Abstract: A system for performing collaborative tasks which permits collaborators to determine the form of a model of the collaborative work, to modify the model in the course of the collaborative work, and to use the model to access information related to the collaborative work. A graphical user interface permits collaborators to view the model and the information accessible via the model in various ways as well as to modify the model and the information. Collaborators belong to groups and group membership determines access to the model and the related information. The information related to the collaborative work includes documents, discussions, email, reminders, and alerts. In a disclosed embodiment of the system, the model is made up of model entities which belong to hierarchies. A model entity may be a member of more than one hierarchy and the different hierarchies are used to provide different views of the model.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described which produce a catalog from a previously existing database. The method defines catalog data fields and links same to the data fields of the database. In one embodiment, the method scans the database for its dat fields and automatically uses same as the catalog data fields. This improves the efficiency of catalog production because a publisher need not be trained as to what data is in the database. The method further automatically formats the data from the data base into a catalog. In another embodiment, the method automatically produces a table of contents and an index. The present method can produce the catalog in multiple formats, including electronic, portable document format, rich text format, and printed.

Abstract: Regardless of whether specific products are individual products or element products, the specific products are managed by the same product code while element products are associated and handled as a group of products. A product selection server presents the element products by associating them with one another for each group of products. A user terminal allocates a unique purchase group number for each group of products to element products in purchase-requested product data. The product selection server receives the purchase-requested product data and indicates a price as a group of products based on the purchase group number. An order entry server searches an incorrect from the purchase-requested product data based on the purchase group number. A factory terminal and a distribution terminal issue business forms based on the purchase group number.

Abstract: At least one listing comprises a plurality of sublistings, each of the sublistings being associated with one of a plurality of advertisers. A response subsystem is configured to provide the listing in a response. A forwarding subsystem configured is to forward a request for information to one of the advertisers.

Abstract: Methods, articles of manufacture, and systems for providing access to a grid computing environment. In one environment, requests include resource specific criteria used to identify a particular grid resource to perform the request. In another embodiment, a request includes a queue criterion used to identify one of a plurality of queues on which the request is placed.

Abstract: Methods, articles of manufacture, and systems for providing access to a grid computing environment. In one environment, requests include resource specific criteria used to identify a particular grid resource to perform the request. In another embodiment, a request includes a queue criterion used to identify one of a plurality of queues on which the request is placed.

Abstract: Methods, articles of manufacture, and systems for providing access to a grid computing environment. In one environment, requests include resource specific criteria used to identify a particular grid resource to perform the request. In another embodiment, a request includes a queue criterion used to identify one of a plurality of queues on which the request is placed.

Abstract: An online music purchasing system and method is disclosed, in which a radio service operates on a user's computer and is configured for receiving and playing digital radio representations of media content in near real-time in a radio session. A content server is configured for serving the digital radio representations of media content to the radio service, and a radio sequence server is configured for serving a sequential list of currently-playing and previously-played media content of the radio session to the radio service. An account server is configured for receiving a signal indicative of a user's desire to purchase a file of one of a currently-playing or previously-played media content. A download manager is configured for downloading the file to the user's computer according to the signal indicative of the user's desire to purchase the file.

Abstract: A secure m-commerce system and device. A consumer m-commerce device receives product data via a number of data input techniques. The product data is uploaded to a remote personal agent that requests bids from commercial partners to transact the list. When a bid is selected, the consumer transacts remotely to complete the purchase thereof. The system tracks geographically the device such that the consumer is alerted to a partner location, and may stop by the location for further information. The device may also output a store map to the consumer that locates all products on the shopping list.

Abstract: A conditional purchase offer (CPO) management system is disclosed for receiving CPOs from one or more customers, such as airline passengers, and for evaluating the received CPOs against a number of CPO rules defined by a plurality of sellers, such as airlines, to determine whether any seller is willing to accept a given CPO. A CPO is a binding offer containing one or more conditions submitted by a customer for purchase of an item, such as airline travel, at a customer-defined price. A CPO rule is a set of restrictions defined by a given seller, such as an airline, to define a combination of restrictions for which the seller is willing to accept a predefined price. The CPO rules may be securely stored by one or more servers. The CPO management system permits a seller to correct for forecasting errors, if necessary, or other competitive forces which have produced excess capacity, by providing inventory for sale to CPO customers.

Abstract: A method and a system for dispensing software programs from a networked software dispensing kiosk device or ATM. Software developers can place software for sale within the network thereby causing various remote software ATMs to offer the software. The user causes a display of a list of different categories of software titles available through a remotely located software ATM, e.g., located in a retail market place, or other public place. The user makes a selection from the list and may optionally execute the selected software using an on-screen emulation of the user's device. If the user is satisfied with the execution of the selected software, the user can purchase or rent the selected software using automated vending equipment of the software ATM. Purchased or rented software titles are electronically communicated from the software ATM to the user's portable computer system. The software ATM can also provide backup and archiving services for a portable computer user.

Abstract: Techniques to facilitate acquiring a media season, or a related series, of digital media assets from an on-line media store are disclosed. A user can view various media seasons that have been listed as available for purchase from the on-line media store. A user can choose to purchase a particular media season, either before or during the season. Subsequent to the purchase of the particular media season, digital media assets of the particular media season can be delivered to the user once the digital media assets become available. Since the monitoring is computerized and the delivery is electronic, once a digital media asset becomes available, delivery can be automatically processed.

Abstract: A purchase hub system for an enterprise may enable a purchasing agent to cluster bids from different enterprise buyer systems in the enterprise. The purchase hub system may receive purchasing requests including multiple requirements from the different enterprise buyer systems and suggest potential groupings of the requirements based on, e.g., item categories assigned to the requirements. The purchasing agent may then create a bid opportunity, e.g., a bid invitation or auction, including the clustered bids.

Abstract: An architecture for an integrated shopping service that enables electronic shopping from within a software application. The software application includes web browsing functionality, with the capability to navigate to a limited set of web sites. The client machine on which the software runs maintains a local list of the limited set of web sites that can be accessed from within the software application. A directory server maintains a list of retail web sites that can be added to the client's local list of accessible web sites. Each client machine that runs the software application connects to the directory server in order to add web sites to the locally-maintained list of sites that can be accessed from within the integrated shopping service.

Abstract: One or more content providers push data related to: movies, movie products, digital movie content over a network (e.g., a LAN, a WAN, the Internet, or a wireless network) onto an information filling station which, in turn, wirelessly transacts (over a network based on the 802.11b protocol) and transmits any requested data to a portable computer-based device (e.g., laptop, a pen-based computer device, a PDA, a wireless phone, or a pager). The portable device performs financial transactions for: purchasing movie tickets (directly or via auctions), downloading digital entertainment content of interest (e.g., copy of a movie of interest, copy of a movie identified based on a pre-stored profile, copy of soundtrack of a movie of interest), or movie related products. Any purchased digital content is either transferred wirelessly onto the portable device or, optionally, sent on a storage medium to a physical address associated with the profile.

Abstract: A system and means for facilitating transactions between central and remote facilities utilizes electronic communications devices, and computing equipment for concurrently or nonconcurrently transmitting voice, music, audio, data, images, video, optic information, and/or signals. Such systems are used to market, sell, finance, and insure goods and/or services. A study of these systems shows that they fall short because none of them take all types of customer personalities into consideration. A system is needed which provides the customers with more latitude and fewer limitations in shopping for goods and services, or for engaging in business transactions. Such a system and means are provided herein, which meet the needs and desires of independent customers, more dependent customers, and a third, or passive, group of customers. All customer types can at anytime request help from a centrally staffed live attendant.

Abstract: There is disclosed an on-line print network comprising a print merchant computer, and a plurality of print service providers. Within each print service provider, orders are satisfied efficiently by optimizing throughput of print jobs within the print service provider, whilst at the same time, minimizing media wastage and achieving high printer device utilization, under control of a print manager computer interfacing with the print merchant computer on the one hand, and with the plurality of printer devices on the other hand.

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 items 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: According to another embodiment of the invention, an approach is provided for estimating how a particular user would rate a particular item from a plurality of items. The approach is applicable to any type of items, including rental items such as movies, music and games, and the invention is not limited to any particular type of item. One or more items from the plurality of items that have ratings similar to the particular item are identified. Then, one or more other users are identified that have given ratings to the one or more items that are substantially similar to ratings given by the particular user to the one or more items. Finally, an estimation is made of how the particular user would rate the particular item based upon ratings for the particular item given by the one or more other users.

Abstract: A method and system for allowing users of different web pages to exchange information. The information exchange system identifies groups of related web pages and maintains a database of user-supplied information for each group of related web pages. When a user accesses a web page the information exchange often displays in a separate area the information associated with the group of related web pages. Also the information exchange system allows the user to enter information that will be displayed to other users who access related web pages.