Abstract: Techniques for related to retail transaction are disclosed. The techniques involve various uses of a mobile device, such as a cell phone, in authorizing payment for a retail transaction and/or receiving and/or transmitting data to/from the mobile device.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for reducing fraud in electronic payment transactions. The apparatus includes a processor that executes instructions to implement a process to identify consumer or merchant devices that have been used in fraudulent transactions and prevent the authorization of future transactions that are initiated using those devices. By collecting device data as part of authorization messages and processing that data, devices that are used in fraudulent transactions with different merchants or involving different accounts may be identified and prevented from being the source of future transactions. This prevents future losses and reinforces the integrity of the transaction system.

Abstract: A method of payment terminal operation, including: receiving a payment collection request for a payment from an application, generating a payment initiation request for the payment, sending the payment initiation request to a secure processing system, switching the secure processing system from operation in an unsecured mode to operation in a secured mode in response to receipt of the payment initiation request, facilitating payment information entry, and receiving a payment response notification, generated based on the payment information, at the main processor.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for delivering a package which includes an enclosure with a door. The door includes an access code input device, which has a tilt plate for entering a code. The method and system also include a mechanism for opening and closing the door and a controller, which is in communication with the access code input device, is proximate the door and includes an access code reader for controlling the mechanism. The method also includes the step of providing a package with a delivery label attached to the package having an access code comprising dimensions for the package to be delivered. The access code further includes instructions to partially move the door only for an amount of time needed to partially open the door from a closed position or partially close the door from an open position according to the dimensions of the package to only allow passage of the package.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for implementation of a rolling key to identify systems inventories. One method may include receiving, by a processing device of an inventory server from a client system, a key and a key component, wherein the key component comprises a random string of characters generated by the client system to uniquely identify the client system; identifying, using the key as an identifier, the client system in an inventory database of the inventory server; transmitting an acknowledgement to the client system that the client system has been identified in the inventory database and that the inventory server received the key component, the acknowledgement to cause the client system to store the key component as part of a new key used to identify the client system; and storing the key component, wherein storing the key component causes a modification of the key used to identify the client system.

Abstract: Approaches for expiring cached virtual content in a virtual universe are provided. In one approach, there is an expiration tool, including an identification component configured to identify virtual content associated with an avatar in the virtual universe, an analysis component configured to analyze a behavior of the avatar in a region of the virtual universe, the behavior indicating a likely future location of the avatar, and an expiration component configured to expire cached virtual content associated with the avatar based on the behavior of the avatar in the region of the virtual universe, wherein the cached virtual content associated with the avatar in the future location is maintained in the cache longer than cached virtual content associated with the avatar in another region of the virtual universe.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a system for processing an image of an item and correctly identifying the item from a group of candidate items. In one implementation, as item image information for a new item is added to an item images data store, a determination is made as to the weight of the item represented by the image, and the item may be associated with a weight class. Each weight class represents items within a defined weight range. Item image information for items in the same weight class may then be used when new items are added to inventory and/or when identifying an item represented in an image.

Abstract: A mobile payment system and method are described that facilitates the secure and real time user authentication and activation of a mobile payment account for a user portable electronic device over a communications network.

Abstract: A method and system of processing commodity object information. The method includes: determining a commodity object as a future for conducting an advance sale and an advance sale quantity; determining information of a first user of the commodity object of the advance sale and information of a physical logistics warehouse associated with the first user; generating information of a virtual logistics warehouse of the commodity object of the advance sale; and acquiring address information of a second user and determining whether the address information of the second user is located in a distribution coverage of the virtual logistics warehouse when logistics warehouse information of the commodity object is displayed to the second user, and providing the information of the virtual logistics warehouse of the commodity object to the second user if affirmative. The present disclosure can avoid an occurrence of an event such as “over-sale”, exceeding a distribution coverage, etc., during a future advance sale.

Abstract: Methods and systems related to near field communication (NFC) front ends for point of sale terminals are disclosed. One point of sale system includes an applications microprocessor programmed to: (i) instantiate an operating system for the point of sale system and (ii) generate a set of data packets. The system also includes a discrete microcontroller communicatively coupled with the applications microprocessor and programmed to: (i) selectively operate in an unsecure mode and a secure mode; and (ii) filter, when operating in the unsecure mode, the set of data packets received from the applications microprocessor using a filter and a whitelist for the filter. The system also includes a near field communication front end communicatively coupled to the discrete microcontroller and an antenna, for transmitting a near field communication signal based on information from the set of data packets via the antenna.

Abstract: A method for consumer verification of a payment transaction that exceeds previously established account limitations includes: storing account profiles, each including data related to a transaction account including a primary account number and transaction controls; receiving a transaction message related to a payment transaction including a specific primary account number, a point of sale identifier, and one or more additional data elements configured to store transaction details; identifying a specific account profile that includes the specific primary account number; determining that the payment transaction exceeds the account controls in the specific account profile based on the transaction details; transmitting question data for a plurality of questions to a point of sale associated with the point of sale identifier; receiving answer data from the point of sale; and transmitting the transaction message to a financial institution based on the answer data.

Abstract: Systems, methods, apparatus, and computer program products are provided for initiating shipment of and payment for shipping a parcel. For example, in one embodiment, a customer/user can receive a message on a user device from a carrier that includes an authorization code for shipping a parcel. After the customer/user ships the parcel, the carrier can charge a variety of accounts for the shipping charges, including a wireless services provider associated with the user device. In another embodiment, the customer/user can interact with a kiosk to ship the parcel. In this embodiment, the carrier can also charge a variety of accounts for the shipping charges, including a wireless services provider.

Abstract: Systems and method for managing a construction payment process. An input is received from a first participant and one of a plurality of stored notification workflows is accessed from a memory based on the information received from the first participant. Each stored notification workflow defines a sequence of automatic electronic notifications that are transmitted from the application server to one or more participants in the construction project in response to one or more predetermined events. Based on the accessed notification workflow, a second participant is identified and a first notification is automatically transmitted to the second participant. A response to the first notification is received from the second participant through an electronic form. The content of the response is automatically processed and a second notification is transmitted to a third participant based on the accessed notification workflow.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving a request for a webpage together with an identifier for a web session and determining that the web session has expired. Information entered by a user that would have appeared in the webpage before the web session expired is retrieved and at least some of the retrieved information is partially masked in response to the determination that the web session has expired. The webpage is then returned with the partially masked information.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing various shipping related functionality are presented. The methods can automatically predict shipping attributes based on historical shipping data, and automatically purchase postage for a current shipment from a shared postage account while preventing the postage account shared among multiple users from having insufficient funds. Furthermore, predictions of shipping attributes for shipments may not be presented to a user, until the certainty of the predictions reaches or surpasses a confidence level or a threshold, where the confidence level or the threshold can be determined and changed by a user. Even when the certainty of the predictions reaches or surpasses a confidence level, and the predictions are presented to the user, the user can accept, reject, or change the predicted attributes.

Abstract: A tamper-proof computing device used in conducting a point-of-sale transaction. The tamper-proof computing device comprises a touch-screen display. In some embodiments, an ITO layer is deposited on the touch-screen display that has a tamper line embedded in the ITO layer, such that the tamper line is susceptible to breaking upon unauthorized physical manipulation, and the tamper line is in communication with a microcontroller that is configured to detect the tamper, and to render the tamper-proof computing device inoperable. The tamper line can be a single line trace embedded in the ITO layer or a cluster of traces embedded in the ITO layer. A method of manufacturing comprises forming a tamper line in an ITO layer, depositing the ITO layer on the display and coupling the tamper line to a security microcontroller.

Abstract: An image is compared to a validation image to obtain a signal-to-noise ratio. The signal-to-noise ratio is used to determine validity of the image. According to an embodiment, the image includes a barcode. According to another embodiment, a minimum threshold value for the signal-to-noise ratio is set and the validity of the image is determined based on the minimum threshold value and the signal-to-noise ratio. The minimum threshold value can be determined by using respective signal-to-noise ratios resulting from comparing a valid image to a validation image and an invalid image to a validation image.

Abstract: A method of payment terminal operation, including: receiving a payment collection request for a payment from an application, generating a payment initiation request for the payment, sending the payment initiation request to a secure processing system, switching the secure processing system from operation in an unsecured mode to operation in a secured mode in response to receipt of the payment initiation request, facilitating payment information entry, and receiving a payment response notification, generated based on the payment information, at the main processor.

Abstract: A method for providing automated entry to properties includes placing a lock box or an automated door lock at or near a property. The property is listed as available as an open house on an application running on a portable device. A property manager receives required renter criteria that is required to authorize an unaccompanied visit to the property. A visitor using a portable device can select to indicate a desire to enter the property. Upon the application receiving the visitor request to enter the property, communicating with a credit bureau to pull a credit score for the visitor. Upon rental criteria for the visitor meeting the required renter criteria, the application provides automated entry information to the visitor that allows the visitor to enter the property.

Abstract: Tracking data of objects within a facility may be obtained using a plurality of smart floor tiles. Techniques for installation of the smart floor tiles allow for the generation of information about the relative arrangement of the smart floor tiles relative to one another. This relative arrangement is used in conjunction with information about physical dimensions of the smart floor tiles to generate a mapping that associates particular floor tiles with particular physical locations within the facility.