Abstract: Systems and methods for providing contextual advertisements to present to a user in association with electronic books are provided. Advertising entities may submit information to include in the contextual e-book advertisement. An advertisement manager identifies the e-book and content associated with each page therein. A target page to receive the advertisement is identified. The contextual e-book advertisement is generated using content associated with the target page as well as content associated with each page preceding the target page. Content associated with pages subsequent to the target page is analyzed to determine if the advertisement is appropriate for the target page. Additional sequential information and user profile information may be used to generate the contextual e-book advertisement. Based on the content of the e-book and the parameters of the information submitted by the advertising entity, a contextual e-book advertisement is generated for the target page and presented to a user.

Abstract: Question-based advertising over a network where question-based advertisement selection takes into consideration the content of adjacent material. In various aspects, the adjacent material may be physical and in proximity to a terminal where the question is presented, it may be virtual and be displayed on the same terminal as the question, and it may precede or succeed the question in time.

Abstract: A method for redeeming coupons, comprising the steps of storing on an electronic device an electronic coupon having encrypted data and unencrypted data, wherein the encrypted data is required for printing the coupon; reading data stored on the portable electronic device at purchase location, and comparing the unencrypted data with product data obtained at the purchase location, and if a match is detected, decrypting the encrypted data; and printing the coupon at the purchase location with the decrypted data.

Abstract: Computer-readable media and a computer system for correcting bid estimates that are calculated from stored data encompassing an incumbent customer's participation in a keyword auction are provided. Initially, input criteria is received, which includes customer-history data and a candidate position, within a ranking of incumbent customers competing to display an advertisement, that is attractive to the incumbent customer. A corrected rank model of the competing incumbent customers' ranking is generated, which effectively discounts the stored data related to the incumbent content provider. The corrected rank model is utilized to predict an adjusted average position of the incumbent content provider, within the ranking of the competing incumbent customers, without physically extracting stored data associated therewith. A corrected price model that ignores the influence of the incumbent customer's participation in the advertising auction is then constructed.

Abstract: A technique for determining a match between a character string including an evaluation and product information stored in a storage device and including a feature description of a product. The character string includes a name of an evaluation object to be evaluated and an evaluation expression representing the evaluation of the evaluation object. The matching method includes a first determining step of determining from the evaluation object and the evaluation expression whether the evaluation expression represents a positive evaluation of the evaluation object or a negative evaluation of the evaluation object; and a second determining step of determining, when the evaluation expression represents a positive evaluation of the evaluation object, if the evaluation expression is included in a feature description of a product, the product to be a matched product, and if the evaluation expression is not included in a feature description of a product, the product to be a mismatched product.

Abstract: An ad placement system provides functionality for users to rate advertisers associated with particular ads they view, and/or to rate particular ads. The ratings supplied by individual users in association with a given advertiser are used by the system to generate an average or other aggregate rating for the advertiser. This aggregate rating is exposed to users in association with the advertiser's ad or ads, allowing users to efficiently take the advertiser's reputation into consideration in deciding whether to click through or otherwise select such ads to access the advertiser's web page or site. For example, in one embodiment, each ad is displayed with a corresponding visual indication of the aggregate rating of the advertiser.

Abstract: A system for advertising on a networked printer includes a target entity and a trusted source entity. The target entity includes a networked printer and a plurality of work stations operated by a respective plurality of users. Each workstation communicates with the networked printer. The networked printer includes a controller configured to generate a banner sheet. The banner sheet includes user identifying printer indicia for distinguishing different print jobs that are printed by the networked printer. The trusted source entity includes an advertisement delivery device in communication with the controller of the networked printer. The advertisement delivery device communicates with the controller of the networked printer to deliver an advertisement that is printed on the banner sheet generated by the networked printer. The advertisement is printed in addition to the user identifying printing indicia that is already printed on the banner sheet.

Abstract: A management system brokers, between a seller and a buyer, at least a portion of the seller's inventory of advertisement impressions that the seller can render within a web page of internet traffic. The management system comprises a traffic block definition tool adapted to define traffic block parameters for at least two discrete traffic blocks of the advertisement placement. The traffic block parameters for each discrete traffic block comprise a volume parameter and a duration parameter. A sales management tool is adapted to associate advertisement content and a buyer compensation parameter to each salable event.

Abstract: An auction management system brokers, between a seller and a buyer, a discrete traffic block of an ad placement. The auction management system comprises a traffic block definition tool providing workflows for obtaining traffic block parameters defining the discrete traffic block, the traffic block parameters comprising: i) an identification of the ad placement; ii) a volume parameter defining the volume of traffic included in the discrete traffic block; iii) at least one duration parameter defining an active time period during which the volume of traffic included in the discrete traffic block will be provided; and iv) an auction parameter defining an expiration time before which buyers submit offers to purchase the discrete traffic block. A listing search tool provides web pages displaying a listing of a plurality of listed discrete traffic blocks. Each listed discrete traffic block comprises a discrete traffic block with an expiration time that has not yet passed.

Abstract: A method of assisting a website designer in establishing an arrangement between a first website being designed by the website designer and a second website in order to market the first website at the second website upon the activation of the first website on the internet is provided. The method includes, during design of the first website, receiving information at a user interface indicating a type of an element for marketing that is to be displayed at the second website, and information specifying the second website at which the element is to be displayed; saving the information at a first database that is coupled to the user interface; obtaining the element for marketing of the type indicated; and causing the display of the element for marketing at the second website when the first website is activated with respect to the internet. The element for marketing includes at least one of a banner ad concerning the first website and a link to the first website.

Abstract: Technology for replacing a first storage unit operatively coupled to a device is provided. Content of the first storage unit is sent to a new storage unit that serves as the replacement of the first storage unit. In one embodiment, the content is first sent to a trusted third-party server and then transferred from the server to the new storage unit. A portion of the content on the new storage unit is adjusted in one embodiment to maintain content security features that were implemented in the first storage unit. The upgrading can be performed under the control of a software entity that is installed on the device. In various embodiments, the first storage unit may be bound to a third storage unit prior to the upgrade process. In such cases, the process can include measures to bind the new storage unit to the third storage unit.

Abstract: In a protocol for preserving the privacy of communications between a RFID reader and a RFID tag, two distinct actions are taken. First, the reader and the tag must be mutually authenticated as being authorized participants in the communications. After that process is successfully completed, the authenticity of each authorized participant must be validated prior to each subsequent communication between reader and tag.

Abstract: An inventive system and method for collaborative commerce is presented. The invention comprises activating an art board, placing items onto the art board, inviting users to interact with the art board, and collaborating with the invited users. Additional features and functions include purchasing items shown on the art board, including by placing the items in a shopping cart, using e-mail, text messaging, and instant messaging to invite users, who may be chosen from a buddy list. Collaborating can be performed using voice chatting, video chatting, instant messaging, and text messaging, and includes examining reviews, ratings, reputations, and recommendations, and also includes displaying details regarding the items. In addition, reports comprising information regarding the items can be generated. A toolbar can be located on the art board and used to initiate inviting of users and placing of items onto the art board.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing user logon and state-less authentication are described in a distributed processing environment. Upon an attempted access by a user to an online resource, transaction, or record, a logon component asks the user to supply a logon ID and a password. The logon component verifies the provided information, and upon successful identification, a security context is constructed from information relevant to the user. The security context is sent to the user and is presented to the system each time the user attempts to invoke a new resource, such as a program object, transaction, record, or certified printer avoiding the need for repeated logon processing.

Abstract: A system (33) for outbound dialing for call centers (11) place an outbound dialer (21) at network level (13), and client call centers provide destination number calling lists. The outbound dialer (21), upon completing a call to a destination number, connects the completed call to a routing point at a client call center. The system (33) may be CTI-enhanced, and can be hosted by a client of a network provider, or by the network provider. Clients may subscribe to the network provider for service, providing calling lists and routing points, and completed calls may be routed to call centers operated by different clients. The architecture and method of the system (33) minimizes the number of leased lines required by each call center taking advantage of the system (33).

Abstract: A taxi trip meter system includes a taximeter and a location sensor connected to a computer loaded with street information and driver evaluation software. In a first embodiment, the estimated shortest route and distance between the starting and ending points of a trip are determined. If the estimated shortest trip distance is exceeded by an actual trip distance by a permissible margin, a distance violation is indicated. An actual average speed is calculated based on an actual trip duration and the actually traveled distance. If an estimated average speed limit for the actual route is exceeded by the actual average speed, a speed violation is indicated. In a second embodiment, an estimated taxi fare is calculated based on the estimated shortest route. If the estimated taxi fare is exceeded by an actual taxi fare calculated by the taximeter by a permissible margin, a fare violation is indicated.

Abstract: A facility searching technique easier to operate and having high degree of freedom. A facility searching device is constructed from a database on map information, a database relating to various kinds of facilities and including positional information of the facilities, a display unit for displaying, based on the map information, a map of a predetermined area, a pointing device for inputting a position located on the displayed map, a voice input unit for inputting by voice an instruction relating to search for facilities, and unit (25, 29, 30, 31) for performing the search for facilities upon receiving the input of a position or the input of an instruction (steps 21-22, 24, 26, 27, 28), the search being based on the inputted position and the instruction.

Abstract: An equal gain composite beamforming technique which includes the constraint that the power of the signal output by each antenna is the same, and is equal to the total power of the transmit signal divided by the number N of transmit antennas from which the signal is to be transmitted. By reducing output power requirements for each power amplifier, the silicon area of the power amplifiers are reduced by as much as N times (where N is equal to the number of transmit antennas) relative to a non-equal gain composite beamforming technique. A method and apparatus are disclosed for a multiple input multiple output (MIMO) transmission technique by a wireless communications device which includes providing that the power applied to each transmit antenna may be equal to the total power of the transmit signal divided by the number N of transmit antennas from which the signal is to be transmitted. The device may produce a weight for each of the N transmit antennas used in MIMO transmission.

Abstract: A method and a system for transmitting messages containing multimedia information or content that enables transmission and communication of multimedia messages between subscribers connected to telecommunication systems of different system operators. The inventive system includes a first mobile station terminal from which a multimedia message is sent, a second mobile station terminal that is the intended recipient of the multimedia message, a digital mobile network, a first multimedia message server for receiving a multimedia message from the first mobile station terminal, a first address database associated with the first multimedia message server, a second multimedia message server for receiving the multimedia message from the first multimedia message server, an IP network for carrying communications between the first and second multimedia message servers, and a second address database associated with the second multimedia message server.

Abstract: A portable terminal includes a receiver, a barcode former configured to form barcodes and a display. The barcode former forms a barcode from the data received by the receiver and the display displays the formed barcode.