Abstract: A settlement apparatus in an embodiment includes a settling section, a discharging section, an article detecting section, and a processing section. The settling section performs settlement processing for settlement concerning a commercial transaction. The discharging section discharges a prescribed article to a receiving section after the end of the settlement processing by the settling section. The article detecting section detects reaining of the article in the receiving section. The processing section performs, if the article detecting section detects the remaining of the article at a point in time when a prescribed time elapses after the article is discharged by the discharging section, predetermined processing for making it possible to check the remaining of the article afterwards.

Abstract: A payment and financing system can determine whether a merchant is eligible for financing for a particular amount. The particular amount can be determined by evaluating previous financial transactions that were conducted by the merchant and other merchants through the payment and financing system. Once a determination is made that the merchant is eligible for the cash advance, the payment system can send a customized offer for financing in the particular amount to the merchant via a merchant computing device. The merchant can accept the offer for the cash advance by sending an acceptance to the payment and financing system, for example, through a financing interface on the merchant computing device. Upon accepting the offer, the merchant is provided the financed amount, for example, in the form of an electronic deposit in a financial account of the merchant.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatuses are provided for storing, dispensing, and facilitating replenishment of a dispenser. The dispenser may store and dispense one or more types of consumable items. Additionally, the dispenser may include one or more sensors for sensing a storage status of the dispenser (e.g., the quantity consumable items remaining in the dispenser). Further still, the dispenser may communicate storage status updates to a remote device on which a related application can be executed, for updating a current storage status, and presenting a notification to a user of the remote device, suggesting the purchase of additional consumable items to replenish the dispenser. The related application may further present the user with other types of purchasing-related information, such as cross merchandise opportunities, a retailer located nearest to the user/mobile device where the additional consumable items can be purchased from, as well as other shopping-related features and/or functionalities.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method is provided for making a transaction, the method including receiving, at a merchant system: a basket for purchase; and a unique code identifying a user. The method also includes reading, using the merchant system, one or more biomarkers from the user and identifying, from a database, a stored code corresponding to the unique code and one or more stored biomarkers corresponding to the one or more biomarkers. The method further compares: the one or more biomarkers with the one or more stored biomarkers associated with the corresponding stored code; or, the unique code with the stored code associated with the one or more stored biomarkers. If there is a match, a transaction based on the basket for purchase is made using a payment vehicle associated with the corresponding stored code; or, if there is no match, the transaction is declined.

Abstract: Approving a group purchase request for a group of articles. A sub-group of articles is selected, wherein a unique article approval index is assigned to each of the articles and a highest article approval index is determined among the unique article approval indexes of the articles of the group, wherein the article of the group is selected into the sub-group if the article of the group complies with at least one of following article selection criteria: the unique article approval index of the article of the group is above a predetermined approval index threshold and the unique approval index of the article of the group is equal to the highest article approval index; approving the group purchase request for the group if the group purchase request for the sub-group is approved; and rejecting the group purchase request for the group if the group purchase request for the sub-group is rejected.

Abstract: A system comprises a non-transitory machine readable storage medium storing instructions and a database identifying a plurality of assets and a state of each asset. The instructions configure a processor for receiving updates to a distributed electronic ledger managed by plural peer processors. Each update includes an event or change affecting one of the assets. The peer processors verify portions of the ledger describing each event or change. At least one of the updates has not yet been recorded in the ledger at a time of the receiving. The processor computes a state of each asset, based on the updates, receives a request for a state of one of the assets; and responds to the request, reflecting each event and change affecting that asset. The response is performed without waiting for the peer processors to verify an update that has not yet been recorded in the ledger.

Abstract: Methodologies, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for generating redeemable electronic fuel codes and validating fuel payments at a fuel point of sale terminal. An enterprise can be configured to receive an indication of fuel purchase request and can request authorization from a financial institution or account associated with at least one individual. If the payment is authorized, the enterprise can generate a purchase authorization for the amount of fuel requested and create an encrypted electronic fuel code that can be transmitted to the individual and used for redeeming fuel at a fuel point of sale terminal associated with the enterprise. An enterprise can be configured to sell fuel to at least one individual using a phone number and a unique security PIN at a fuel point of sale terminal, such that the at least one individual is billed for the fuel purchase via their phone service provider.

Abstract: Systems and methods for medical device identification are described. One embodiment is A medical device identification system including a medical device having an identifying symbol for providing information to a user about the medical device, and a monitoring system comprising a processing circuit and a communications interface. The processing circuit includes a device identification module configured to receive input from a detection device, via the communications interface, for identifying the medical device, and a device information module configured to provide identifying information about the medical device. The medical device may be a tool or an implant. The identifying symbol may be a shape, and the symbol may further include an identifying color.

Abstract: A method and device for indicating whether a dispensable product will require refilling prior to the next scheduled service interval includes tracking the amount of use over a first interval, and calculating a frequency based from the use over the first interval. The quantity remaining is compared with the required amount, which is the product of the number of weeks in the service interval and the calculated frequency. Thus, when the quantity remaining is less that the required amount, a warning will be provided to indicate that the dispensing product should be replaced, as it will be empty before the next service interval.

Abstract: A system for injecting and ejecting virtual connected buttons on an operating system (OS) interface includes one or more communications channels connecting a host to on-line product/service acquisition sites, information on a user's purchases from the acquisition sites, a virtual purchasing connected button (VPCB) for each product/service the user buys from an acquisition site that can be displayed on an interface of the OS of the host, and an online-purchasing system manager that triggers, based on that information, a deferring action of the display of the VPCB on the OS interface for one or more products.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for managing item delivery. The system includes an order management system, comprising an order terminal for receiving an order, a transmitter for receiving the order from the order terminal and sending the order to one or more product providers, a verification terminal by which a recipient can verify completion of delivery of items associated with the order, and a scheduler. The scheduler schedules a robot to be available at an interchange to receive the one or more items, and the order management system provides a delivery destination to the robot by which, or so that, the robot can autonomously navigate to the destination.

Abstract: A mobile device is used to initiate and execute a transaction between a customer and a merchant. A mobile device is used to initiate a point of sale transaction, wherein a merchant ID is sent to a payment processing server. Responsive to receiving a communication from the mobile device, the payment processing server requests transaction information from the merchant, wherein the merchant is identified based on the provided merchant ID. The merchant can provide transaction information such as the total sale amount to the payment processing server. The payment processing server can authenticate the customer and initiate a purchase transaction with the appropriate financial institutions associated with the customer and the merchant. The payment processing server can send a confirmation of the executed transaction to the merchant and the mobile device.

Abstract: In some embodiments, methods and systems for determining stocking locations of products having more than one stocking location on a sales floor of a retail facility include an electronic inventory management database that stores product identification data indicating an identify of one or more products at the retail facility and product location data indicating a stocking location of the products on the sales floor of the retail facility. An electronic inventory management device including a processor-based control circuit is configured to correlate the product identification data and the product location data stored in the electronic inventory management database, determine that one or more products are stocked in first and second stocking locations on the sales floor of the retail facility, track worker task events associated with the products, and determine whether the product is to be stocked or was stocked at the first or second stocking location.

Abstract: This disclosure describes systems, methods and apparatus for finding and delivering a desired item, including unique or hard-to-find items. In one example, there is provided a method that includes receiving a request to find the item and broadcasting the request. The method includes receiving responses to the broadcasted request, the responses indicating a finding of the item and including a bid to sell the item. The method includes providing purchase options for the item to a source of the request based on the received responses, and receiving, from the source of the request, a selection of a purchase option from among the purchase options provided to the source. The method includes providing instructions to a provider of the selected purchase option based on the received selection.

Abstract: A first system for maintaining an inventory of goods available for purchase and providing images relating thereto; a second system for wirelessly communicating the images to a mobile communications and computing platform; a third system operationally coupled the mobile communications and computing platform for displaying on the mobile platform at least one of the images of one of the goods on the platform in response to a user's navigation; and a fourth system for effecting a purchase transaction with respect to at least one of the goods correlated with the displayed image. In the augmented reality embodiment, navigation is effected by physically moving the mobile platform relative to the inventive vending machine whereby the products displayed, and the views thereof, change and vary as a function of the relative position of the mobile platform and the vending machine.

Abstract: Example methods and systems enable rearrangement of a warehouse to an optimal layout determined according to customizable goals. An example method includes receiving, at a warehouse management system (WMS), information of a warehouse and items of the warehouse, identifying an item shipment expectation including new items expected to be received at the warehouse at a future date and items present at the warehouse marked for delivery at the future date, determining an optimal layout of the items of the warehouse at a present date based on the item shipment expectation, determining an amount of time to rearrange the items, by one or more of robotic devices rearranging the items, to the optimal layout based on a time measurement for robotic devices to perform tasks, and determining to rearrange the items of the warehouse based on the amount of time to rearrange the items being less than a threshold amount of time.

Abstract: Embodiments of the disclosure enable a computing system to enhance one or more financial transactions. The computing system identifies a cardholder account used to enter into a financial transaction, identifies a merchant and/or a primary product associated with the financial transaction, analyzes cardholder data associated with the cardholder account and account data associated with the merchant and/or the primary product to determine a secondary product, generate presentation data for presenting product information associated with the secondary product, and receive selection data associated with the secondary product such that the financial transaction is enhanced with the secondary product. Aspects of the disclosure provide for enhancing the financial transaction with a secondary product tailored to the cardholder, provided or promoted by the merchant, and/or useable with the primary product in a constructive, complementary, and/or effective manner.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product are provided for product/service design and creation. In use, at least one new resource is identified in a master catalog. The at least one resource is tested. Additionally, the at least one resource is released for service generation. Further, at least one service is generated utilizing the at least one resource. The at least one service is stored in the master catalog. In addition, the at least one service is released for product generation. Furthermore, at least one product is generated utilizing the at least one service. The at least one product is stored in the master catalog. Moreover, the at least one product is presented for sale.

Abstract: A system for determining an amount of shelf space comprises: a plurality of weight sensors at a region of a shelf that directly measure a force related to a weight of physical items positioned on the shelf and generates a weight result, the shelf positioned at an angle from a horizontal axis; the shelf positioning the physical items at the angle; a shelf angle determination device that determines the angle of the shelf; wherein the weight sensors generates the weight result adjusted for the determined shelf angle; and an occupancy determination processor that determines an amount of surface area of the shelf occupied by the physical items from the adjusted weight result.

Abstract: Examples disclosed herein relate to item identifier assignment. For example, a processor may create a mass serialization scheme to provide a list of item identifiers to allow a subset of the identifiers to be knocked out. Each item identifier may associated with multiple containers, and each container may include two item identifiers relating to the sequence of item identifiers included within the container.