Abstract: A savings and investment system and method including a plurality of pre-paid investment cards (PPICs) which can be purchased by individuals as investment products for themselves or as gifts for PPIC recipients. The PPICs are pre-paid stored value cards that are provided for use with the investment system by a PPIC company, which establishes relationships with partner financial services providers and partner retailers to provide investment vehicles and the PPICs. The value stored on the PPICs can be redeemed through a PPIC website maintained by the PPIC company or the partner financial services provider(s), whereby the value on the PPIC is deposited in an investment account established for the PPIC recipient, and then allocated among specified investment vehicles. The PPIC purchaser may optionally define usage rules governing how the PPIC value is allocated.

Abstract: A technique involves providing an actual cost commitment and investing a retail value of the actual cost commitment to a student venture, and receiving a return on the retail value and a return on actual cost that is equal to the return on the retail value minus the actual cost commitment. A system constructed according to the technique may include an investment decision engine, a portfolio management engine, and a venture scholar fund operations engine. The system may further include, for example, an authentication engine and a public information engine.

Abstract: Systems and methods for insurance claims processing are provided. A system for processing insurance claims may comprise at least one subsystem that makes an automatic assignment of a project to a loss services provider via a selection of an item on a user interface, and at least one subsystem that incorporates information from a report from the loss services provider into a database without manual retyping of said information from the report.

Abstract: The present embodiments are provided to facilitate the automatic trading of spreads in a fast and accurate manner. One or more market data feeds that contain market information for tradeable objects are received at an exchange. A spread data feed is generated in response to the market data feeds and from one or more spread setting parameters, which can be entered by a user. The spread data feed is preferably displayed in a spread window as bid and ask quantities associated with an axis or scale of prices. The user can enter orders in the spread window and the legs will be automatically worked to achieve, or attempt to achieve, the spread. In addition, other tools disclosed herein may be utilized to assist the user in making such trades.

Abstract: This invention provides novel and improved account management system, account management method and account management program, capable of summing up the deposit/withdraw according to the item of expenditure in real-time and automatically with regard to any accounts of user's. More specifically, when a client of a banking agency is registered as the user of a system 10, a system account corresponding respectively to the user's banking account opened at the banking agency is opened in the system 10. The user requests for the openings of one or more virtual accounts related to each of the system account by accessing the system 10 from a user terminal A22a or a user terminal B22b through the Internet 21. Preferably, the virtual account is opened according to an item of expenditure.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for processing data. The apparatus includes a plurality of entry systems for receiving the data from a respective plurality of contributors which each formulate the data based on respectively different: a) input data, and b) rules for governing how the input data is used to formulate the data. The apparatus also includes a tracking system having a data normalizer configured to normalize the formulated data received from each of the plurality of contributors into a common format. The tracking system performs at least one comparison of the normalized data from the entry systems and signals results of the comparison.

Abstract: An automated system for creating parity on close orders in an exchange configured for trading securities or derivatives is disclosed including an electronic trade engine operative to receive an order for a security or derivative at the exchange, the trade engine further operative to disseminate a request for a price message to a plurality of market makers quoting a class in response to receiving the order, wherein the request for a price message includes a parity amount for the order; an electronic book in communication with the electronic trade engine, the electronic book operative to store at least one order received by the electronic trade engine; and wherein, in response to the request for a price message, the electronic trade engine receives at least one price message that includes a fee in addition to the parity amount.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable mediums (i.e., utilities) for use in enabling corporate treasurers, money managers, and other investors to view and analyze consolidated credit risk on individual investments across multiple money market products (MMPs) and/or multiple accounts. In one aspect, the utilities may generate a database of MMP and related holding information that may be used to research and analyze one or more MMPs and/or underlying securities even if the same MMP or security is associated with different identifiers. In another aspect, the securities or holdings of the MMPs of actual or sample accounts may be aggregated (e.g., by common identifier, sponsor, issuer, etc.) either within MMPs and/or across multiple MMPs and subsequently analyzed to generate inferences and to obtain numerous types of information which may be presented to corporate treasurers and/or other users on a display (e.g., text, charts, graphs, etc.

Abstract: An electronic camera and method of operating an electronic camera which detects whether an external device such as a personal computer is properly connected to the camera and in a state which permits communication. The camera monitors a data terminal ready (DTR) signal of an RS-232 connection in order to determine that the external device is properly connected and in a state which permits communication. Once the proper connection is detected, the camera can either transmit or receive images and/or audio from the external device. Accordingly, a specific switch which places the camera in a communication mode can be eliminated. Further, a single switch may be utilized for both controlling whether the camera records or plays images when there is no device connected, and which controls whether the camera transmits or receives images and/or audio when an external device is determined to be connected.

Abstract: In a computer-implemented method of conducting expressive payment reconciliation, a purchase transaction is stored in a computer storage accessible to a processor. The processor identifies a contract against which the purchase transaction is made and a first payment amount for the purchase transaction. Contract data is stored in the computer storage and the processor determines a second payment amount for the purchase transaction based on at least one good or service associated with the purchase transaction and the data about the contract. In response to a difference in the first and second payments, the processor either stores computer storage a modified invoice with a modified payment amount, stores in the computer storage a reconciliation payment equal to the payment difference; outputs over a computer network an explanation of the modified payment; or outputs over a computer network a dispute notification.

Abstract: A computer-implemented process ad methodology that selects collateral instruments such as equipment leases, using mathematical models, based on selection criteria, risk-reward relationships, and maturity needs resulting in the creation of new financial instrument derivatives. These new derivatives allow for creation of secured private equity, public equity, mutual funds and venture capital funds where the investors' principal is safeguarded against loss regardless of the performance of the investments being made. A two-tier investment structure is created whereby the principal amounts from the fund are invested in specially identified high yield vehicles such as residual equipment leases with high yields over certain maturities. The high yield cash flow only is then invested in higher risk investments such as venture capital start-ups companies.

Abstract: A technique involves providing an actual cost commitment and investing a retail value of the actual cost commitment to a student venture, and receiving a return on the retail value and a return on actual cost that is equal to the return on the retail value minus the actual cost commitment. A system constructed according to the technique may include an investment decision engine, a portfolio management engine, and a venture scholar fund operations engine. The system may further include, for example, an authentication engine and a public information engine.

Abstract: A system and method is provided for an ATM having a display, a logic server coupled to the display, and a memory coupled to the logic server. The logic server dynamically controls the content of screens to be displayed on the display. The memory, which is accessible to the logic server, contains a profile of at least one user. In operation, the ATM detects the swipe of a user's card and requests the profile of the user whose card was swiped from a host. The ATM then receives the user's profile and stores the user's profile in the ATM.

Abstract: A disclosed system, method and computer readable storage medium includes mechanism for controlling cascade price movements in an electronic trading system. Price limits control the prices at which traders can place orders. An upper price limit prevents traders from placing orders above the upper limit and a lower price limit prevents traders from placing orders below the lower limit. The gap between the upper limit and the indicative market price as well as the gap between lower limit and the indicative market price is controlled so as to cause a breaking effect on very rapidly changing market price.

Abstract: The invention presented comprises a system and method for executing a cash payment via a computer network. A payor computing device communicates over a computer network with payee computing devices via a P2P server. The P2P server is operative to receive a payment request from the payor computing device and process the payment by debiting a financial instrument specified by a payor utilizing the payor computing device. The payment request is transmitted from the P2P server to a cash payment server operative to receive the payment request and translate the request into the native format of an ATM control server, the native format of the P2P server and ATM control server not being interoperable. The ATM control server is operative to generate a PIN code, which is transmitted along with the received payment instructions to an ATM. The ATM receives the payment instructions and dispenses the payment upon receipt of the PIN code.

Abstract: The present invention relates particularly to a method and system for consolidating a plurality of a consumer's payment and non-payment source accounts into a consolidated platform with a customer identification or available proxy account numbers that can be assigned to source accounts. The source accounts can be, for example, credit card accounts, ATM accounts, debit card accounts, demand deposit accounts, stored-value accounts, merchant-loyalty card accounts, membership accounts, and identification card numbers. The consumer can access and modify any of the source accounts and manage funds across the source accounts by accessing the consolidated platform with a single access device or mode.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media are described for estimating real estate property values based on an adjusted repeat sales model. In one exemplary embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises calculating data for estimating the adjustments from aggregated levels to disaggregated levels by marking a first transaction to a second transaction using a repeat sales house price index function at an aggregated level; determining, using the calculated data, an estimate of the deviation between the repeat sales house price index at the aggregated level and a repeat sales house price index at a disaggregated level; and calculating the repeat sales house price index at the disaggregated level based on the determined estimate of the deviation from the aggregated level.

Abstract: A payment system for accessing Internet content is located within an Internet service providers network. The system includes an access controller (106) and a payment authority (108). When an end-user makes a request for a URL, the access controller terminates the request and determines whether the requested URL is one for which a charge for accessing the content referenced by that URL is required. That determination is made by comparing the requested URL with a set of rules that are supplied by all the content providers for which the service provider supports payment. If no match is found, the request is forwarded to the content provider. If a rule is found that matches the requested URL, the end-user is identified and the request is forwarded to the payment authority where a payment policy associated with the matched rule is applied. If the end-user fulfills the requirements of this payment policy, then access to the content is granted.

Abstract: A computer system includes a data storage module. The data storage module receives, stores, and provides access to data related to long term disability claims. A proactive referral model component is coupled to the data storage module, and determines whether to refer a current claim to an investigation unit. The proactive referral model is based on at least two of the following variables: (a) a variable that indicates that the claimant's diagnosis has changed; (b) a variable that indicates that the current claim in question was brought under any-occupation coverage; (c) a variable that reflects a market segment for a policy under which the current claim in question was brought; (d) a variable that has a value based on a state in which the claimant resides; and (e) a variable that represents an amount of experience of a claims handler who handled the current claim in question.

Abstract: Intelligent Trust Management provides a centralized security facility that gives system components a flexible mechanism for implementing security policies. System components such as applications create a request describing an action that needs to be checked against an appropriate security policy. The request is given to a trust system that determines which policy object applies to the request, and may pass request arguments to the policy. The policy objects include executable code that uses any arguments along with dynamically obtained variable information to make a decision. The decision is returned to the system component, which then operates accordingly. Policy objects may maintain state and interface with the user independent of the system component in order to obtain information to make their decisions. Policy objects may call other policy objects and/or mathematically combine the results of other policy objects to make a decision.