Abstract: A system is provided that includes a party file having a plurality of party records with each of the plurality of party records having party information relating to one of a plurality of parties. Also included is an account file having a plurality of account records with each of the plurality of account records having account information relating to one of a plurality of accounts. Each of the plurality of account records also includes a link to at least one of the plurality of party records. Finally, a transaction file is included having a plurality of transaction records with each of the plurality of transaction records having transaction information relating to one of a plurality of transactions. Each of the plurality of transaction records includes a link to one of the plurality of account records.

Abstract: In an embodiment of a method of financing an entity, such as an asset management firm, a financing provider invests assets in the entity. The financing provider receives a revenue share interest in the financed entity. No ownership interest in the entity is given to the financing provider during the term of the revenue share interest, and no debt is used. To evaluate and price the investment, a revenue forecasting model may be used.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for visualizing numerical benchmarks are disclosed, wherein a display containing information relating to the general performance of a business in relation to its industry is created. The display incorporates the lower quartile value, the median value, and the upper quartile value of an industry. The display further incorporates the business ratio value. The display further includes indications of whether the business ratio value demonstrates good performance or poor performance of the business in relation to its industry. Thus, a user viewing the display can determine what a particular business' general performance is in relation to the lower quartile value, median value, and upper quartile value of its industry.

Abstract: An improved method, apparatus, and computer implemented instructions for processing a check in an automatic teller machine in a data processing system. A check is received from a user at the automatic teller machine. The check is scanned to generate an image. A transaction is performed involving the check. The image is transmitted to a mobile device associated with the user, wherein the image is in a format for use with a financial program.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer implemented instructions for processing a bill in an automatic teller machine. The bill is scanned to form a bill image in which the bill includes a markup language providing payment information. Optical character recognition is performed on the bill image to identify the payment information. The bill is processed using the payment information. Bills, such as water bills, mortgages, credit card statements, and tax bills may be made in this manner.

Abstract: A method for generating a unique identifier that can be used to integrate an offline experience of a user with an online experience of the user, including establishing an offline experience identifier that can be used to access at least one offline experience data item. The method further includes, as part of a transaction related to at least one of the offline experience and the online experience, collecting at least one user data item, the user data item being a data item relevant to the user. The method further includes establishing a user identifier that can be used to access the user data item; and using at least one of the offline experience identifier and the user identifier to establish the unique identifier. The unique identifier can be subsequently used to obtain at least one of the offline experience identifier and the user identifier.

Abstract: A rating method for securities or fixed rate financing instruments includes calculating a rating value for each one of the securities or fixed rate financing instruments based upon a formula involving grading numbers and weighting factors corresponding to risk and return attributes. The return attribute may be an interest rate, a dividend yield, a yield to maturity, a project performance rating of an issuer, or a ratio defined with a price per share of securities. A method for evaluating a price of a security or fixed rate financing instrument includes calculating an evaluated price based upon a formula involving grading numbers and weighting factors corresponding to each of real-time data including a face value, a coupon, a period prior to maturity, a credit rating of an issuer, a yield, and a yield to maturity; and comparing the evaluated price with a real-time price.

Abstract: An electronic trading system for simulating the trading of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emission reductions and methods of use are provided. An electronic trading application may allow a user to participate in an electronic trading simulation. An electronic trading application may allow a simulation administrator to modify parameters in connection with the electronic trading simulation in real-time. For example, the simulation administrator may be allowed to modify a real-time timeline for the electronic trading simulation, create and release a news announcement, or perform any other suitable modification in connection with the electronic trading simulation.

Abstract: A simple, easy, and safe electronic settlement system is provided. A user terminal such as a cellular phone is wirelessly connected to a synchronizing server at a counter of a retailer. A cashier terminal of the retailer connects to the synchronizing server via a private line and so on. The cashier terminal receives a transaction identifying number in order to identify the transaction from the synchronizing server, and notifies to a user. A user inputs the transaction identifying number to the user terminal and transmits the transaction identifying number to the synchronizing server. The synchronizing server completes a transaction between the virtual cashier terminal and the user terminal, both of which are corresponded to each other by the transaction identification number. The cashier terminal authenticates the user intermediated by the synchronizing server. The user can complete a settlement without telling his or her personal information such as a credit card number or a password to a retailer.

Abstract: A system and method of managing bank accounts. A bank receives, electronically, from a customer, instructions to open, to update, to debit/credit, and to close bank accounts, such as escrow accounts associated with real estate transactions. Information in the instructions is used to automatically populate a bank's account management system. New accounts are thereafter automatically established and open accounts are automatically updated and closed consistent with the information in the instructions. New accounts are preferably funded from an operating account belonging to the customer, and checks are caused to be cut in an amount due to a client of the customer, if they so choose.

Abstract: A method for automating contract negotiation between a plurality of parties over a communications network. The parties communicate and agree upon a negotiation protocol before commencing the negotiation in a meta contract that is formed to govern or control the negotiation process. The automatic negotiation may include at least one sub negotiation. Machine-executable rules are specified to enable an automatic negotiation to take place between servers over a communications network. A successful negotiation may result in the formation of an electronic commerce contract. Each party may maintain the contract state of the overall negotiation, which may take place among two or more parties, wherein at least one party may be represented by a broker. Thus, complex negotiations may be handled automatically by the inventive method. The negotiation may be conducted semi-automatically to allow for human intervention in the negotiation process.

Abstract: The system and method of the present invention removes barriers that undermine efficient risk-management. The invention prioritizes consumers by predicting their unmet demand for risk protection. Once deemed eligible, consumers are enrolled and funds are allocated to the payment of a premium for income insurance, contribution to a financial vehicle such as a savings or investment product, and payment of a premium for savings loss insurance. Active participants are eligible for income protection in case of job loss, systematic savings and ownership of public equities, principal protection and incentives based on utilization. The system and method of the present invention is calibrated on an ongoing basis to the behaviors of target consumers.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for organizing and managing corporate capitalization and securities. A database tracks the complete capitalization, not just the administration of options. For a privately-held company, if the holder of a derivative security, such as a warrant, decides to exercise that derivative security, then the system will issue the holder shares of stock related to that security. The company can access and update the data in the database via a web connection. The data can also be used to perform analyses and determine the effect on the capitalization structure of future actions.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of displaying option market information including establishing a communication link between a member computer and a central computer, accessing option trading data from the central computer through the member computer, and inputting at least one signal to the member computer. The signal represents either an underlying asset symbol or an option class symbol of an underlying asset. The method further includes generating a display page listing option trading information for a plurality of option series relating to at least one of the entered underlying asset symbol and the entered option class symbol, and displaying the plurality of option series on the display page such that the option series having a strike price approximately equal to the current trading price of the underlying asset is centrally positioned on the display page.

Abstract: Computer implemented methods and systems of processing transactions to determine the risk of transaction convert high categorical information, such as text data, to low categorical information, such as category or cluster IDs. The text data may be merchant names or other textual content of the transactions, or data related to a consumer, or any other type of entity which engages in the transaction. Content mining techniques are used to provide the conversion from high to low categorical information. In operation, the resulting low categorical information is input, along with other data, into a statistical model. The statistical model provides an output of the level of risk in the transaction. Methods of converting the high categorical information to low categorical clusters, of using such information, and other aspects of the use of such clusters are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for a borrower to obtain and/or evaluate desired financial services is disclosed. Personal information from the borrower is obtained and recorded. The personal information includes reasons that the borrower wants to obtain the financing. Financing evaluation information based on pre-established and objective criteria used by at least one established financial institution that provides financing of the type sought by the borrower is obtained and recorded. A credit grading for the borrower is determined based on the personal information, and the financing evaluation information. The credit grading is determined by an independent entity that will not provide the financing to the borrower. The financing may be a loan, such as a mortgage loan or an auto loan or the financing may be the issuance of a credit card or a line of credit.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an investment risk minimization system involving a venture capital investor and a venture needing investment from the venture capital investor. In such a system, an exemplary method can include providing an investment to a venture having an intellectual asset, and receiving a security interest in the intellectual asset. The security interest secures an ownership right upon failure by the venture to meet established parameters. Further, if the venture receiving the investment fails to meet the established parameters, the method includes obtaining an ownership interest in the intellectual asset, valuing the intellectual asset, and transferring the intellectual asset to a charitable organization.

Abstract: A current mortgage price indicator futures contract (“Mortgage Futures Contract”) that can be traded on a futures exchange. The contracts add value over existing hedging and speculating alternatives by meeting the needs of a wide range of mortgage and mortgage-backed securities (MBS) market participants such as portfolio managers, dealers, hedgers, originators, speculators and arbitrageurs. The Mortgage Futures Contract is based upon conventional MBS and has a relatively current coupon composition, thereby resulting in risk properties that appeal to market participants more so than prior contracts based on non-conventional MBS that were not correlated to current MBS production. The Mortgage Futures Contract has a cash settlement feature designed to eliminate complicated and largely uneconomic physical delivery of the underlying security. An options contract corresponding to the Mortgage Futures Contract and that can be traded on a futures exchange.

Abstract: A method is provided for configuring a subscriber unit for operation in a wireless communications system. Information on available wireless services is advertised through well known, and publicly accessible, broadcast media, for the benefit of potential subscribers. A potential subscriber uses a subscriber unit to access the broadcast media and obtain a set of available wireless services (310). The subscriber unit supplies a particular criteria related to one or more of the available wireless services to a brokering agent, and receives from the brokering agent a list of service providers meeting the criteria (320, 330, 340). The subscriber unit then establishes a subscription relationship with a selected service provider, and self-configures to operate in a mode that supports interaction with the service provider (350).

Abstract: Methods and systems configured to use models to generate customer lists for auctioning are disclosed. The method includes the steps of prompting a user to select at least one of a plurality of customer profiles, calculating a probability for each customer that the customer will respond to a product offer, grouping customers into distinct lists based upon at least one of the selected profiles and calculated probabilities, and prompting product dealers to bid on the customer lists. The auction is a probabilistic auction and participants have access to depersonalized information on prospective customers as well as probabilities that customers will respond.