Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a system and method of determining the age of an item recipient, such as a gift recipient. The age range for the gift recipient is estimated based at least in part on a customer order history of gifts purchased by the customer for the gift recipient. At a first date, a customer order for a first gift for the recipient is received, where the first gift is associated with a first age appropriateness designation. At a second date, a customer order for a second gift for the recipient is received, where the second gift is associated with a second age appropriateness designation. An age range associated with the recipient is then estimated based upon at least the first age appropriateness designation and the second age appropriateness designation.

Abstract: An online shopping system that permits a customer to submit online orders for items and/or services from a store that serves both walk-in customers and online customers. The online shopping system presents an online display of an order cutoff time and an associated delivery window for items selected by the customer. The system accepts the customer's submission of a purchase order for the item in response to a time of submission being before the order cutoff time. The online shopping system does not settle with a credit supplier of the customer until the item selected by the customer is picked from inventory but before it is delivered. Therefore, the customer can go online and make changes to the order. In addition, available service windows are presented to the customer as a function of customer selected order and service types; and further, the order picking is assigned in accordance with a picker's preference.

Abstract: A method, program, and system for checking the availability of goods and services by means of the Internet are provided. The invention comprises compiling a customer profile, which may include information related to business affiliation as well as personal preferences. The customer uses a general search engine to submit a query regarding a desired good or service, and the search engine returns a list of suppliers that satisfy the search generic criteria. Special software on the client machine then sends more detailed queries, along with the customer profile, directly to certain suppliers selected from the list. These suppliers then return information, which corresponds to the customer profile. This information may include availability of specific accommodations, special discounts, as well as exclusive goods or services not offered to the general public.

Abstract: A shopping assistance method and service system is provided in which a shopper captures information about an item of interest (90) and sends it over a mobile radio infrastructure (10) to a service system (40). At the service system, the information is processed to identify at least the type of item of interest. A determination is also made of a location associated with the information, this location will generally be that of the store (92) where the shopper captured the information, but could also be the shopper's home location. The service system next carries out a specific task (72) relating to the identified item (90), such as obtaining comparative prices, and then provides a report back to the shopper, the contents and/or organisation of the report taking account of the location previously determined as being associated with the information.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides systems and methods, which allow a more efficient shopping experience. A cascading commerce menu provides access to a plurality of product, service, and/or content categories. In one embodiment, the cascading commerce menu is stored on a client computer, thereby providing quick access to the menu.

Abstract: The disclosed invention is a system and a method utilizing a web-based interactive database to automate the process for managing internal components of a plant. The system captures all essential information and provides on-line up-to-date information upon request. The system provides valuable information to a customer to analyze the plant specific problem and offers inspection methods, mitigation methods and processes to resolve the problem.

Abstract: A method of providing image goods and/or services to more than one party located at different locations. The method includes providing a camera for substantially simultaneously capturing an image both electronically and on a photosensitive media by a customer and transmitting the electronic image to a third party at a location remote from the customer along with additional data. The additional data identifying the image with respect to the photosensitive media. The customer and/or the third party placing an order with a service provider for at least one good and/or service with respect to the image. The service provider assembles the order upon receipt of the photosensitive media.

Abstract: An effective personnel valuation program permits an improved appropriateness valuation result to be obtained by adjusting deviation of valuation by individual valuators from a standard. Valuators at posts able to perform appropriate valuation are set as reference data valuators. Initial valuation data produced by valuators in a valuator group other than the reference data valuators are adjusted such that its mean data is identical with the mean data of the valuation data produced by the reference data valuators with the mean data and the standard deviation of the valuation data by the reference data valuators as references. Also, standard deviation fluctuations of the valuation data are adjusted such that the standard deviation is identical with the standard deviation of the valuation data produced by the reference data valuators.

Abstract: The present invention is generally directed to methods and systems for distributing image capture devices, images, and prints. One embodiment of the present invention advantageously provides cameras, such as digital cameras or film cameras, to consumers for free or at a discounted cost. In exchange, the consumer makes a commitment that a certain number of image reproduction or prints will be purchased by the consumer and/or by others. In another embodiment, a user receives prints with associated advertisements attached at a reduced price.

Abstract: This computer-based Internet ticket auctioning method preregisters potential bidders and advises them that all bids are conditional offers to purchase tickets, and therefore cannot be lowered or canceled at will. The auction's organizer programs the computer that runs the auction with dates and locations of various events, and with auditoria layout and locations of seats to be auctioned. Each registered customer can view the layout of a particular auditorium and submit a bid for one or more seats. The bidder specifies whether a partially filled order and noncontiguous seat assignments are acceptable. The bidder is also provided with an option to engage a “proxy bid” that will increase the bid amount up to a limit set by the bidder, in order to ensure purchase of tickets. Each customer can also choose to bypass the auction process entirely, by submitting a purchase order at a high, preset price. This preset price is automatically accepted and purchase of tickets is guaranteed.

Abstract: One or more embodiments of the invention utilize a receiver as a terminal to enable commercial transactions to take place that may or may not be coupled with programming that is being broadcast and to provide customers with the option of having their pay-TV bills charged directly to a credit card. The pay-TV provider could allow the customer to activate their pay-TV systems, with the programming package of their choice, without having to call the pay-TV customer service. Utilizing the fact that receivers may have built in modems that are connected to phone lines, connections can be made through that phone line to initiate, transfer, and purchase services and merchandise. If the receiver can successfully establish a secure connection with the pay-TV service provider, vendor, or credit card provider and the billing information is successfully transferred, then the merchandise can be shipped or the appropriate signals can be sent to the receiver to activate the service that the customer has selected.

Abstract: A method and computer system are provided for interfacing between customers and independent service providers. Customer information and transaction data are collected for transactions that may be divided into at least two subsets, with transactions in each subset being initiated with transaction devices associated with a different independent service providers. For each transaction request, a determination is made which of the independent service providers should receive the transaction request, based on the collected customer information, and it is then transmitted to the determined independent service provider.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for providing electronic procurement services to a state government agency at a price to the government agency which will permit the government agency to share in savings resulting from using proven internet-based services and existing procurement sub-systems, and supporting service related fees from participating vendors and customers.

Abstract: A reverse logistics method for recapturing value of used goods over one or more internet exchange portals is disclosed. The method of the present invention includes the steps of offering used goods, owned by an actual seller, for sale over an internet exchange portal; selling a right to market the used goods to a virtual seller; marketing the used goods over the portal under direction of the virtual seller; identifying an actual buyer; and selling the used goods to the actual buyer.

Abstract: A method is disclosed herein for displaying time lapse for an on-line auction for an item in a computer. According to the method, the processor time in the computer is obtained and compared to the official auction time for the items being auctioned in the on-line auction which is obtained from the on-line auction service. The users computer compares the obtained processor time to the obtained official auction time and correlates the end of time from the on-line auction service to a processor end of time which corresponds to the user's time. The computer then displays the time left correlated to the processor's time preferably in a visual countdown graphical icon.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a system and method of determining the age of an item recipient, such as a gift recipient. The age range for the gift recipient is estimated based at least in part on a customer order history of gifts purchased by the customer for the gift recipient. At a first date, a customer order for a first gift for the recipient is received, where the first gift is associated with a first age appropriateness designation. At a second date, a customer order for a second gift for the recipient is received, where the second gift is associated with a second age appropriateness designation. An age range associated with the recipient is then estimated based upon at least the first age appropriateness designation and the second age appropriateness designation.