Abstract: In one implementation, a volatility of expected service usage is calculated along with an expected revenue. User input provides estimates of service usage such as an estimated high usage, an estimated low usage, and a swing range of percentiles for the high and low usage estimates, for each time period in a plurality of future time periods. A user also provides a schedule of prices that are based on usage rates. A model volatility is calculated based on the swing range of percentiles, the estimated high and low usage, and a cumulative density function, such as a cumulative lognormal density function, for each time period in a plurality of time periods. The expected usage and the schedule of prices, along with any discount plans, are also used to calculate an estimated revenue.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to household portfolio simulation and analysis to provide retirement income. In particular, it discloses advanced technologies for modeling, simulation and analysis of potential economic futures, as applied to household retirement prospects. Improved modeling may capture factors such as concrete objectives of participants' priorities among objectives, risk adversity and starting conditions that impact tax consequences of transactions. Improved modeling may address consistency among similar factors, tax consequences in simulation periods and transactions in real estate and private investments. Improved analyses may apply a margin of safety and/or risk budget analysis to a household portfolio to produce a meaningful presentation.

Abstract: Described herein is an embodiment for administering two or more funds or one or more funds and one or more separate account portfolios, where each fund or portfolio is managed using a common investment process. The funds may have different management and distribution fees and may have different investor eligibility requirements. The fee structure may be accomplished through a fund of funds or holding company structure. Also described is an embodiment for investment management wherein funds and separate account portfolios using a common investment process exchange their shares or units and baskets of their securities to accommodate entry and exit of investors while protecting ongoing investors from the cost of such entries and exits and to accommodate investors paying different fees and expenses.

Abstract: A method for providing a customer one or more options for increasing a line of credit includes communicating to a customer one or more solicitations offering the customer a credit account and providing the customer one or more options for increasing a line of credit associated with the credit account. The method also includes receiving a response to the one or more solicitations from the customer requesting the credit account and selecting at least one of the one or more options. The method also includes storing data associated with the credit account to book the credit account according to the response from the customer. At least some of the data reflects the one or more options selected by the customer and an increase of the line of credit provided as a result of the selection of the at least one option by the customer.

Abstract: A system with a transaction operator processor (1) for supporting a business transaction, the business transaction, including at least receiving an order from a communication device (7(j)) of a client, and arranging for an automatic payment transaction associated with said business transaction from a client account to a merchant account; the system has at least one client service provider processor (5(i)) provided with a memory storing client profile data necessary for the business transaction and arranged to communicate the client profile data to the transaction operator processor (1) during the business transaction, the transaction operator processor (1) performing the business transaction upon receipt of the client profile data.

Abstract: Software implemented guarantee valuation engine and methodology that enable a mutual fund that is continuously offered; always fully invested in traditional assets that correlate to a benchmark and which is subject to a guarantee with respect to net asset value on a specified future date to be re-priced on a daily basis and to have the effect of such re-pricing in the reported NAV of the fund.

Abstract: A method and software tool are provided for evaluating portfolio management. During an interview with an industry expert, weightings of evaluation categories and responses to evaluation questions are collected from the industry expert. The weightings and responses are then input into the software tool during the same meeting with the industry expert. The software tool analyzes the inputs and generates a report that is reviewable by the industry expert during the same meeting in which the weightings and responses are collected.

Abstract: Trading software may receive trading information from an exchange. The trading software may use the trading information to compute an estimate of last traded total sweep quantity. The trading software may also display the last traded total sweep quantity on a trading screen.

Abstract: A method for a borrower to obtain and/or evaluate desired financial services is disclosed. Personal information from the borrower is obtained and recorded. The personal information includes reasons that the borrower wants to obtain the financing. Financing evaluation information based on pre-established and objective criteria used by at least one established financial institution that provides financing of the type sought by the borrower is obtained and recorded. A credit grading for the borrower is determined based on the personal information, and the financing evaluation information. The credit grading is determined by an independent entity that will not provide the financing to the borrower. The financing may be a loan, such as a mortgage loan or an auto loan or the financing may be the issuance of a credit card or a line of credit.

Abstract: A method for processing checks includes capturing check data from a check, where the check data includes payee information or payor information. A category of the check is identified based at least in part on the captured check data. A user account is updated with the category and at least a portion of the captured check data. The user account is analyzed to identify transactions involving paper checks. Based on the analysis, an incentive is provided to a user associated with the user account, where the incentive discourages paper check transactions by the user.

Abstract: In embodiments of the present invention improved capabilities are described for receiving data associated with a mobile content, calculating an expected value of the mobile content based at least in part on the data received, and determining a bid amount for a sponsorship of the mobile content based at least in part on the expected value.

Abstract: A computer implemented bidding method for use in bidding on auction items that allows for a desired optimization of bid amounts. The method includes selecting a set of one or more biddable items offered at auction wherein for a biddable item the auction offers a ranking for one or more received bids according to bid amounts, determining the current bids for a set of the biddable items, determining a bid amount for a selected biddable item based on a given utility function to determine a set of rankings for achieving a desired optimized outcome from the bidding, and submitting a set of bid amounts.

Abstract: A method and system for enabling a service provider to file insurance claims electronically directly with the payer rather than through a clearinghouse. The system has two components interacting with an existing practice management system of a service provider and with online claim filing systems of insurance payers. The first is a software application installed on the service provider's computer to seek out billing information and create files suitable for filing of formatted claims with the payer's web sites. The second component is a web portal that interacts with both the first component and the payers' web sites to keep the former with formatting requirements and to facilitate filing of the claims electronically. The system uses a software “cookie” to convey instructions to the first component so that it can automatically connect to the appropriate page of each payer's web site.

Abstract: A hitch device holding assembly for organized and efficient storage of one or more hitch devices includes a panel adapted for being attached to a wall. One or more receiver hitches extend outwardly from the panel for receiving hitch devices. The hitch devices are secured by a pin extending through the hitch device and the receiver hitch of the invention.

Abstract: According to the present invention provided is an accounting means that is superior in safety and usability. The accounting means comprises: payment means including a plurality of systems of communication means; charging means including a plurality of systems of communication means; and settlement means including a plurality of systems of communication means. Since the payment means and the settlement means exchange transaction data by communicating with each other, it is possible to prevent the assessment of an illegal charge by the charging means. In addition, since a signature (a digital signature) and an accounting statement are exchanged by communication between the payment means and the charging means, the efficiency of the sale can be improved.

Abstract: The method of evaluating differences in the past performance of an asset class population of book valued investments. The analysis period that is of a length to include a significant portion of a market cycle is defined. A series of evaluation-period and selection-period performance statistics are calculated for the asset class population. Testing is conducted to find the correlation, performance and risk axes of the population as revealed during the analysis period. The dividing lines are calculated for subsequent evaluation-period populations of the asset class and use the groupings so identified to assign a value to each of the members of the asset class. This value will be the expected average performance strength of the investments within each group for a subsequent selection period. Findings of subsequent evaluation-period and selection periods can be included as they become available in the analysis period populations for re-execution of the method.

Abstract: A user can submit an order to buy or sell a tradeable object, only the order does not get sent to the matching engine. Instead, the order is placed in temporary storage and it is displayed to the user in the form of a virtual order icon. The virtual order icon indicates that an order request is waiting for an event to occur before it is automatically released to the matching engine. The virtual order icon can be managed by the user, which might include moving the virtual order icon to a different price level or deleting it. The preferred system continuously monitors for an event to take place, and in response to detecting the event, the order is released to the matching engine. As such, a real order icon is displayed to indicate that the order has now been sent to the matching engine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for offering a novel mandatorily convertible securities (e.g., DECS) by using a third party entity (either a corporate entity or a newly-formed independent trust) to: 1) issue and sell novel DECS to market investors; 2) obtain from a first entity shares of common stock in a second entity, or rights to receive such shares in the future, to satisfy the mandatory conversion requirement of the DECS; 3) sell or retain the rights to any residual value obtained after satisfying the obligation to DECS investors; and 4) use the proceeds from such sale or retained value to fund a portion of the DECS coupon.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for integrating billing and services management systems across disparate telecommunications systems including wireless systems and local and long distance wireline systems. Wireless and wireline services may be charged to and billed under one periodic billing. A rollover management system is employed for managing units of call usage that may be “rolled over” from a present usage period to a subsequent usage period. An integrated services settlement system is provided which is operable for apportioning revenue associated with utilization of the wireless carrier's services to the wireless carrier and for apportioning revenue associated with the wireline carrier's services to the wireline carrier. An integrated telecommunications services ordering system is provided that is operable to synchronize subscriber orders between the subscriber's wireless and wireline carriers.

Abstract: A system and method for news-based trading are developed. According to one method, a trader can pre-define a trading strategy including a number of trading rules to be applied based on a comparison of one or more estimated event values to the respective actual event values to be released at some later time. The example method further includes, upon receiving one or more actual event values via a user input or directly from outside sources, executing one or more predefined trading rules selected based on the comparison of the received actual event values to the respective estimated indicator values.