Abstract: Individual employees are permitted to be individuals and plan their work as individuals. Individuals are only asked to plan their work within a limited tasking horizon. Employees track their progress using verbs that are designed to capture the reasons behind positive and negative predictive ability. Verbs are analyzed and expected predictive error, also know as risk, is calculated. Once verbs are captured they can be analyzed for ways to improve predictive ability. In addition, the risk can be factored into the initial planning stage so as to include an expected predictive error in the initial planning.

Abstract: A method of delivering printed images to a recipient, includes the steps of electronically transmitting digital images and image locator information from a location remote from and over a communication channel to a central receiving agency which stores such images and locator information in memory; and identifying a particular stored image in the memory using the corresponding image locator information and the location of one or more recipients and printing locations corresponding to each of the recipients. The method further includes transmitting the identified particular stored image in the memory to the printing location of each of the recipients; and printing the image at the printing location of each of the recipients and delivering the printed image in a package to the location corresponding to of each of the recipients.

Abstract: On-line purchasing of products from an electronic commerce (e.g., a Web page) seller is improved by providing samples to users at little or no cost in exchange for feedback that is provided to other users considering purchasing the product. A subset of products available for purchase from an electronic commerce site are provided for a sampling program to users. A predetermined number of users are allowed to sample the product. Feedback from the users are solicited and tracked to provide additional information to the seller and/or potential purchasers.

Abstract: An automated print order system for institutional business cards and stationery products generally comprises a requestor interface for entry of a distributed user's print order and a processor interface for fulfillment of the user's print order. The requestor interface is adapted to enable the user to select a company tailored product according to a predeterminable profile and the processor interface is adapted to directly generate a pre-press product automatically incorporating the predeterminable profile into the tailored product. The pre-press product of the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a direct-to-plate command set or a printing plate generated therefrom.

Abstract: A software system efficiently procures operating resources within an enterprise. A requisition record generating module generates a requisition record for a requisition. The requisition record indicates at least an operating resource that a requestor desires to purchase. The requisition record generating module generates the requisition record responsive to a combination of input by a requestor and operating resource information in an operating resource information database. An approval path determining module. responsive to the requisition record and to approval rules in an approval rules database, determines an approval path for the requisition record, among various ones of a plurality of possible approvers, required to approve the requisition record. An approval path handling module guides the requisition record along the determined approval path, and the approval path handling module generates a global approval indication in response to the requisition record successfully traversing the approval path.

Abstract: A method and system for electronically selling a data item such as a song, a literature piece or a picture. A data repository is used for a seller to store the data item that the seller wishes to sell for a fee. The data repository is accessible to a buyer who deposits a fund to the data repository prior to downloading the data item. Preferably, the data repository is connected to a telecommunication network such as the Internet so that the buyer can download the purchased data item directly through the telecommunication network. Preferably, the seller posts a price which is the maximum amount the seller wishes to collect and sets a minimum amount that the seller is willing to collect from the buyer for downloading the data item. Preferably, the buyer makes an offer to the data repository wherein a software program is used to check whether the offered price falls within the fee range as set by the seller.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for allocating a portfolio investment among a population of securities held in an investment portfolio, wherein each security of the population of securities is issued by a company of a plurality of companies, and each security has at least one corresponding data element. The method includes the steps of assigning each security to a corresponding industry group, summing the industry total of each of the plurality of industry groups to provide the portfolio investment. One investment portion of the portfolio investment is distributed to at least one or more of the plurality of industry groups. The investment portion of the corresponding industry group is equal to a proportion of the industry total of the corresponding industry group to the portfolio investment. The investment portion may be distributed among a selected one or more of the securities of the corresponding industry group.

Abstract: The invention presented herein relates to methods and systems for providing life management and enhancement applications and services to customers via an electronic medium such as the Internet. In addition, the present invention is directed to business-to-business and business-to-customer applications that provide customer-centric and “reverse retailing” services to customers. The life management and enhancement applications and services are provided to customers through a central online location such as the Internet portal. A system and method according to one particular embodiment of the present invention describes an application for providing telematics services to the customer.

Abstract: An exemplary embodiment is a method for generating a brick model. The method includes receiving an electronic representation of an item to be represented by the brick model. The electronic representation is processed to generate building instructions for building the brick model and connected to an order interface for enabling the user to order bricks to make a model for shipment to the user.

Abstract: A system and method for procuring non-production commodities for use by employees of a commercial enterprise includes associating the employee with a user profile comprising information relating a status of the employee within the enterprise, automatically generating a requisition for the employee indicating a desired commodity and quantity thereof, and, utilizing the user profile information and the desired commodity to enable employee searching of specific catalogs provided in a database storage device for indication of the desired commodity in a requisition. The system and method further provides for the automatic generation of a purchase order based on the requisition, the forwarding of the purchase order to the vendor for processing the order without a third party intervenor, and provides a mechanism for receiving vendor purchase order acknowledgments and approving vendor initiated changes to the purchase order without third party intervention.

Abstract: An automated print order system for institutional business cards and stationery products generally comprises a requestor interface for entry of a distributed user's print order and a processor interface for fulfillment of the user's print order. The requestor interface is adapted to enable the user to select a company tailored product according to a predeterminable profile and the processor interface is adapted to directly generate a pre-press product automatically incorporating the predeterminable profile into the tailored product. The pre-press product of the preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a direct-to-plate command set or a printing plate generated therefrom.

Abstract: The present invention provides a software facility for identifying the items most relevant to a current query based on items selected in connection with similar queries. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the facility receives a query specifying one or more query terms. In response, the facility generates a query result identifying a plurality of items that satisfy the query. The facility then produces a ranking value for at least a portion of the item identified in the query result by combining the relative frequencies with which users selected that item from the query results generated from queries specifying each of the terms specified by the query. The facility identifies as most relevant those items having the highest ranking values.

Abstract: An improved method for purging abandoned shopping carts from an electronic commerce web server. Periodically, the number of shopping carts that belong to guest shoppers is determined and compared with a threshold. When the number shopping carts that belong to guest shoppers exceeds the threshold, a guest shopper garbage collection routine applies to the shopping carts that belong to guest shoppers, and an established shopper garbage collection routine applies to carts that belong to established shoppers. In one embodiment of the invention, the guest shopper garbage collection routine purges shopping carts that have been inactive for a first period of time, whereas the established shopper garbage collection routine purges shopping carts that have been inactive for a second period of time that is longer than the first.

Abstract: Using a preset, temporary ID, a user accesses an on-line shop where he is not registered. When the user buys a commodity, the on-line shop sends order data to a money gate. In response to a request from the money gate, a mall-operating company where the user is registered sends the money gate information necessary for settlement such as a credit number. The money gate generates final order data by combining the order data and the information necessary for settlement. Settlement processing with a card company is performed by using the final order data.

Abstract: Settlement systems and methods are provided wherein a buyer takes possession of a product at a retailer. In one embodiment, a purchasing system arranges through a communication network for a buyer to purchase a product from a seller at a first price. The purchasing system also arranges for the buyer to take possession of the product at a retailer that offers the product for sale at a second price. Payment of an amount based on the first price is received from the buyer, and the purchasing system arranges for the retailer to receive payment of an amount based on a settlement price in exchange for providing the product to the buyer.

Abstract: A method, system, article of manufacture, and propagated signal which provides an easy and flexible way for consumers to print digital photographs received and processed from a variety of different sources and a variety of different ways. Image information, which represents a photographic image, is received from several different sources, order information is received from an external network, the order is processed based on the digital image and the order information, and the photographic images are then output or uploaded in order to produce a photographic print or merchandise with an image printed thereon. The ordering of products is also improved by maintaining the images to be uploaded in a local memory until the order is complete.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system and method for providing complete electronic commerce (“E-Commerce”) transactions and solutions for a marketing company's products via the World Wide Web, including facilities for signing up new customers and recruiting, training and supporting new Independent Business Owners through an interactive online process. In another aspect, the present invention relates to the combination of a marketing business with a membership buying opportunity using both electronic commerce and face-to-face transactions. The present invention is also directed to a system and method for combining a marketing business with a membership buying opportunity, so that Independent Business Owners participating in the marketing plan can introduce customers to a membership buying opportunity and earn bonuses or commissions based on the purchases by those members, while Members in the buying opportunity can consume products or, at their option, qualify to become Independent Business Owners.

Abstract: A Web based system provides informational services for assisting customers in selecting products or other types of items from an electronic catalog of a merchant. Users of the system can create and join user communities, such as communities based on user hobbies, localities, professions, and organizations. The system also supports implicit membership communities that are based on email addresses (e.g., all users having a “nasa.com” email address), shipping/billing addresses, and other known user information. Using purchase history data collected for online users, the system automatically identifies and generates lists of the most popular items (and/or items that are becoming popular) within particular communities, and makes such information available to users for viewing. For example, in the context of an online book store users of the nasa.com community may automatically be presented a Web page which lists the bestselling book titles among nasa.

Abstract: A consumer places an order for liquid coating product directly with a supplier via the internet or telecommunications. Customer order information is entered into a customer order subsystem on a computer, is compiled, processed and then utilized by a production subsystem governing a production line for containerized liquid coating product inclusive of all colorants required to obtain particular, non-standard, colors. Batching with regard to liquid coating base, delivery date and geographic delivery address is suggested. Shipping assemblies and packages specific customer orders for commercial transport service directly to the delivery address given by the consumer. Customer order information including verified content is indicated by a container identifier in assurance of quality. Attachment of a label upon each container after filling with blended liquid coating base and colorant with information printed and/or a bar or other digital code is suggested.