Patents Examined by Gregory Johnson
  • Patent number: 8364528
    Abstract: A system and process for improving product recommendations for a first user includes receiving a request for one or more product recommendations for a first user, each product recommendation being associated with any one of a plurality of retailers, receiving a plurality of recommendation sets from one or more automated product recommendation systems, wherein the plurality of recommendation sets are generated using different selection models and using ensemble learning to select one or more most relevant product recommendation sets from the plurality of product recommendation sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: RichRelevance, Inc.
    Inventors: David Selinger, Tyler Kohn, Michael DeCourcey, Sundeep Ahuja, James Osial, Albert Sunwoo
  • Patent number: 8359260
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention relates to securities trading using electronic systems. Another embodiment of the present invention relates to a computer implemented trade execution method, comprising: sending from an execution venue to each of a plurality of smart order routers a notification message; receiving at each of the smart order routers the notification message sent thereto, wherein the notification message notifies each of the smart order routers about the presence of a non-displayed priced order at the execution venue; sending from at least one of the smart order routers to the execution venue at least one order to execute against the non-displayed priced order; receiving at the execution venue each order sent from each of the smart order routers; and executing at least one order received from at least one of the smart order routers against the non-displayed priced order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Liquidnet Holdings, Inc.
    Inventors: Seth I. Merrin, Steve Greenblatt, John Halloran, Ilya Gutman, Kevin Lupowitz
  • Patent number: 8359234
    Abstract: A method is provided that includes receiving message data at a server from a first remote device. The message data is associated with a message and the message includes text of one or more words, one or more characters, one or more symbols, or any combination thereof. The method also includes determining an intended recipient of the message and parsing the message data to identify text that matches criteria associated with an advertisement campaign. Further, the method includes composing an advertisement based on characteristics of the intended recipient and based on the text that matches the criteria associated with the advertisement campaign. Additionally, the method includes creating an audio file based on the message data and the advertisement and sending the audio file from the server to a second remote device, the second remote device associated with the intended recipient.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Braintexter, Inc.
    Inventor: Riccardo Vieri
  • Patent number: 8355976
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for measuring a risk of an asset portfolio. The system estimates a ?-level CVaR (Conditional Value-at-Risk) of the asset portfolio by modeling interdependencies between assets in the asset portfolio. The modeling is based on Gaussian copula model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Soumyadip Ghosh, Pu Huang, Dharmashankar Subramanian, Jie Xu
  • Patent number: 8355956
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are techniques to market products and services by enabling a potential consumer to access information about a product or service by simply scanning a bar code. Consistent with some embodiments, a computer system stores in a database data records that include bar code information. The computer system is operable to receive requests for information that include bar code information. Upon receiving such a request, the computer system identifies a data record in the database with bar code information that matches the bar code information received in the request, and then processes the request by communicating relevant information to the requestor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas G. Woolston
  • Patent number: 8352353
    Abstract: Orders relating to a sale or purchase of securities are staged into an execution management system that includes a processor programmed to perform securities trading activities. Data describing the orders is stored in a database, which includes a neutral account. After the orders are staged into the execution management system, one or more of the orders, or portions thereof, are associated with one or more brokers for execution.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: RealTick LLC
    Inventors: Bevan Brookfield, Derek Gover
  • Patent number: 8352328
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating a computerized market for used and collectible goods by use of a plurality of low cost posting terminals and a market maker computer in a legal framework that establishes a bailee relationship and consignment contract with a purchaser of a good at the market maker computer that allows the purchaser to change the price of the good once the purchaser has purchased the good thereby to allow the purchaser to speculate on the price of collectibles in an electronic market for used goods while assuring the safe and trusted physical possession of a good with a vetted bailee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2013
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas G. Woolston
  • Patent number: 8346649
    Abstract: Provided are methods and computer software applications for generating a stock portfolio, and/or enhanced stock index, through using a plurality of growth factors and a plurality of value factors to rank stocks, and for constructing investment vehicles based on the stock portfolio. The method, software application, or computer apparatus of the present technology employs a novel stock selection strategy to select stocks from a pre-selected universe of securities such as a commercially available stock market index in order to create a stock portfolio, and/or enhanced stock index, and a fund based thereon that can generate positive alpha as compared to a fund based on the pre-selected universe of securities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: First Trust Portfolios L.P.
    Inventors: Dan Waldron, David McGarel, Robert Hensley, Christopher Peterson
  • Patent number: 8346655
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for providing a trading platform for the trade of F.I.s. According to some embodiments of the present invention, there may be provided a server or server cluster including at least one Interfacing Server adapted to interface with a user, possibly via a distributed data network such as the interne. The IS1 may be adapted to present to a user a trading platform, to receive from a user trade instructions, via the platform, and execute them. The trading platform may include innovative trade options including mid-trade options (e.g. trade insurance), batch trade options, series trade options, parlay trade options and “close now”/“extend” options.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Inventor: Ilan Tzroya
  • Patent number: 8341052
    Abstract: A combined loan and investment program comprises a computer processor and program code configured to be executed by the computer processor to process financial loan and investment data by calculating from the data interest and principal loan payments on a loan principal at a given rate and term, calculating investment performance data on a periodic principal investment deposit at a given rate and calculating loan principal amortization parameters as a function of the investment performance data. The present invention provides a method for paying off a mortgage and simultaneously generating wealth via an investment account by making a payment to a mortgagee, dividing the payment, applying a first portion of the payment to satisfy the interest due on the mortgage, applying a second portion of the payment to an investment account, allowing the investment account to grow and applying a portion of the investment account to satisfy the mortgage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Inventor: Richard T. Combs
  • Patent number: 8341028
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating a computerized market for used and collectible goods by use of a plurality of low cost posting terminals and a market maker computer in a legal framework that establishes a bailee relationship and consignment contract with a purchaser of a good at the market maker computer that allows the purchaser to change the price of the good once the purchaser has purchased the good thereby to allow the purchaser to speculate on the price of collectibles in an electronic market for used goods while assuring the safe and trusted physical possession of a good with a vetted bailee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas G. Woolston
  • Patent number: 8332278
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating a computerized market for used and collectible goods by use of a plurality of low cost posting terminals and a market maker computer in a legal framework that establishes a bailee relationship and consignment contract with a purchaser of a good at the market maker computer that allows the purchaser to change the price of the good once the purchaser has purchased the good thereby to allow the purchaser to speculate on the price of collectibles in an electronic market for used goods while assuring the safe and trusted physical possession of a good with a vetted bailee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas G. Woolston
  • Patent number: 8332279
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for creating a computerized market for used and collectible goods by use of a plurality of low cost posting terminals and a market maker computer in a legal framework that establishes a bailee relationship and consignment contract with a purchaser of a good at the market maker computer that allows the purchaser to change the price of the good once the purchaser has purchased the good thereby to allow the purchaser to speculate on the price of collectibles in an electronic market for used goods while assuring the safe and trusted physical possession of a good with a vetted bailee.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventor: Thomas G. Woolston
  • Patent number: 8326684
    Abstract: A system for publishing a sponsor-comment together with content of a publisher that is associated with a particular file. A code segment is included in the particular file. A database relates a plurality of keywords with one or more sponsors. A registration module is operative to register one or more channels of the publisher, each said channel including at least one of the plurality of files. A communication module is operative to receive a sponsor-comment across the network. A comment management module is operative to selectively associate the sponsor-comment with the particular file in accordance with at least one criterion accessible to one or more of the servers. Upon opening each respective file in a browser of a client machine, the code segment executes to cause the browser to include in the display the sponsor-comment together with the publisher-content. Variations of systems and methods that publish sponsor comments are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Inventors: Eyal Halahmi, Eitan Ron, Tal Goldberg, Philippe Lang
  • Patent number: 8326657
    Abstract: The systems and methods described herein may automate insurance underwriting by integrating information from multiple online databases and creating decision making advice useful to insurance underwriters. One system includes a client, database, and server. The client allows an underwriter to enter applicant information, enter customized risk modifiers, and receive an underwriting decision. The database provides additional applicant information. This information can include one or more of prescription drug history, credit history, motor vehicle records, and geocentric mortality risk. The server obtains the applicant information, calculates the applicant's risk, and makes an underwriting decision. Another system calculates a prescription drug risk for an applicant from pharmacy benefits management data, drug risk category data, and application data. Another system calculates a geocentric mortality risk for an applicant from census data, mortality data, credit information, and application data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Quantitative Data Solutions, LLC
    Inventors: Robert D. Morse, Gerald L. Conrad, Linda Goodwin, Loren S. Kane, Harry W. Clark
  • Patent number: 8326735
    Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for providing a platform for the trade of Exotic F.I.s. According to some embodiments of the present invention, there may be provided a server or server cluster including at least one Interfacing Server adapted to interface with a user, possibly via a distributed data network such as the internet. The IS1 may be adapted to present to a user an Exotic F.I.s trading platform, to receive from a user trade instructions and execute them. The platform may include innovative trade options including batch trade options, series trade options, parlay trade options and “close now”/“extend” options.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Inventor: Ilan Tzroya
  • Patent number: 8326736
    Abstract: An automated system for matching orders to buy and sell securities including a displayed market where orders are executed at a BBO price and where information about the market is made available to investors and a midpoint matching market for matching buy and sell orders at a predetermined price, namely, the midpoint between the national best bid and offer. The displayed market and the midpoint matching market are linked so that orders submitted to the displayed market are exposed to the midpoint matching market and can be executed at an improved price if a contra order is available on the midpoint matching market.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: International Securities Exchange, LLC
    Inventors: Steve Wunsch, Robert Books
  • Patent number: 8326728
    Abstract: A target income mix is expressed as a set of weights in a portfolio of one or more classes of income generating financial products to meet a first income need indicative of essential expenses and a second income need indicative of discretionary expenses for a user. The target income mix is converted to dollar amounts to invest in the classes of income generating products to meet the first and second income needs. Using the target income mix percentage weights, initial purchase amounts are determined from the user's available assets. The initial purchase amounts for each of the classes of income generating products can be adjusted until the overall portfolio is projected to produce enough after-tax income to meet the first income need at a first predetermined confidence level or return assumption and meet the first income need and the second income need at a second predetermined confidence level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: FMR LLC
    Inventors: Stephen J. Devaney, Andrey Lyalko, Steven A. Feinschreiber, Klara B. Iskoz, Robert L. Macdonald
  • Patent number: 8315941
    Abstract: An automated loan risk assessment system and method are described. The system is adapted to receive information about a loan or an insurance application requesting insurance to cover same. The system calculates a risk score for the loan based on a plurality of risk factors including at least two of a fraud risk factor, a credit risk factor and a property valuation risk factor. The risk score can be used by a loan service provider in deciding whether or not to fund or insure the loan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Interthinx, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven C. Halper, Constance A. Wilson, Stephen M. Hourigan
  • Patent number: 8315940
    Abstract: Latency in electronic trading is dramatically reduced by delaying trade order validation until a match or trade can potentially occur. If a new order does not meet the matching criteria for an existing order in an order book, then the new order is stored in the order book without performing validation processing in a first example embodiment. In a second example embodiment, the order is stored in the order book before validation has completed. But if a new order meets matching criteria for an existing order stored in an order book, then order validation processing is performed for both of the matching orders. Once the order validation processing is successfully completed for both of the matching orders, then the trade is executed. Order validation processing includes both risk calculations and account validations, (e.g., checking to ensure the party has the necessary money or collateral if a buyer or is the owner if a seller).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: OMX Technology AB
    Inventors: Håkan Winbom, Ulf Ahlenius