Abstract: A method for determining the compensation due an affiliate from a merchant for traffic to a merchant Web site that originates from an affiliate Web site. The method may include steps of defining a plurality of compensation plans, exposing one or more of the plurality of compensation plans to the affiliate, the selected compensation plan(s) exposed to the affiliate being tailored to the affiliate and/or a product or service offered by the merchant; accepting a selection of compensation plans by the affiliate, and measuring traffic to the merchant Web site that originates from the affiliate Web site and applying the measured traffic to the compensation plan(s) selected by the affiliate to determine the compensation due to the affiliate.

Abstract: A system and method that provides suppliers or sellers with a competitive opportunity to influence consumers at the precise moment a purchasing decision is being made. A consumer using a personal wireless device (110), which has an integrated bar code scanner (120), scans the bar code of a product in a store. The device, using wireless communication (420), sends the scanned product information and a consumer ID to a processing application (430). The processing application (430) sends a profile of the consumer's past shopping behavior, the scanned product information and other data to each interested supplier's competitive incentive offer engine (470). Each supplier's incentive engine determines the optimal incentive to offer and returns this data to the processing application (430) where the incentives are collectively sent back to the consumer's device (110) using wireless communication (421).

Abstract: A method of operating a self-service checkout terminal located in a checkout area of a retail store includes the step of generating a payment-tendered control signal when a user of the self-service checkout terminal tenders payment for a number of items for purchase. The method also includes the step of detecting movement of the user on a movement detection floor mat and generating a walk-away control signal if the user exits the checkout area of the retail store. Moreover, the method includes the step of generating a personnel-request control signal if the walk-away control signal is generated prior to generation of the payment-tendered control signal. A self-service checkout terminal is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention shows a method and a device system for tokenless authorization of commercial transactions between a user and a seller. The user registers at least one registration biometric sample, and at least one user financial account. The seller registers with the computer system at least one seller financial account. The seller offers a proposed commercial transaction to the user, which includes price information. The user accepts the seller's proposed commercial transaction by adding to the proposed commercial transaction the user's personal authentication information. The bid biometric sample is forwarded to the computer system. The computer system compares the bid biometric sample with registration biometric samples. Upon successful match, a financial account of the user is debited and a financial account of the seller is credited, wherein a commercial transaction is conducted without the user having to use any portable man-made memory devices such as smartcards or swipe cards.

Abstract: A method enabling a frequent shopper reward system capable of tracking performance data of a plurality of members or account holders linked to a single frequent shopper account.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to systems and methods for delivering products-on-demand to individuals and, more particularly, to delivery via vending machines. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the method of the instant invention is initiated when a customer makes an initial product selection. Based the customer's product choice, a determination is made as to whether or not that product qualifies for an alternate product offer. If it does not so qualify, the customer's original selection will be dispensed and the transaction ends. On the other hand, if the product does so qualify, the customer will be presented with an offer message that suggests that he or she should try an alternative product. Typically, the product that is offered as an alternative will be the one whose sale is most beneficial to the vending machine operator, e.g., the one yielding the greatest profit. If the customer accepts the alternate offer, the alternate product will be dispensed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for compensating a plurality of participants selling, leasing or managing property or originating loans. The method includes the steps of forming a multi-level sales force, collecting royalty fees from each participant, placing the collected fees in a revenue sharing pool, and distributing royalty fees from the pool based upon the sponsorship level of each participant relative to the other participants. A data processing system including a computer processor with memory and a data processing program for controlling distribution from the revenue pool is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for eliminating the unnecessary dispatch of a service technician. The service orders generated by the service order control system are monitored to identify service orders that require a dispatch. If a service order is identified as requiring a dispatch, then the service order is selected for further analysis. The service order is initially analyzed to determine whether the service order meets a set of predefined criteria that identify service orders that are likely to cause an unnecessary dispatch. If the service order meets the set of predefined criteria, then the service order is further analyzed to determine whether the dispatch associated with the service order is unnecessary and should be canceled. Once the dispatch is determined to be unnecessary, then the service order is corrected and the dispatch is canceled.

Abstract: A method executed on a server for distributing user-acceptable and highly effective advertisements and enabling detailed status representation on an awareness system. Advertisement icons such as a company symbol can be subsequently added to alternatives of user statuses and the icons can be set as user statuses. Display of an advertisement icon as status of an acquaintance in a buddy list allows companies to announce services or items they provide as used by the acquaintance represented by the status. Since advertisement icons are propagated via a reliable network composed of acquaintances in the buddy list, users form a favorable impression of the advertisements and high advertising effectiveness is expected.

Abstract: A medical image storage system is provided that integrates a clinical information system with a medical image management system. Such an integrated system can be used in a method that uses clinical information associated with a medical image to determine when and where the medical image should be stored. Because the probability of a medical image being accessed is generally governed by the diagnostic significance of the image, this integrated system provides more efficient storage of medical images as compared to conventional systems that operate independently of diagnostic information.

Abstract: A company information disclosure system quickly discloses information about companies listed in a securities exchange with fairness and in an adequate time to enhance the trading of the securities. A transmission server stores a registration program which registers company information while a disclosure time determining program produces a table required for disclosing processes at the time of registration of the company information. The disclosure time determining program uses the registration program by setting the company information disclosure time to be a time determined by adding a predetermined time to a closing time of trading in the securities exchange. A satellite distribution program distributes company information by way of satellite and a server distribution program distributes company information using a terrestrial line.

Abstract: According to the present invention, an internet target marketing system, method and computer program for distributing online advertising to viewers based upon the viewers' interests is provided. Specific embodiments according to the present invention can use an n-way matching of user's concepts of interest, advertiser's concepts and a currently viewed document to target advertising to the view of the current document. Some embodiments can generate a contextually sensitive advertisement for each page viewed in a browser, thereby associating an advertisement with every page in a document. Specific embodiments can associate advertising with documents that are substantially free of embedded advertisements, for example. Alternative embodiments can include embedded advertising, however.

Abstract: A technique for implementing in a networked client-server environment, e.g., the Internet, network-distributed advertising in which advertisements are downloaded, from an advertising server to a browser executing at a client computer, in a manner transparent to a user situated at the browser, and subsequently displayed, by that browser on an interstitial basis, in response to a click-stream generated by the user to move from one web page to the next. Specifically, an HTML advertising tag is embedded into a referring web page. This tag contains two components. One component effectively downloads, from an distribution web server and to an extent necessary, and then persistently instantiates an agent at the client browser.

Abstract: A system and method of cross-selling products and increasing fuel sales at a fuel service station. A price-per-unit (PPU) discount for fuel is associated with a purchase of a non-fuel product. A display screen at the dispenser then informs the customer of the PPU discount and that a future purchase of fuel can be currently made at today's price, or may be purchased over the Internet at a later time. The system determines whether the customer ordered a non-fuel product or future fuel, and records the customer's orders. The system then accepts the customer's payment for the non-fuel product and the future fuel, and discounts the PPU of the fuel by the amount associated with the purchase of the non-fuel product during a current fuel purchase by the customer.

Abstract: A membership user coupon program for printed and electronic coupons having built-in measures to deter fraud committed by a retailer and/or a consumer during the redemption and/or reimbursement of the coupon. The system and process provide traceability prior to the issuance and/or printing of the coupon, prior to a retailer acceptance of the coupon and at the point of sale.

Abstract: In a digital content distribution method and system, a storage medium is composed of a ROM area in which a key is stored and a RAM area in which a digital content is stored. A storage medium certification unit of a terminal equipment judges whether or not the key of the storage medium exists in the ROM area. Thereby, the use of an illegal copy of the digital content is prevented. If the key is valid, a digital content execution unit of the terminal equipment reads the digital content and executes it. A digital content updating unit of the terminal system transmits to a distributor a request for transmission of the digital content together with a user profile code. The distributor refers to a user management file to check the validity of the user profile code and the number of times of distribution. If they are valid, the latest edition of the digital content is transmitted to the terminal system so that the digital content is updated by the digital content updating unit.

Abstract: A method for buyer-driven targeting comprising the steps of: separately receiving from each of a plurality of buyer entities a respective third party proof of purchase record; entering information contained in the received proof of purchase records into a searchable electronic database; obtaining search criteria for the database; searching the information in the database based on the search criteria to obtain a group of buyer entities; and providing an incentive to each of a plurality of the buyer entities in the group.

Abstract: A method of providing multiple level, price-per-unit (PPU) discounts on gasoline to a customer who purchases at least one cross-marketed product. The customer is awarded a first PPU discount on the gasoline based on a purchase by the customer of a first cross-marketed product, and is awarded a second PPU discount based on the purchase of a second cross-marketed product. The first discount is then added to the second discount to determine a total PPU discount, and a paper receipt is printed for the customer with a customer identification and a transaction identification encoded in a bar code thereon. The total discount is stored in a discounts issued database. The customer then scans the encoded bar code with a bar code scanner at a gasoline dispenser to redeem the discount. The total discount is retrieved from the discounts issued database, and the gasoline station then reduces the price-per-unit-volume of the gasoline by an amount equal to the total discount.

Abstract: An electronic advertisement method and system for an Internet browser with a book-like page-based flipping interface. Full pages of electronic advertisements are presented as needed on the computer screen without obstructing the viewing and reading of other contents. This benefits both the viewer as well as the advertiser. An advertisement matching/delivery system provides a novel method of inserting advertisements into content as well as a novel method for revenue sharing among the parties involved.

Abstract: A subscriber identification system is presented in which EPG related data including scrolling rates, paging rates, information screen viewing times, and manner and frequency of EPG activation are used to identify a subscriber from a group of subscribers. In one instance, the subscriber viewing data is recorded and a signal processing algorithm, such as a Fourier transform, is used to produce a processed version of the EPG related data. The processed version of the EPG related data can be correlated with stored common identifiers of subscriber profiles to determine which subscriber from the group is presently viewing the programming. A neural network or fuzzy logic can be used as the mechanism for identifying the subscriber from clusters of information, which are associated with individual subscribers.