Abstract: The present invention discloses an electronic money managing and possessing apparatus used for managing and possessing electronic money, which includes a medium for holding an electronic money defined as an electronic symbol of currency in a required storage so as to be rewritten when currency of a single kind is used, and electronic money distribution and storage control unit for setting a plurality of storage areas defined according to individual purposes in the storage of the medium and distributing and storing the electronic money in the plurality of storage areas according to purposes as instructed and electronic money payment executing unit for specifying, regarding the electronic money possessed in the medium, a desired storage area and executing payment with the electronic money stored in this specified storage area. Even if currency of only a single kind is used, electronic money can be classified and managed according to various purposes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating electronic commerce between suppliers of predictions and consumers of predictions. Suppliers provide their predictions on the outcomes of future events in one or more categories, and each supplier's accuracy is tracked. Consumers interested in obtaining predictions for one of more of those categories are allowed to selectively choose which suppliers' predictions they wish to view. The suppliers are compensated based on the number of consumers who view their predictions. In one embodiment, the consumers pay for the predictions that they view while the suppliers are paid a portion of the revenue obtained from the consumers. In another embodiment the consumers are not charged and all revenue is derived from advertisers.

Abstract: This invention relates to an object-oriented system and method for easily and rapidly distributing medical images from existing picture and report storage systems to a plurality of heterogeneous client workstations. The system includes one or more interface engines, for providing image objects with uniform structure regardless of the type of existing system on which they are stored, and image server middleware, for managing the distribution of image objects. The system also includes a security object server, for authorizing user access to the image distribution system and to particular objects, a personalization object server, for providing user interface preferences and client workstation capabilities, and a web server, for downloading initial access pages and user interface components.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that allows the concise implementation of one protocol encoding/decoding device for syntax conversion between an abstract data syntax and a transfer syntax presented in an open-ended variety of input/output/storage mediums, including, but not limited to random-access memory, disk files, communications sockets, buffer lists, and other static or dynamically-extensible storage structures. The abstract syntax is described using the Abstract Syntax Notation One standard and presented in a higher-level object-oriented programming language such as C++. The transfer syntax is specified by standardized encoding rules and results in a stream of octets (unsigned 8-bit characters) suitable for communication transport using the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) protocol model. The result of encoding (which is also the input for decoding) is called a protocol data unit (PDU).

Abstract: A system for dispensing and redeeming electronic discount coupons in a store. A card-dispensing kiosk collects information from a customer and subsequently issues a “smart card” for storing electronic coupons. Upon completion of shopping, the customer redeems the electronic coupons at the checkout area, by inserting the card into the checkout station. During checkout, when UPC product data corresponds to coupons stored on the card, the customer is credited with the value of the corresponding coupon.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and system for aggregating and pooling information with feedback in a computer communication system. A communication system includes a server device and a set of client devices. Each client device collects information from an associated individual (whether by asking questions of those individuals, or accepting data input from peripheral devices), and transmits that data to a server device. The server device, or some other device at its behest, determines statistical information with regard to that data (such as aggregate, correlation, dispersion, or other measures), and provides that information to a communication channel for distribution to the individuals. The communication channel can include either (1) a broadcast communication channel that members of an affinity group can display, or (2) redistributing the determined statistical measures to associated individuals using the client devices.

Abstract: A system for managing conditional purchase offers is disclosed where an individual searching for a ticket to a particular event may provide a guaranteed purchase offer to a plurality of potential sellers. Various methods and systems for completing such a transaction are also disclosed. An exemplary method includes: making available a guaranteed purchase offer to a plurality of potential sellers; potential sellers examining offers corresponding to a ticket they possess; and a potential seller providing an acceptance to the guaranteed purchase offer. The disclosure describes a method of payment whereby both the buyer and seller must provide credit card pre-authorization to ensure payment and delivery of the ticket. Also, one embodiment discloses a delivery of the ticket that includes the participation of the venue hosting the event. In this embodiment, the traditional practice of exchanging tickets for cash is replaced with an electronic serial number system.

Abstract: An electronic transaction processing system for transferring a monetary value between a payer and a receiver includes a first memory apparatus storing a payer's digital cash, a second memory apparatus storing a receiver's digital cash, and a third memory apparatus storing temporarily the payer's digital cash transferred from the first memory apparatus. A transaction is processed by transferring the digital cash transferred from the first memory apparatus to the second memory apparatus via the third memory apparatus.

Abstract: From received postal items patterns are recorded and recorded information representing the recorded patterns is generated. Each received postal item is processed directly after the information is recorded from the postal item. The information representing the recorded patterns is stored in a log of received mail. Since the recordal of the pattern is carried out before the step of processing, any log or archive prepared on the basis of the initial recording step will include any documents which are lost or damaged during the subsequent processing.

Abstract: An alerting system is provided for proactively ensuring awareness of pending customer generated trouble tickets which have not been resolved for at least a predetermined time duration corresponding to an escalation level. A customer service center selects the time duration. The alerting system includes a manager module which periodically monitors the pending customer generated trouble tickets and determines whether each pending customer generated trouble ticket remains unresolved for the time duration corresponding to the escalation level. The alerting system also includes an alerting module which sends an alert to a recipient assigned to the escalation level when the manager module determines the pending customer generated trouble ticket has not been resolved for the time duration corresponding to the escalation level. The alerting system may also include a parsing module which parses the pending customer generated trouble tickets to remove extraneous and invalid information.

Abstract: A method for implementing a speech recognition system for use during conditions with background noise includes the steps of calculating, in real-time, sequential short-term delta energy parameters for speech energy from a spoken utterance, determining threshold values in the speech energy, and identifying a beginning point and an ending point for the spoken utterance based on the relationship between the threshold values and the short-term delta energy parameters.

Abstract: A method for handling permits, comprising the steps of: (A) a gatekeeper presents a gatekeeper's permit including an authorization to ask for a user's permit; (B) a user checks the validity of the gatekeeper's permit. If the permit is valid, then go to step (C), else END; (C) the user presents a user's permit and a user's certificate; (D) the gatekeeper checks the validity of the user's permit and certificate, and the correspondence therebetween, and performs a predefined action if the result of the validity check is positive. The user's permit further includes a HTML (HyperText Markup Language) stamp, to allow automatic permit verification.

Abstract: A point of service third party adjudicated payment system and method which provides for the creation of an adjudicated settlement transaction at a point of service which designates the portion of the service to be paid by the third party payor and the portion to be paid by the customer. The system includes a point of service terminal which accepts a payment system access card, such as a credit card, debit card, or purchase card, for payment for a purchase of a service and/or product by a customer, where at least part of the purchase is reimbursable by a third party payor. The point of service terminal creates a purchase transaction which is adjudicated by an adjudication engine substantially in real-time (at the time of service or in a purchase transaction processing batch) to determine a first portion of the purchase which is to be paid by the third party payor and a second portion of the purchase which is to be paid by the customer.

Abstract: A method of creating a user menu (AM1) in a display (2, 22) in a user unit (1, 21, 41). The user menu (AM1) denotes an accessory unit (5, 25a) connected to the user unit (1, 21, 41). Information (I1, I2) is stored in a menu storage unit (3, 23) in the user unit (1, 21). The information (I1, I2) is used to create a standard menu (SM1). The accessory unit (5, 25a) is connected to the user unit (1, 21), and a menu selection code (MCODE) is sent from the accessory unit (5, 25a) to the menu storage unit (3, 23) in the user unit (1, 21). A standard menu (SM1), which corresponds to the menu selection code (MCODE), is pointed out in the menu storage unit (3, 23). The pointed out standard menu (SM1) is adapted to a user menu (AM1) corresponding to the menu selection code (MCODE), and the user menu (AM1) is activated in the display (2, 22).

Abstract: The present invention provides a postage metering system that includes a plurality of closed and open meter printer modules operatively connected as part of a metering network. A single postal security device (PSD) is coupled to the network, either directly, through a personal computer or through one of the printer modules. The PSD includes unique identification and the ability to store postal value and generate digital signatures. The printer modules function as a postage metering network wherein a printer module requests evidence of postage payment from the PSD for concluding a postage metering transaction. The printer module initiates the postage metering transaction in the PSD by sending a request for evidence of postage payment to the PSD. The PSD receives the request and sends the evidence of payment to the printer module for subsequent printing.

Abstract: A system and method for efficiently processing check or other non-cash financial instrument-initiated is disclosed. The method includes the steps of accepting a check from a person initiating a non-cash financial transaction at a point of identification terminal. The checking account number is input into the point of identification terminal and is communicated to a remote database site, having stored therein a database of digital photographic images of authorized users of checking accounts. The database is searched and any digital photographic images associated with the transmitted account number are retrieved and transmitted to the point of identification terminal where they are displaying on a display means and a comparison is made between the images and the physical appearance of the person tendering the check.

Abstract: A practical system and method for the remote distribution of financial services (e.g., home banking and bill-paying) involves distributing portable terminals to a user base. The terminals include a multi-line display, keys “pointing to” lines on the display, and additional keys. Contact is established between the terminals and a central computer operated by a service provider, preferably over a dial-up telephone line and a packet data network. Information exchange between the central computer and the terminal solicits information from the terminal user related to requested financial services (e.g., for billpaying, the user provides payee selection and amount and his bank account PIN number). The central computer then transmits a message over a conventional ATM network debiting the user's bank account in real time, and may pay the specified payees the specified amount electronically or in other ways as appropriate. Payments and transfers may be scheduled in advance or on a periodic basis.

Abstract: A system monitors a data payload that is being transmitted in a secure form over the Internet and provides rate computations for such payloads based on the size of the data. A data container may be implemented as a digital envelope with the bitmap (digital picture) of a stamp. The current rate for the data container is shown on the stamp and is dynamically updated as data files are added to the envelope. The overall cost is a function of the applied rate card, the size of the data and the type of security services provided.

Abstract: A system and method for accurately determining the position of a mobile unit operating within a predefined service area is disclosed. Three embodiments of the present invention are disclosed which teach the use of one, two and three narrow beam base transceiver stations in the determination of a mobile unit's position. Where one base station is utilized, an information map of signal attributes is used in the position determination. Where two and three base stations are used, signal strength measurements in combination with the time difference of arrival of a signal at the various base stations are used in the position determination.

Abstract: A permit mail metering system that preprints the non-variable portion of an indicia. The pre-printed portions may be printed with a fluorescent and phosphorescent ink, while other pre-printed portions may be printed using standard colored or black inks. Some variable printed portions may be printed with a fluorescent and phosphorescent ink, while other variable portions may be printed using standard colored or black non-luminescent inks.