Abstract: Methods and systems for data center management include collecting sensor data from one or more sensors in a rack; determining a location and identifying information for each asset in the rack using a set of asset tags associated with respective assets; communicating the sensor and asset location to a communication module; receiving an instruction from the communication module; and executing the received instruction to change a property of the rack.

Abstract: A method of configuring or changing a configuration of a POS terminal by at least one operator, in which an authorization of the operator by the POS terminal is established, in which after successful authorization of the at least one operator, the at least one operator carries out the configuration or change of the configuration, in which an identification feature for identification of the at least one operator is introduced into the POS terminal, in which this identification feature is used for authorizing the at least one operator. A method of associating a POS terminal with an operator, in which the POS terminal checks the integrity of the identification feature of the operator for identification of the operator, with which the POS terminal is associated.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for implementing a disambiguation engine for disambiguating content. Electronic content is received from a corpus of electronic content, and analyzed to identify an ambiguous portion of content. The ambiguous portion of content is a portion of the electronic content whose meaning is not made explicit in the ambiguous portion of content. A context associated with the ambiguous portion of content is determined and a set of one or more context based ambiguous content interpretation rules associated with the determined context is applied to the ambiguous portion of content to generate an interpretation of the ambiguous portion of content. The ambiguous portion of content is annotated based on the interpretation to generate disambiguated electronic content which is stored for processing as part of a subsequent operation.

Abstract: An inventory management system provides automated management of medical item inventory and maintenance of a digital chain of custody for medical items. Medical items are labeled with an RFID-encoded tag that also displays a 2D barcode. The RFID tag and the 2D barcode both encode the same serialized Electronic Product Code (EPC) data for each specific item. Reading of the RFID tag is performed using a fixed or handheld RFID reader. Reading of the 2D barcode is performed using a handheld mobile device, such as a tablet or smart phone. The two-technology label allows for the digital chain of custody to be updated by means of RFID scanning in locations where RFID readers are available and by using a smart phone or tablet to read the 2D barcode in locations where RFID readers are unavailable.

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 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 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: 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 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: 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.