifier from a customer via the customer's mobile handset device. The mobile platform computer can determine whether the identifier received from the customer's mobile handset device matches the mobile personal identifier stored for the customer. If the mobile platform computer is able to verify the customer, the mobile platform computer can provide a verification confirmation message to the funding agency computer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, systems, and machine-readable media for identifying and sharing common trends represented in a corpus of private information without revealing the private information. Identifying and sharing common trends can comprise reading a first set of private information and a second set of private information. The first set of private information can be compared to the second set of private information and common information between the first set of private information and the second set of private information can be identified. Once identified, a determination can be made as to whether the identified common information represents an emerging trend, i.e., the common information re-occurs or develops over time. In response to determining the identified common information represents an emerging trend, the emerging trend can be reported without revealing the first set of private information or the second set of private information.

Abstract: A system incorporating method and associated apparatus for establishing virtual banking in a merchant venue or syndication of merchants for one or more consumers in a manner that increases the deposit-based assets of a related traditional banking institution by loading transactions of fractional currency amounts, preferably reflecting the acquisition of physical fractional currency, and more preferably coinage, and thereupon enabling inter-merchant (or syndicate) commercial transactions, including purchases and sales, in a manner that does not deplete deposit-based assets. Commercial transactions are at the direction of consumer(s) each with their own portable device linked to a merchant-hosted virtual account that maintains transaction details, histories and balances, and transmits data reflecting the same to the portable device(s) where it is recorded and displayed, upon demand.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for managing transaction data from a plurality of financial services for a suspicious activity monitor (SAM). In one implementation, transaction data from each financial service is conformed to a standard format for publication. The publication may occur either substantially in real time as each transaction is conducted, at predefined intervals, or in periodic batches. A SAM data manager may then retrieve and process the transaction messages, including filtering non-required transactions, removing levels of hierarchy from the data, arranging the data in a predefined document structure, adding tags that may be required by the SAM tool, and creating SAM messages. The SAM data manager may thereafter forward the SAM messages to the SAM tool for analysis. In some embodiments, the SAM data manager may also send any updates of member and account data contained in the transaction messages to a central repository for such data.

Abstract: Preferred embodiments of the present invention comprise, for example, a method for measuring trade costs, comprising (1) capturing trade data over a predetermined time period; (2) capturing time stamp data corresponding to said trade data, wherein said time stamp data comprises open events and close events, data regarding when an order is received by a buy-side trading desk from a portfolio manager; data regarding when execution of said order is completed, and data regarding when a manager decides to engage in trading regarding said order; and (3) performing an investment level analysis based on said trade data and said time stamp data. Further embodiments comprise systems and software for implementing the above method (and others) and utilizing information obtained therefrom.