Abstract: The present disclosed system is directed toward a communication and management system that dynamically targets network devices for content deployment, such as application programs, device drivers, configuration files, and registry subhives. Moreover, the present system targets users of network devices for promotions, such as advertisements offered by Internet e-commerce sites. Promotions are generally icons or graphic images with links to host web servers overlaying a video display, but also includes audio and video clips or data streams. Network devices and their users are targeted through user profiles. User profiles are created when network devices register with the system server and are continually updated with information provided by user activity and event logs that are periodically uploaded from each device.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided to apply a discount to a transaction. An identifier is extracted from a discount instrument and is transmitted to a host system. A validation is received from the host system for the discount instrument and a cost of the transaction is reduced in accordance with a discount arrangement associated with the discount instrument.

Abstract: A scannable coupon, such as a bar code, is generated on a configurable display of a portable electronic device, such as a personal digital assistant, handheld computer, or mobile telephone. The display has sufficient resolution and contrast to be scanned at a point-of-sale computer for redemption of the coupon. In a further embodiment, generic coupon information is sent to the portable electronic device, which can generate a scannable coupon in any one of several formats. In another embodiment, coupon information is sent in one format and the portable electronic device converts it to another format. In yet a further embodiment, a number of coupons are stored in a data structure according to a redemption characteristic, and may be serially displayed according to user input, such as pushing a step key.

Abstract: A facility for providing targeted advertising messages is described. The facility receives advertising requests each identifying a user. For each received advertising request, the facility applies a sequence of conditions to information relating to the identified user. The facility replies to each advertising request with an advertising message associated with the first condition in the applied sequence that is satisfied.

Abstract: A Web resource comprising a plurality of user-selectable hyperlinks to a plurality of Web resources is provided to a client node via a computer network. The Web resource comprises a plurality of advertiser-usable variables within at least one script. The advertiser-usable variables include a first advertiser-usable variable specific to a first Web resource and a second advertiser-usable variable specific to a second Web resource. An advertisement server node reads the advertiser-usable variables and stores same either at the client node or at the advertisement node. After a first hyperlink is user-selected from the Web resource, the advertisement server node retrieves the first advertiser-usable variable corresponding to the first Web resource. An advertisement is selected from a plurality of advertisements based on the first advertiser-usable variable. The advertisement is provided to the client node to display with the first Web resource.

Abstract: There is disclosed a server and local device that interface for selecting advertisements to be viewed by users of an online service based upon user activity. The local device preferably maintains a targeted activity list of activity identifiers and associated advertisements. The local device monitors the activity on the local device and compares the activity to the identifiers in the targeted activity list. If the activity matches one of the identifiers, the local device plays one or more advertisements.

Abstract: A POS terminal receives a signal that indicates an item, for example, via a bar code scanner. The POS terminal ascertains whether the item is associated with an offer for a rebate. If so, a code is generated and output to the customer, such as on a printed receipt. The code is associated with an offer for a rebate in exchange for establishing a subscription to a periodical. If the customer subscribes to a required periodical, he will be credited the amount he paid for the item. Subsequently, the customer requests a subscription to a periodical from a subscription fulfillment house, and provides his code in conjunction with the request. If the code is valid, the customer is provided with a rebate. The rebate may be provided directly by the subscription fulfillment house (e.g. a credit to a credit card account) or may be provided by a merchant (e.g. a discount on a future purchase).

Abstract: An interactive marketing communication and transaction services platform for managing personalized customer relationships. The platform facilitates communication and transactions between consumers, retailers and manufacturers, by helping suppliers customize product/service offerings, presentations and advertising messages to reflect individual consumers' needs, while providing portals with premium advertising messages for personal interactive info/news/entertainment services.

Abstract: An automated sales promotion selection system uses neural networks to identify promising sales promotions based on recent customer purchases. The system includes a customer information device that receives customer data relating to customer purchases of items from an inventory of items, a central processing unit having a sales promotion neural network and a storage unit containing a plurality of item identifiers comprising potential customer purchases of additional items from the inventory, wherein the sales opportunity neural network responds to customer data received from the customer information device by determining if one or more of the item identifiers in the storage unit corresponds to an item likely to be purchased by one of the customers, and an output device that receives the item identifiers of the likely purchases determined by the sales promotion neural network and produces a sales promotion relating to at least one of the item identifiers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system and method for the automated selection of formulations and/or formulation components by specifying product characteristics. In particular, the system and method serve customers within market segments that use selected components as raw materials for manufacture of specialty products and that require an understanding of how the selected components effect performance. For example, such products as electronic circuits, coatings, adhesives, sealants, inks, polishes, cleaners, and detergents fall within the profile of such products.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for personalizing information content for delivery to a requesting user is provided. With the method and apparatus, a set of actions needed to retrieve and organize requested content for a particular content request are selected and executed based on the concept of classifying the current situation, e.g., the requesting user attributes and the current system setting, along any number of predefined dimensions. The definition of what dimensions of classification there are and what distinctions are drawn during the process of classification is defined by the business application administrator. Once a classification definition is in place, it may be used and reused, along with other classifications, to be associated with actions that select the appropriate content.

Abstract: A point of sale (POS) rebate method and system allows a consumer purchasing a product having an associated manufacturer's mail-in rebate to redeem the rebate at the POS. Products that have associated manufacturer rebates are recognized when the products are purchased, e.g., based on information stored in a rebate database. When such products are identified, terms and conditions of a POS rebate are determined. The value of the POS rebate may be determined based on the value of the mail-in rebate offered by the manufacturer. The value of the POS rebate may be determined by querying a server containing rebate information, such as a server operated by or on behalf of the manufacturer or retailer. The consumer is then prompted to choose whether to keep the original manufacturer's mail-in rebate, or to accept the POS rebate, along with any terms and conditions associated with the POS rebate.

Abstract: A fuel purchase incentive is provided incident to the sale of a vehicle. With respect to the sale of an automobile, the incentive consists of a program price, for example a discount price or a capped maximum price, for a specified quantity of a specified brand and type of gasoline. The incentive is calculated as a function of the anticipated geographical and other use factors of the automobile buyer. The incentive information is provided to the buyer at the time of purchase of the automobile and stored for use by an incentive program operator. When the buyer purchases gasoline pursuant to the incentive program, that is of a specified brand, grade and quantity, the purchase information is transmitted to the incentive program operator. A rebate, equal generally to the difference between the retail price and the program price, is calculated and transmitted to a credit card processor for application to a credit card bill.

Abstract: A promotion apparatus and method which builds customer loyalty. The promotion apparatus includes a computer, including a display for displaying information to a shopper and a recognition device for identifying the shopper and recording customer choices. The computer executes a game, identifies the shopper, establishes a first game situation for the shopper, generates a number of first results, generates a number of second results using the first game situation and the first results as inputs, generates a second game situation using the second results as input, and determines whether to issue an award to the shopper using the second results as input and only if the first game situation is a previous game situation from a previous play by the shopper.

Abstract: A processor, bar code scanner, and a smart card interface at a checkout stand track customer purchase habits. The smart card includes memory storing accumulated values in each of several profit categories and a second processor for executing instructions. The first processor transfers data to and from the smart card. The smart card, while coupled to the first processor, transfers stored category values containing accumulated purchase values in each of different profit margin ranges stored to the first processor. The first processor responds to the bar code scanner to retrieve profit margin data for a purchased product carrying the bar code read by the bar code scanner. The first processor adds the retrieved profit margin data and the accumulated profit margin data transferred from the smart card to the first processor for the profit margin category that is the same as the profit margin category of the purchased product.

Abstract: A system for issuing electronic coupons. A master coupon is provided by a service which may be copied by customers and placed into their individual electronic wallets. The coupons may have a variable benefit or value which may be established by a variety of parameters. The parameters include a set time period, certain action by the customer, the purchase of specific items, the purchase of specific dollar values, or external parameters such as the score in a baseball game. The coupons may be transferred or recopied by the customer as desired. The customer may gain additional benefits by recopying the coupons to others.

Abstract: A system and method for customized advertisement selection and delivery on the World Wide Web (WWW) upon the Internet. The advertising system has a database server which stores advertisements and their campaign information, and an advertisement server which generates electronic advertisements available to a client system. In the system, a customization process which customized the electronic advertisements to be delivered to each client system is performed. A user connects to a web site and is presented with an editorial page or a list of search results. The system inserts a customized advertisement into the page that matches the page content or search topic. No identifiable data is collected during the interaction with the user. Advertisers can specify display constraints for each advertisement. The system will adapt all unrestricted parameters in order to maximize the user's click-through probability.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for updating a banner in a graphical display. In embodiment, the system comprises a processor circuit in a client device that includes a processor and a memory, both of which are electrically coupled to a local interface. The local interface may comprise, for example, a data bus and accompanying control bus. Also electrically coupled to the local interface is a network interface such as a network card that couples a network to the local interface. The system includes a display device electrically coupled to the local interface. The system further includes banner update logic stored on the memory and executable by the processor. The banner update logic particularly comprises logic to automatically initiate a download of a remote banner located at a predefined address on the network to the memory, and logic to display a local banner stored in the memory on the display device upon a failure to download the remote banner to the memory.

Abstract: A retail subscription system receives one or more subscription cards indicating that subscriptions to periodicals were sold. The retail subscription system verifies the subscriptions by reference to its own databases and to codes on the subscription cards, and transmits the subscriptions to a fulfillment house for distribution if the codes are determined valid.

Abstract: A small toy or figurine is located inside a transparent body of soap. The soap fully surrounds and encapsulates the small toy. The small toy is completely visible within the body of soap. The body of soap is shaped like a figurine or is in another form which may complement or conform to the shape of the inner toy. A clear or colored plastic container whose shape matches the shape of the body of soap serves as a container for the soap and may also serve as a soap dish. The body of soap is placed inside the plastic container. The small toy incased within the body of soap is visible from outside the plastic container once the body of soap is placed inside the plastic container.