Abstract: There is stored in a storage device a conversion coefficient for correcting the difference between payment methods with respect to the correlation between the unit for enumerating a consumption amount and monetary value and treating the consumption amount of monetary value of each payment method as an enumerated value in the same unit system. Obtained from a payment apparatus is consumption record data where the consumption amount of monetary consumption by a user is represented by the number of units for each payment method. Calculated is an enumerate value corresponding to the consumption amount of each payment method based on the consumption amount of each payment method included in the consumption record data and the conversion coefficient. Based on the enumerated value obtained for each payment method and a predetermined unit price, calculated is a counter value to be charged from the first party to the second party.

Abstract: A method includes generating a delta price and generating a final price using the delta price. A process and system provide an ability to determine a product's final price with a selected set of features in which multiple configurations are to be generated. The ability to determine such final prices can be based on the ability to determine the change in price between one configuration of a product and that of another product configuration (e.g. the product configured with the desired feature(s)). A customer is able to select one or more features, and so view the effect on the product's final price, as well as compare the prices (and incremental price differences) between various configurations of a given product. This increases the likelihood of the purchase being made, because it provides the potential purchaser with the final price earlier in the sales cycle.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products are disclosed for providing communications services. One method receives a request for communications service. The request for communications service originates from a client communications device, and the request for communications service is communicated to a service provider of a communications network. A preferred scenario of segmentation, dispersion, and assemblage of electronic data is dynamically ascertained to fulfill the request. The method then bills for the communications service.

Abstract: Weight based upselling, including receiving a purchase request for an item from a customer; determining a weight of the item; identifying, in dependence upon the weight of the item, a shipping weight range and a shipping cost for the item, where the shipping weight range includes a maximum shipping weight; calculating a difference between the weight of the item and the maximum shipping weight in the shipping weight range; selecting an upsell item in dependence upon the difference between the weight of the item and the maximum shipping weight in the shipping weight range; and offering the upsell item to the customer, including offering to ship both the item and the upsell item for only the identified shipping cost.

Abstract: The present server based communications system provides dynamic customization of hypertext tagged documents presented to clients accessing the system. The customization, which pertains to the content of the documents, is based on the specific requirements of a class to which the client belongs to. The class may be defined by the identity of the source which refers the client to the system. The system utilizes a database which dynamically retrieves stored data in response to a server software tool which configures the data into hypertext tagged documents. The system utilizes a dynamic token scheme to pass the identity of the referring network site from document to document to eventual purchase document accessed by the client through the hypertext tags.

Abstract: System and method for creating response pieces. The response piece system authenticates a user, generates a standardized address based on address code information received from the user, and generates a response piece mailpiece based on the standardized address and the information received from the user. In additional embodiments, including an embodiment for prepaid response pieces, the response piece system generates a response piece permit based on permit information received from the user, generates a unique address code based on address code information received from the user, received payment of an identified fee, and generates the response piece mailpiece based on the permit and the unique address code.

Abstract: A method for brokering a repair to a vehicle with multiple potential repair service providers by temporarily associating a random user-anonymous session identifier with a brokering session for the vehicle's access device, transmitting the session identifier and a service request to each potential service provider, receiving multiple offers identifying a cost associated with responding to the repair request, determining a total response repair cost aggregated from the responding providers, selecting a winning offer, determining a cost to the access device for resource usage during the brokering session representing, reducing a gross revenue to the selected winner by the total response cost; and subsequently, re-using the session identifier for aggregating other usage records and offsetting costs to compensate non-winning responders.

Abstract: A paid operation queue Q1 and a trial operation queue Q2 are provided within an output operation execution system. Each request for execution of an operation job from a client device is entered into either the paid operation queue Q1 or the trial operation queue Q2. An operation job is selected and executed to generate image output data. A paid operation job is selected in precedence to a trial operation job. The image output data thus obtained is temporarily stored into a storage device. If the executed operation job is a paid operation job, the image output data is transferred to the client device without undesired modification, and if the executed operation job is a trial operation job, the image output data is added with a trial-job mark and then is transferred to the client device.

Abstract: A computer is programmed to receive data concerning a current location of a vehicle, a plurality of gas prices at a plurality of gas stations, and a plurality of locations, one location for each of the plurality of gas stations. The computer is programmed to determine a first gas station of the plurality of gas stations based on the current location of the vehicle, the plurality of gas prices, and the plurality of locations such that driving the vehicle from the current location to the first gas station and then to a final destination requires a first cost of gas, which is less than or equal to the cost of gas of driving the vehicle from the current location to any other gas station and then to the final destination. The data concerning the current location of the vehicle may be received from a global positioning system.

Abstract: A system and method for calculating a special wholesale pricing between a wholesaler and a reseller for a transaction between the reseller and an end-user. A wholesale discount pricing system is provided that comprises: a system for inputting a special pricing request from a reseller, wherein the special pricing request includes a product identifier and an end-user discount the reseller intends on applying to the transaction with the end-user; a product mapping system that maps the product identifier to a set of pricing parameters; and a calculation system that calculates the special wholesale pricing based on the set of pricing parameters and the inputted end-user discount.

Abstract: Method for dynamically allocating a cost to an e-mail that a first user of a transmission network such as the Internet network or an Intranet network who is a member of a group, wants to forward to a second user of the transmission network who is also a member of the group. The method comprising the steps of forwarding by the first user the e-mail to a market engine in charge of allocating a cost to the e-mail, determining by the market engine the cost of the e-mail based upon intrinsic and extrinsic criteria, submitting the cost of the e-mail to the first user for agreement, forwarding by the market engine the e-mail to the second user, and updating a credit account associated with the first user.

Abstract: Automatic pricing of remotely hosted applications permits users to enter customer data and flexibly prices various product offerings, product lines, and applications. An initial build of a computer system, modifications to an existing computer system configuration, extended services, and enhancements are incorporated. Errors are checked for and can be corrected. Using the invention, a sales team can quickly and efficiently price products and services at the inception of a business relationship, and can easily modify prices during the business relationship.

Abstract: A printer performs a printing operation by driving a cartridge to discharge ink. The ink in the printer is billed according to the amount of actual use of ink. In a service center, the head ID is first input. Then, the head ID is verified against the user ID. The amount of the use of ink is checked. Then, the billing amount for the actual use of ink is determined. The user is requested to pay for the cost.

Abstract: An estimation system for estimating an injection-molding related cost comprises an input unit, storage, a data processing unit, and an output unit. The storage stores a mold estimation function for each of cost items of a mold used to produce a molded product, and a mold estimation reference value table for recording mold estimation reference values in association with prescribed conditions. The data processing unit acquires a fabrication condition of the molded product through the input unit, reads the mold estimation function and one of the mold estimation reference values from the storage corresponding to the fabrication condition, and estimates a cost of the mold based on the mold estimation function and the selected mold estimation reference value. The output unit outputs a mold cost estimation result made by the data processing unit.

Abstract: Techniques are described for using predictive pricing information for items to assist in evaluating buying and/or selling decisions in various ways, such as on behalf of end-user item acquirers and/or intermediate item providers. The predictive pricing for an item may be based on an analysis of historical pricing information for that item and/or related items, and can be used to make predictions about future pricing information for the item. Such predictions may then be provided to users in various ways to enable comparison of current prices to predicted future prices. In some situations, predictive pricing information is used to assist customers when purchasing airline tickets and/or to assist travel agents when selling airline tickets. This abstract is provided to comply with rules requiring an abstract, and it is submitted with the intention that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Abstract: The present invention is methods, system and apparatus for the pricing tree services. The invention determines prices for tree, limb, and debris removal and trimming, taking into account factors such as difficulty of cutting and removal, prevailing costs, and the density of the tree, limbs or debris.

Abstract: Calculating price elasticity includes accessing a number of demand models and demand data describing a number of items. The demand models are evaluated in accordance with the demand data. A demand model of the evaluated demand models is selected in response to the evaluation. A price elasticity is calculated according to the selected demand model.

Abstract: A method and structure for predicting semiconductor product costs at a fabricator entailing a storage medium which includes a database of historical critical dimensions and historical critical groundrules correlated to cost functions at the fabricator. The user interface has user inputs for new design parameters and new critical groundrules associated with a new device to be produced at the fabricator and a computer adapted to receive the user inputs, extract data from the storage medium, and compute semiconductor costs for the new device. The historical critical dimensions and the new critical dimensions are gate dimensions and the new critical dimensions are smaller than the historical critical dimensions. This device includes a future technology generation. Fabrication hardware and fabrication methods for producing the future technology generation are unknown and the relationships comprise base models and models that include options.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for automated creation of a pricing schedule comprising steps and an implementation for providing a set of plans created with a software design tool and a palette of parametric symbols corresponding to respective plan elements. At least one symbol corresponding to a plan element is inserted into the plans. A cost value for each of the inserted symbols is calculated corresponding to respective plan elements. A schedule is created including the total cost for all the inserted symbols corresponding to respective plan elements.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of discounting a multi-media content item, which is to be sold at a purchase request through a communication network, such as the Internet. The discount is offered in proportion to the number of advertisement (ad) items chosen by a buyer to be added to the multi-media content item. With this method, a multi-media content to be sold and at least one ad content are selected individually through the communication network. The multi-media content and the ad contents are combined with each other, and the price of the combined content is discounted based on how many ad contents are added to the multi-media content. Accordingly, this method can induce increased sales of multi-media contents by discounting goods sold in connection with ads. Additionally, this method helps guarantee the effectiveness of ads by reproducing the ads together with the multi-media content whenever the multi-media content is played back.