Patents Examined by Matthew S. Meyers
  • Patent number: 7536307
    Abstract: An automated method and system for facilitating timely use and/or redemption of the unused portion of an electronic ticket are provided. In accordance with the method, ticket data (e.g., from an electronic ticket) is collected from a financial transaction account, then a search engine uses said ticket data to find open tickets. Finding open tickets includes setting an aging period and adding it to the scheduled departure date of the issued ticket, and a reminder period is set and subtracted from the scheduled date of a ticket. If the scheduled departure date plus the aging date is earlier than the current date, a determination is made as to whether the ticket has been used. If the scheduled date minus the reminder period is earlier than the current date, then a message is communicated to the traveler reminding him to use or redeem the ticket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 10, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2009
    Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert G. Barnes, Diego Espinosa, Meg Rediess, Lisa Steury
  • Patent number: 7529681
    Abstract: An automated method and system for facilitating timely use and/or redemption of the unused portion of an electronic ticket are provided. In accordance with the method, an aging period is set and is added to the scheduled departure date of the issued ticket, and a reminder period is set and subtracted from the scheduled date of a ticket. If the scheduled departure date plus the aging date is earlier than the current date, a determination is made as to whether the ticket has been used. If the scheduled date minus the reminder period is earlier than the current date, then a message is communicated to the traveler reminding him to use or redeem the ticket. A residual value of the ticket is calculated and communicated to a client to facilitate redemption of the unused ticket and issuance of appropriate redemption credit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert G. Barnes, Diego Espinosa, Meg Rediess, Lisa Steury, Warren P. Warner
  • Patent number: 7403908
    Abstract: Handheld communication devices, such as wireless phones, include one or more application programs that permit a person to sell handheld communication products at a point of contact with a potential customer. The methods reward the user of the handheld communication device by providing incentives for selling communication products. By purchasing the handheld communication devices, the customer may then sell other communication products to other customers. The sales of the handheld communication products result in an expanding network of customers and increased revenue for telecommunication companies.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2008
    Assignee: Hothand, Inc.
    Inventor: Randolph A. Jaramillo
  • Patent number: 7401029
    Abstract: A airline travel supplier evaluation tool is provided which will allow companies to efficiently evaluate the value of preferred airline supplier scenarios and improve their negotiating position vis-à-vis their airline suppliers. The user of the software tool may choose which, if any, preferred supplier set is best given the user's preferences for such criteria including but not limited to saving money and/or saving travel time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: TRX, Inc.
    Inventor: Scott Gillespie
  • Patent number: 7363235
    Abstract: The image storing apparatus stores an image uploaded from a customer via a network on a large-capacity medium by associating it with customer information indicating the customer, image attribute information or image selection information so as to manage the image of the customer. And if capacity, quantity, a recording period or a current date of the images of a certain customer exceeds a predetermined threshold, one image or a plurality of images of the customer are moved to another medium so as to secure storage capacity of the above described large-capacity medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Fujifilm Corporation
    Inventors: Hitoshi Urabe, Katsuo Ogura, Naoki Ishikawa, Makoto Hara, Hideki Morikawa, Kazuo Shiota, Shuichi Otsuka, Yoshiki Kawaoka