Abstract: A vehicle including a drag reduction system is described herein. The drag reduction system includes an eddy disrupter element mounted on a vehicle body and movable with respect to the vehicle body, a plurality of sensors mounted to the vehicle body, and a processor programmed to operate the eddy disrupter based on signals received from the sensors. The plurality of sensors include a first sensor mounted near the rear end of the vehicle body and a second sensor mounted near the front end of the vehicle body for measuring fluid pressure adjacent to the vehicle body. The processor is programmed to operate the eddy disrupter element to adjust a position of the eddy disrupter element relative to the surface of the vehicle body based on a comparative analysis of a measured fluid pressure received from the first sensor and a measure fluid pressure received from the second sensor.

Abstract: A retailer computer system receives from a first computing device a shopping recap having data indicative of one or more products that were shown to a customer by the sales associate while the customer was within a retail establishment. The received shopping recap is stored within a data repository where it is linked to a customer identifier that is associated with the customer and an associate identifier that is associated with the sale associate. If the customer later purchases a product, data indicative of the product being purchased is compared against data within any shopping recap that is linked to that customer to determine if a sales associate that is also linked to any shopping recap linked to that customer is to be awarded a commission for the product being purchased. The purchase of the product by the customer may further generate a digital receipt where the digital receipt includes a notice that the customer is being awarded an incentive, such as a coupon.

Abstract: A ride-sharing server may receive, from a user, a vehicle-rental request including trip characteristics specifying an origin location, a destination location, and time constraints; identify another user having rental criteria matching that of the vehicle-rental request; send a rent-share request to the user and the other user to rent-share as a joint-rental group; and rent a vehicle to the joint-rental group when the rent-share request is confirmed. A mobile device of a ride-sharing user may send, to a rent-sharing server, a vehicle-rental request including trip characteristics specifying an origin location, a destination location, and time constraints; receive, from the rent-sharing server, a rent-share request to rent-share a vehicle as a joint-rental group including another user having rental criteria matching that of the vehicle-rental request; and responsive to the rent-share request, rent the vehicle as the joint-rental group.

Abstract: It may be determined that a material package has been used by determining that the material package has moved from a previously recorded location based upon location data corresponding to the material package and a beacon code. The location data may correspond to the material package and the beacon code being periodically reported by a beacon located proximate to the material package. Next, a weight of the material package that has been used subsequent to the material package being used may be received and, based upon the beacon code and in response to receiving the weight of the material package; the material database for a material package record may be queried. A remaining amount of material corresponding to the material package may be calculated based upon the received weight and data from the material package record found from the material package record.

Abstract: A method for authorizing a mobile payment transaction is provided that is based on device locations. The method includes receiving, by a server, a request from a point of sale (POS) device to authorize a payment transaction involving a payment facilitating device. In an embodiment, the request includes payment information of the payment transaction and location information of the POS device. When the request is received, an authorizing client device for the payment transaction is identified based on the payment information from the payment facilitating device. The request to authorize the payment transaction is granted when it is determined that the authorizing client device is located within a predetermined distance from the POS device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for managing energy services are disclosed. One method includes determining a quantity of the energy service realized during the connection event; identifying an account associated with the grid connection point; and adjusting the identified account based on the quantity determined. Another method includes receiving an indicator indicating an asset identifier or a grid connection point identifier; determining a location of the asset on the grid based on the indicator; determining operating conditions for realizing the energy service based on the determined location; sending the conditions; identifying an account associated with the point based on the indicator; and adjusting the account based on a quantity of energy services realized by the asset in accordance with the conditions.

Abstract: A book inventory monetary value of a selected product in the retail store is received. The book inventory monetary value is the monetary value of the selected product according to the accounting records of a retail store. A perpetual inventory (PI) monetary value is also received from the retail store. The PI monetary value is a product of multiplying a PI value for the selected product with the cost of the selected product. The book inventory monetary value and the PI monetary value are stored in a database. Subsequently, the book inventory monetary value and the PI monetary value are retrieved from the database. A difference between the book inventory monetary value and the PI monetary values is determined. An adjustment of the PI value is determined based upon the difference.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving an indication of a payment transaction between a customer and a merchant by a payment processing system via a mobile point-of-sale (POS) terminal and generating as part of the payment transaction, an interactive digital receipt to be sent to a mobile device associated with the customer. The interactive digital receipt includes an indication of a payment amount associated with the payment transaction and an offer to finance the payment amount and is transmitted by the payment processing system to the mobile device associated with the customer, the receipt having an interactive finance payment component that allows the customer to accept the offer to finance the payment amount. The method further includes receiving an acceptance of the offer to finance the payment amount via the interactive receipt, and receiving repayment from the customer according to repayment terms included in the offer.

Abstract: Techniques and arrangements for managing animations (e.g., chrome) on an application of a computing device are described. The application may dynamically adjust the number of animations to process information at a faster and/or slower rate. The application may adjust the number of animations based on various factors, such as a rate of input events, a rate of outbound signals, a type of user, an experience level of a user, a time of day, a time of year, and/or other factors.

Abstract: Techniques related to presentation of re-stocking maps are disclosed. The techniques involve accessing using a search engine module, from at least one database, map data relating to a layout of a retail facility, product data identifying products for sale at the retail facility, location data defining a location of products for sale at the retail facility, and inventory data providing an inventory level of the products for sale at the retail facility. A processor makes a determination about which products require re-stocking based on the inventory level. A map of the layout of the retail facility is then generated for presentation on a display of a computing device. The map indicates the location of the products requiring re-stocking with respect to the layout.

Abstract: A portable consumer device may have money stored therein, which can be calculated using an accumulator record and an exception record. The accumulator record can be incremented by the amount of any initiated transaction using the portable consumer device. The exception record can be incremented by the amount of any completed transaction using the portable consumer device. The portable consumer device may also have a limit amount, to record the amount of money added. The records allow for a later reconstruction of the device history, and can account for any errors or problems during transactions.

Abstract: A payment service system may operate to handle physical currency management for one or more merchants. The payment service system may assign a courier to pickup a currency storage compartment of a merchant. The payment service may then receive a notification related to the arrival of the courier at the location of the currency storage compartment and transfer funds to an account of the merchant. After transferring the funds, the payment service system may then request the merchant device to allow pickup of the currency storage compartment by the courier.

Abstract: A method, computer program product, and system includes a processor(s) determining, based on obtaining data from the one or more sensors over the wireless communications connection, that individuals are within a given vicinity. The processor(s) queries personal computing devices associated with the individuals to determine an identity of each individual in the given vicinity. The processor(s) assigns a service provider(s) to a portion of the identified individuals. The processor(s) obtains preference information related to the portion and determines environmental information related to an environment experienced by the portion by locating at least one sensor within a predetermined distance of the portion, and communicating, over the wireless communications connection, with the at least one sensor. The processor(s) generate simulations for providing services to the portion that include temporal parameters and selects an optimal simulation.

Abstract: A contactless payment device and method streams a sequence of magnetic-field pulses directly to two magnetic-stripe read heads of a point-of-sale terminal. The stream of pulses includes essential information needed to approve a transaction. The essential information is structured for a primary “channel” associated with one of the read heads. A series of “proxy” bits are included in the stream in order to satisfy the data collection requirements for a secondary channel associated with the other read head. The proxy bits are included in a custom bit stream that may be used to improve acceptance of payment transmission data at a POS terminal.

Abstract: Techniques for determining a status of a system update with a long latency may be provided. For example, the system may receive a request to update a value associated with an item offered by a merchant. The new value may be transmitted to one or more other computer systems, so that the new value can be updated in a master data store maintained by the one or more other computer systems. The new value can also be stored in a temporary data store associated with the system and the merchant may be informed that the new value was received and is being updated.

Abstract: A method for sharding a store inventory database is provided. The method may include separating a store inventory database into a first inventory database shard in a first inventory database server which has inventory data for a first group of items sold by a store and into a second inventory database shard in a second inventory database server which has inventory data for a second group of items sold by the store which are different than the first group of items. The method may also include associating a router with the sharded store inventory database, the router housing resident shard determination logic which comprises information which, for an item sold by the store, identifies an inventory database shard on which inventory data for the item is stored.

Abstract: The present application discloses systems and methods for inventorying objects. In one embodiment, a robot detects an object and sends identification data and location data associated with the detected object to a cloud computing system. The identification data may include an image of the object and/or information from a tag, code, or beacon associated with the object. In response to receiving the identification data and the location data, the cloud computing system identifies the object. The cloud computing system may also determine or create a first map associated with the identified object and a second map associated with the identified object. The first map may be associated with the current location of the object and the second map may correspond to a past location of the object. The cloud computing server may compare the first and second maps, and then send instructions to the robot based on the comparison.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, methods, processes, computer program code, and means for creating digital wallets for users. In some embodiments, digital wallets are created, at least in part, on information obtained from payment transactions conducted by users.

Abstract: A course evaluation apparatus includes an estimated-course-group generation portion that generates a plurality of estimated course groups for a movable body; and a course evaluation portion that performs a course evaluation on the plurality of estimated course groups with respect to at least two different evaluation criteria.

Abstract: A product inventory management system including a cabinet configured to contain an inventory of product units having RFID tags and further configured to monitor the inventory by wirelessly detecting the RFID tags, and a server system configured to communicate over a network with the cabinet, the server system capable of managing the inventory of the cabinet. There is also a method for product inventory management, including receiving, in a server system and via a network, inventory data from a cabinet, the inventory data corresponding to an inventory of product units stored in the cabinet, and generating an order to have additional product units added to the cabinet according to the cabinet inventory.