Patents Examined by Fawaad Haider
  • Patent number: 8117070
    Abstract: A fixed amount sales system adopted in a gasoline stand or the like for preventing operation efficiency reduction which is the case due to independent payments of fuel supply charge and option item amount is disclosed. In the fixed amount sales system, in which the amount of gasoline corresponding to balance amount as a difference of the money amounts of items desired to be bought by a customer among option items (or TBA items) from a preliminarily selected fixed amount is sold by weighing, thus making the giving and taking of small amounts of money and changes between the customer and the shop unnecessary. The fixed amount of money and option items as selected by the customer, are displayed on a menu 22 in the POS terminal 20 for selection by a touch operation of electronic buttons or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: NEC Infrontia Corporation
    Inventor: Masanori Fujimoto
  • Patent number: 8117096
    Abstract: A private equity accounting and reporting system and method are provided herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2012
    Assignee: Q-Biz Solutions, LLC
    Inventor: Jayne Thompson
  • Patent number: 8112328
    Abstract: A system for providing secure access for a user to network accessible services. The system comprises a client software agent to generate a services request that is determined by a user. A services software agent is included and the service software agent is in electronic communication with the client software agent, to receive and fulfill the services request. A permissions software agent has a listing of user permissions for the network accessible services. The permission software agent is in communication with the services software agent and the services software agent requests user permissions from the permissions services agent so as to enable activation of the network accessible services selected by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2001
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2012
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Garth F. Schmeling, Travis W. Loyd
  • Patent number: 8103560
    Abstract: A market-demand-forecasting-value calculation section acquires order entry actual achievement data from an order-entry-actual-achievement-data storing unit of an order receiving system, and calculates a market demand forecasting value using the order entry actual achievement data. A correction safety inventory quantity calculation section calculates an error rate, which becomes negative when an ordering required-quantity becomes large, based on a number of ordered parts and a past ordering required-quantity. Subsequently, the correction safety inventory quantity calculation section calculates a correction safety inventory quantity using the error rate and the market demand forecasting value and a money-amount-zone index value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshio Ohno, Makiko Watanabe, Yasuyuki Kimura
  • Patent number: 8099329
    Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention provide a more secure financial transaction system for e-commerce sectors that (1) more securely processes payment transactions, (2) helps to protect merchants and banks against fraudulent transactions, money laundering, and underage gambling, and (3) helps to limit other abuses in areas of e-commerce that are perceived to pose special risks, such as Internet gaming, travel, and consumer purchasing of electronic goods. To accomplish the above goals, various embodiments of the financial transaction system (1) establish operating and transaction processing protocols for merchants, Internet payment service providers, acquiring banks, and card schemes and (2) provide automated systems for monitoring and securely processing payment and financial transactions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2012
    Assignee: UC Group Limited
    Inventors: Kobus Paulsen, Ian Hughes, Mark Holland
  • Patent number: 8060418
    Abstract: A digital footprint driven multi-channel integrated support system assists a user in managing electronic components based on his or her digital footprint. The digital footprint driven multi-channel integrated support system delivers a dramatically improved ‘digital home support’ experience across multiple support channels (e.g., ‘on-the-box’, web, IVR, agent voice, agent chat, agent email, and more). The digital footprint driven multi-channel integrated support system generates, displays, and uses a ‘digital footprint’ of the components within the home, such as computer hardware/software, computer peripherals, audio/visual equipment, gaming hardware/software, home security hardware/software, or other electronic components.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited
    Inventors: Robert W. Honts, Robert E. Wollan, Allen J. Delattre, Daniel G. Andrews, John J. Murray, II, Stephanie D. Sadowski, Charles J. Forsythe
  • Patent number: 8060417
    Abstract: An accounting method can insert changes that affect average cost calculations after the initial average cost calculations. The method can go back in time and add in transactions that affect average cost and re-calculate average cost based on the added entry to all entries after the added entry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Kay Farris, Dan Lothspeich
  • Patent number: 8041605
    Abstract: A system includes a master device and a slave device. The slave device is configured to provide a customer waiting to be seated at a restaurant with menu information for the restaurant, receive at least one of a drink order or a food order from the customer while the customer is waiting to be seated at the restaurant, and transmit the at least one of a drink order or a food order. The master device is configured to receive the at least one of a drink order or a food order from the slave device, and cause the at least one of a drink order or a food order to be forwarded to a kitchen of the restaurant based on at least one of a position of the customer on a waiting list or an estimated amount of time until the customer will be seated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 17, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 18, 2011
    Inventor: John Eric Harrity
  • Patent number: 8032417
    Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product are disclosed in a computer system for tracking inventory values. Multiple physical storage locations, within a plant, are defined where inventory items can be stored. An indication that an inventory item is being physically moved from a first storage location to a second storage location is received. In response to the receipt of the indication, a financial value of the inventory item is determined and an indication is provided that the financial value was transferred from the first physical storage location to the second physical storage location, wherein the financial value of the inventory item is tracked as the inventory item is physically moved within the plant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anjan Marella, Joanne O'Lear, William J. Reilly
  • Patent number: 8001019
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products manage access to and update warehouse data associated with one or multiple online data systems. A security role is established for each user of warehouse operation functions associated with the online data system. A method involves examining warehouse data and updating a status of warehouse operations, detecting a security role of a current user accessing the data system, and rendering warehouse operation functions and the status via an interface. The method further involves receiving a selection of one of the warehouse operation functions, determining whether the security role of the current user authorizes access to the warehouse operation function selected, and prohibiting access to the warehouse operation function selected in response to determining the security role does not authorize access to the selected warehouse operation function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Raymond Joseph Phelan, Douglas William Meyer, Gary Anthony Tonhouse, Patrick Lyle Sullivan
  • Patent number: 7991657
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a pull back optimizer in conjunction with an inventory management system allows for efficient retrieval of return assemblies for optimized parts fulfillment. The inventory management system includes a return assembly inventory and a list of parts needed for order fulfillment. The return assembly inventory lists the part numbers and quantities of parts in each return assembly. The pull back optimizer allows a user of the inventory management system to efficiently determine the optimal return systems to pull back to production for parts fulfillment to minimize the impact on those using the return assemblies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Brian T. Kreifels, Ryan T. Paske, William R. Taylor
  • Patent number: 7979325
    Abstract: A shopping server accepts a request for estimation of arbitrary designated items given by a client terminal, and generates estimation data for the designated items in accordance with the accepted request. The shopping server stores the generated estimation data at a shopping DB system. In response to retrieval of inventory status information for the items indicated by the estimation data stored in the shopping DB system, the shopping server updates the estimation data concerned in accordance with the retrieved inventory status information. The shopping server presents the updated estimation data to other client terminal in response to a request given by the client terminal which requested the estimation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 26, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 12, 2011
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Keisuke Kataoka, Atsushi Hanai, Sachiko Misumi, Eiji Shinohara, Shizuo Kamimura, Tatsuto Torikai
  • Patent number: 7970653
    Abstract: A method and system for identifying and transmitting data entities in a wireless communication system including at least one mobile user terminal. The method includes the steps of identifying a primary service to be provided, identifying a plurality of data entities associated with that service, selecting which of the plurality of data entities is to be transmitted and transmitting the selected data entities in a single transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Nokia Siemens Networks Oy
    Inventors: Topi Saukkonen, Virve Inget, Panu Markkanen
  • Patent number: 7933814
    Abstract: A method and system for determining whether a composite service level agreement (SLA) may be met. An exemplary method comprises calculating a baseline metric value for a plurality component service level agreements (SLA) and comparing the baseline metric value to historical metric values for each of the plurality of component services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Maria G. Castellanos, Mehmet Sayal
  • Patent number: 7895079
    Abstract: An aspect of the present invention includes a protocol for conveying data during an e-commerce session with a polymorphic response, comprising initiating a session with a message from a buyer application to a broker application and a session identifier assigned by the broker application; conducting the session between the buyer application and a supplier application; and concluding the session with a additional message which includes a schema identifier for the additional message, resolvable in a context of a system identifier; and a polymorphic response comprising a type and a version, wherein the polymorphic response includes additional data elements corresponding to values assigned to the type and version.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Open Invention Network, LLC
    Inventors: Mudita Jain, Jari Koistinen, Charles Boyle, Brian Hayes
  • Patent number: 7890391
    Abstract: A system and method for implementing a revenue recognition model in an automated environment includes receiving rules, over a communications network, associated with an entity. Information associated with a transaction is received, and one or more automated processes are implemented to determine whether revenue from the transaction is recognizable.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Jaideep J. Shah
  • Patent number: 7885867
    Abstract: A method and computer program product for facilitating supply chain processes in an outsourced manufacturing environment is provided. The method includes a customer focus team system providing logistical administrative services for a contract manufacturer on behalf of a manufacturing enterprise. The customer focus team is assigned to the contract manufacturer based upon geographic proximity. The logistical administrative services include facilitating transfer and replenishment of components needed during manufacture, ensuring ongoing inventory demand issues are addressed and resolved, and obtaining and providing metrics on outsourced supply chain parts and activities. The logistical administrative services also include assisting the contract manufacturer during shortfalls of supplies, collaborating with commodity team councils relating to acquisition of critical parts, and providing assistance on matters related to import, export, and tax issues.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2011
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Susan Krystek, George Andrews, Peter Badalamenti, James DeFilippo, Philippe Duffaut, Manuel Fusco, Debra Hughes, John McGarvey, Michael Meaden, John Pelesz, Jan Scofield, Wes Seaman, Kathy Tasnady
  • Patent number: 7881989
    Abstract: An information model for a party and property records management system includes a legal party role object for maintaining relationships between objects, such as legal party objects and revenue-object objects, within the information model. A legal party object could have several associated objects, such as an identification number object or a legal party communication object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Manatron, Inc.
    Inventors: Jennings Wayne Moore, Larry Joseph Deniston, Terry Lee Merkle, Douglas Alan Bennett, Robert James Golisek
  • Patent number: 7877300
    Abstract: A system and method of processing an order comprises receiving an order for desired items, and calculating a collective physical parameter(s) of the items such as a total weight of the items, a total volume of the items and/or a total number of cases of the items. The calculated collective physical parameter(s) is compared with a predetermined threshold(s) reflecting a physical capacity or capability of one standard full carrier. The processing of the order is stopped if the collective physical parameter exceeds the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Nintendo of America Inc.
    Inventors: Michelle Anderson, Dave Clifford, Ken Frost
  • Patent number: 7870044
    Abstract: This disclosure details the implementation of methods, systems and computer program products for a cloud computing spot market platform (hereinafter, “Platform”). Fluctuations in demand for computing resources may engender idle processing capacity within the framework of a cloud computing system. Embodiments of the Platform provide infrastructure for redistributing idle capacity to grid-style batch computing processes, such as may be based on the same processing resources as those used by the cloud computing system. In this manner, Platform embodiments may increase the utilization of idle resources and reduce revenue losses associated with demand variability for cloud computing system administrators. In one embodiment, market-oriented floating prices for grid-style batch computing utilizing idle resources may be implemented based on monitored and analyzed levels of computing resource supply and demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2011
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventor: James A. Robertson