Abstract: A method for incorporating psychological effects into a demand model for pricing. First the original demand model is modified to include a mechanism to convert actual prices into perceived prices, thus causing the demand model to predict higher demand for certain prices. The user specifies the function that converts from real prices to perceived prices. This modified demand function is then fitted to a sales history to yield the parameters appropriate to its particular form. Also, the demand model can be modified to account for promotional effects. The user defines a visibility model, which gives the relative increase in demand for an item caused by a promotion, and the cost of the promotion. The demand model is modified to include the effect of increased demand based on the visibility, and a profit model is modified to account for the added cost due to the added visibility. The profit model is then optimized with respect to both prices and promotions.

Abstract: A computer-implemented performance evaluation method includes specifying a group of comparable entities and a benchmark against which the comparable entities are evaluated. The entities evaluated may be a process, technology, strategy, treatment, organization, individual, or other identifiable unit. A primary data matrix is arranged by data indices, and the primary matrix is sampled with replacement N times to bootstrap N observation matrices. Alternatively, a Monte Carlo approach can be used. Then, all the matrices are filled with measurement criteria, with each criterion being representative of a respective data index and a respective entity. A p-value estimate is returned that measures the statistical significance of the best of the comparable entities relative to the benchmark, where the p-value represents the probability of wrongly rejecting the null hypothesis that a best of the comparable entities has expected performance no better than that of a benchmark.

Abstract: A method for tuning a demand model in manner that is stable with respect to fluctuations in the sales history used for the tuning is provided. A market model is selected, which predicts how a subset of the parameters in the demand model depends upon information external to the sales history; this model may itself have a number of parameters. An effective figure-of-merit function is defined, consisting of a standard figure-of-merit function based upon the demand model and the sales history, plus a function that attains a minimum value when the parameters of the demand model are closest to the predictions of the market model. This effective figure-of-merit function is minimized with respect to the demand model and market model parameters. The resulting demand model parameters conform to the portions of the sales history data that show a strong trend, and conform to the external market information when the corresponding portions of the sales history data show noise.

Abstract: Calculating devices for non-arbitrary price determination and rational decision making. The historical problem of value has been solved in this invention. The solution represents the first major breakthrough in social science. Value is defined as the sum total of all the future benefits and losses. An infinite spreadsheet establishes a deterministic relationship--described by an equal number of equations and unknowns--between the price and all the factors affecting the price in an expected time space extending from now to the infinite future. The infinite spreadsheet expands the current finite spreadsheet to infinity. It does not assume a resale price in the determination of the price. The current finite spreadsheet for planning and decision making should not be allowed because it hides material information, namely, the future beyond the finite time. The scientific method based on empirical verification is not always applicable in social science.

Abstract: The invention features a method and apparatus for use with a computer system having a memory and a bus (e.g., a PCI bus). The bus is monitored for detection of a bus cycle intended for a controller (e.g., a DMA controller) used to transfer data between a bus device and the memory. After detection, the bus device is used to claim the bus cycle and to emulate the response of the controller to the bus cycle.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods for reporting behavioral health care data, and, more particularly, for creating displays and reports for aggregating data from patient treatment results. One feature permits the user to choose among patient progress indicators relative to a behavioral problem to be graphed versus time, along with one or more treatments, in order to gauge the effect of the treatment upon the behavioral problem. Another feature permits the generation of a narrative report that integrates fixed textual matter with data from the patient's electronic chart. An alternate embodiment of this feature also permits the composition of formats for a narrative report.

Abstract: A supersmart card system is provided for authorizing transactions between a transaction card user and a merchant. The supersmart card system includes a plurality of conventional transaction cards such as a debit cards, credit cards, or phone service cards, and a transaction authorization device. The transaction authorization device is user-carried and constructed to be separate and apart from the transaction card. The transaction authorization device includes logic means for storing data relating to the identity of the transaction card user and data relating to the authorization of transactions between a user and financial institutions or service providers. Preferably, the transaction authorization card also includes means enabling a user to select a particular transaction card for processing a transaction.

Abstract: A system for automated electronic invoicing and payment system for providing remote customer review of automated billing from an invoicer. The system includes invoice presentment electronics having a control system and first communication electronics. The system also includes at least one remote authorization terminal having a customer interface, the terminal having second communication electronics adapted to operatively communicate with the first communication electronics. The control system of the invoice presentment electronics is adapted to provide billing data, regarding a customer invoice preauthorized for automated billing, to the first communication electronics for transmission to the second communication electronics.

Abstract: In association with a computer system, a method and system for providing an interface for establishing connections with financial institution to utilize on-line services. An application program sends a request to a branding server to look up information related to a particular financial institution. The branding server executes the request and, if the branding server contains information relating to the method of connection with identified financial institution, the branding server sends the information to the application program. The application program then loads an appropriate driver corresponding to the method of connection as determined by the branding server. If the method of connection is open financial connectivity (OFC), then the application loads a flexible driver (the OFC driver) which causes the application program to request the business rules of the particular financial institution from the financial institution's server.

Abstract: A schedule management apparatus includes a term data input section for inputting a term data by designating a start day and an end day, a schedule input section for inputting a schedule corresponding to the term data inputted by the term data input section, a memory for storing the term data and the schedule in correspondence, a day designation section for designating a specific day, a retrieval section for retrieving, from the memory, a term data which includes the specific day designated by the day designation section, a schedule display section for displaying at least the start day and the end day of the term data retrieved by the retrieval section.

Abstract: The computer-based method of selling consumer products and consumer services includes, in one embodiment, the utiltization of a computer system, which maintains the electronic bid, auction and sales records, and a plurality of customer computers interconnected with the computer system via a telecommunications link. The computer system electronically establishes a virtual showroom accessible by the customer's computers which displays consumer goods and services and information regarding the commonly available selling price for each product and service. For example, the system displays the manufacturer's suggested retail price or MSRP, a minimum opening bid price, information regarding the make, model and manufacturer or distributor of the offered product or service, and bid cycle data revealing the open, close and acceptance dates for the bids. The computer-based method electronically posts all bids made by bidders on the products and services during the bid period.

Abstract: A customized advertising repository server is connected on the World Wide Web (WWW), which can be accessed by a registered user through his or her browser either by clicking on an icon, or by inputting the specific URL address of the particular server which stores that user's advertising repository. When the user accesses his or her customized ad repository through the browser, a composite advertising page is dynamically configured by the Customized Advertising Repository (CAR) server for that particular user based on that user's previously provided user profile. Furthermore, at least a portion of that composite advertising page can be dynamically configured on a context dependent basis determined from the particular Web site or sites that the user has accessed prior to accessing the CAR.

Abstract: Retail establishment customers are prevented from unwittingly purchasing perishable items that may have been adversely affected by being subjected to at least one predetermined factor in that an identification object, such as a label, tag or packaging material, is provided with an initially machine-scannable bar code of such a character that its scannability is at least gravely impaired when the identification object is subjected to the predetermined factor. The identification object is secured to the respective item for both of them to be subsequently exposed to the same conditions such that a failed scan of the bar code occurring at the time of purchase alerts the customer to a previous occurrence among such conditions of the predetermined factor that may have adversely affected the item being purchased. In another aspect, a non-readable bar code is rendered readable by exposure to the predetermined factor, thereby alerting the customer.

Abstract: Existing software proposals for electronic payments can be divided into "on-line" schemes which require participation of a trusted party (the bank) in every transaction and are secure against overspending, and "off-line" schemes which do not require a third party and guarantee only that overspending is detected when vendors submit their transaction records to the bank (usually at the end of the day). A new "hybrid" scheme is proposed which combines the advantages of both "on-line" and "off-line" electronic payment schemes. It allows for control of overspending at a cost of only a modest increase in communication compared to the off-line schemes. The protocol is based on probabilistic polling. During each transaction, with some small probability, the vendor forwards information about this transaction to the bank. This enables the bank to maintain an accurate approximation of a customer's spending.

Abstract: A computer implemented system for inter-domain analysis is disclosed. The system includes a domain engine (234), associated with a first supply chain entity, having a local model representing a supply chain activity of the first supply chain entity. The domain engine (234) operable to generate a model agent (240) that represents a partial replica of the local model. The system also includes another domain engine (236), associated with a second supply chain entity, having a local model representing a supply chain activity of the second supply chain entity. The other domain engine is operable to generate a model agent representing a partial replica of the local model. The domain engines (234 and 236) further operate to expand the respective local models using the remote model agents (240) to accomplish local inter-domain analysis. In one embodiment, the model agents (240) can be data model agents, object model agents and behavior model agents.

Abstract: Computer network method and apparatus provides targeting of appropriate audience based on psychographic or behavioral profiles of end users. The psychographic profile is formed by recording computer activity and viewing habits of the end user. Content of categories of interest and display format in each category are revealed by the psychographic profile, based on user viewing of agate information. Using the profile (with or without additional user demographics), advertisements are displayed to appropriately selected users. Based on regression analysis of recorded responses of a first set of users viewing the advertisements, the target user profile is refined. Viewing by and regression analysis of recorded responses of subsequent sets of users continually auto-targets and customizes ads for the optimal end user audience.

Abstract: A method for radio communication between mutually mobile objects. Prior to radio communication between the objects, calculations are preformed with a communication and calculation unit of a first of the objects to produce established data, answer codes are generated from the established data, and one of the answer codes is selected for communication to a second of the objects. The communication between the objects is carried out, including transmission of the selected answer code from the first object to the second object and transmission of data from the second object to the first object. After radio communication between the objects, calculations are performed with the communication and calculation unit of the first of the objects. A final result of the communication of between the objects and calculations performed by the communication and calculation unit of the first of the objects is stored after radio communication between the objects.

Abstract: Interactive information and entertainment service customers see advertisers' bids for their attention which are displayed on their display screens and choose which advertisements to view. For each advertisement viewed, the advertisers' bid amount would pay for a portion of the user's service or usage charge. A display on the user's terminal screen includes the advertisers most willing to pay for the user's attention and the dollar amount bid. If the user chooses to see a particular advertiser's message, then the user is reimbursed, or a credit is applied to the user's service account for the amount of the bid promised by the advertiser whose message was viewed. Customer interest profiles and service usage data collected by the service provider are used to identify particular user characteristics to advertisers. Advertisers define user characteristics of particular desirability and place a dollar value on having messages viewed by individual users based on the desirability of the user.

Abstract: A system and method for shopping at a variety of different vendors easily and securely is disclosed. A user computer, a checkout processor, and one or more merchant computers are interconnected via a network. A user first selects a merchant and receives product information from the merchant. The user may select products from the merchant along with options for the selected items. When the user is finished shopping at a particular merchant, the user may select another merchant or checkout. At any time during the shopping or during checkout, the user may modify items previously selected by the user. When the user requests to checkout, product selection data is transferred to a secure central checkout processor and the checkout processor obtains order information from the user, performs review order processing, and then processes the order.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program for processing plural types of transactions by a transaction processor connected to plural companies of different industries via a network. Use of the invention enables the efficient performance of a variety of transactions related to insurance utilizing one or a plurality of cards. In the invention the insurance card of a transactor is input, and a transaction screen including transaction keys related to preset transactions appropriate to the transactor is displayed. A transaction key showing a desired transaction is selected on the displayed screen and another card or other plurality of cards required for the desired transaction are inserted sequentially. The personal identification numbers of the cards are entered, and loan, inquiry, payment of insurance, contract, voidance/cancellation of a contract or payment of a premium transaction can be executed.