Patents Examined by Resha Desai
  • Patent number: 9940653
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for a commerce platform coordinating a purchase of a product sold by a merchant system through a third party application are described. The method may include receiving a notification at the commerce platform from the third party application that a user device executing the third party application has requested to purchase a product from within the third party application, wherein the notification comprises an identifier for the product and an identifier for the merchant system that sells the product using the commerce platform. The method may also include generating a product checkout interface by the commerce platform based on the identifier for the product and the identifier for the merchant system, and transmitting the product checkout interface to the third party application to change a user interface of the third party application to include the product checkout interface within the third party application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 7, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: STRIPE, INC.
    Inventors: Rasmus Rygaard, Devesh Kumar Senapati, Christopher Ross Continanza, James William Danz
  • Patent number: 9935833
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for determining a desired or optimal installation configuration for one or more wireless interface devices within a premises. In one embodiment, a network entity collects information relating to the type of services required and generates a customer profile. The customer profile is then used to determine a number and type of wireless interface devices required. In one variant, a device chart is given which lists a plurality of combinations of categories of service and a respective plurality of device combinations needed to provide optimal service thereto. The device chart is consulted to arrive at an appropriate installation order, which is submitted for premises installation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: TIME WARNER CABLE ENTERPRISES LLC
    Inventor: Bryan McAllister
  • Patent number: 9922360
    Abstract: A recommendation system communicates with end user devices over a computer communications network and includes a recommendations engine that communicates with the network from behind a firewall that inhibits unauthorized communications from the network, a data file system that receives disposition update data in response to purchase actions initiated by an end user device and receives ingested user activity data in response to activity at a network storefront initiated by an end user device, and a database system that updates a recommendation model for the end user device in response to receiving the disposition update data and ingested user activity data. The recommendations engine generates a recommendation for the end user device in response to the update of the recommendation model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: HERE Global B.V.
    Inventors: Daniel Hendrick, Damon Lanphear, Robert Mahfoud, Rodrick Megraw
  • Patent number: 9916612
    Abstract: Systems and methods may provide purchasing suggestions to consumers based on the emotional, financial, social or physiological state of the consumer. The state of a consumer is based on data that may be collected from a variety of sources, including image data and biosensor data collected at the point of sale, as well as data accessible via smart phone or stored elsewhere. The systems and methods may be practiced in the context of a vending machine, bricks-and-mortar store, on-line store, or other venue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventors: Margaret E. Morris, Susan A. Faulkner
  • Patent number: 9904953
    Abstract: One embodiment provides a system for building store product finders. The system may include: a product search engine to find products matching at least one product subcategory of product subcategories of a store product category for a store product finder, and a dominant product subcategory determining device to determine a dominant product subcategory. Each product subcategory has a product coverage. The dominant product subcategory has a highest product coverage among the product subcategories. The system may also include a filter installing device to install at least one product search filter into the store product finder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2018
    Assignee: PAYPAL, INC.
    Inventors: Jian Xu, Qian Sun, JinYu Lou, Yi Zhou, Xiaobo Wu, Chaoou Huang, Daniel Tsun Kao, Sonya Rongsheng Liang
  • Patent number: 9892447
    Abstract: Methods and systems to perform image searches in a network-based publication system, such as image searches for items available for purchase via the network-based publication system, are described. In some example embodiments, the methods and systems access an image of an item, identify a purchaser of and/or user associated with the item in the image, query, using the image, a collection of images whose contents include items that are associated with the purchaser and that are offered for purchase by a network-based publication system, and match the item in the image to one or more of the items offered for purchase based on a result of the query. The network-based publication system may then present the matched one or more items, or recommendations for the matched items, to a user that provided the image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventor: Jean-David Ruvini
  • Patent number: 9882955
    Abstract: A wireless analytics system and method are disclosed that take shoppers through an initial registration process, after which they can access the Internet quickly and easily every time they visit any of the retailer's stores. During future visits to any of the retailer's store locations the shopper's device is automatically granted network access as soon as it is within wireless range. Once on the network, a shopper can access websites, social networks, and shopping resources from across the mobile web. The system collects information about these access events, including the location and timestamp of each access event. The retailer may be notified when a shopper enters their store. This information may automate the check-in process for processes within the retail store or within a mobile application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: Retailnext, Inc.
    Inventors: Mark Jamtgaard, Nathan Mueller, Peter Sanford
  • Patent number: 9852459
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a system and method for analyzing customer communications to provide better customer service including generating customer related data from communications of a customer by at least one sensing device located in a venue, transmitting the generated customer related data to an analysis engine, determining based on an analysis of the customer related data a customer experience, identifying at least one suggestion to provide better customer service including the identification of a representative of the venue that the analysis engine has determined can assist the customer, and receiving the at least one suggestion including an indication that the representative should assist the customer from the analysis engine by a computing device associated with the representative of the venue.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Marco A. Deluca, Timothy M. Francis, Leho Nigul, Brian W. Thomson
  • Patent number: 9836781
    Abstract: A system and method for presenting a sales demonstration using a user interface of a pool/spa controller is provided. A first device includes a system controller user interface and sends data to a second device. The second device processes the data to present a media presentation which exhibits systems, associated features, and their ability to be controlled via a controller. A user can control pool and/or spa equipment using the first device, and the user's input can guide a presentation on the second device, which demonstrates corresponding features of such equipment. As such, the natural connections among a user, a controller, and an associated feature are demonstrated in a sales-effective manner. Additionally, the first device can present a user with a simulation of a control system interface to allow for effective sales of products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Potucek, Gregory Fournier, Jason DeBruin, Bruce Porter, Michael Massa
  • Patent number: 9830631
    Abstract: Various embodiments enable an image recognition system reduce the number image match candidates before running a full-fledged pair-wise match on all image match candidates. In order to accomplish this, each inventory image can be assigned to a group. For example, a title for a book sold by an electronic marketplace could be available in multiple languages, in multiple bindings, and the book could be available in print, audio book, or electronic book. Each one of these variations could be associated with its own similarly looking inventory image, each of which could be returned as a valid match to a query image for the book. Accordingly, the inventory images for these variations could be assigned to a group for the book and, instead of geometrically processing an image for each variation, the image match system can process a single image representing all of the variations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: A9.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Arnab Sanat Kumar Dhua, Sunil Ramesh
  • Patent number: 9818149
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for a service that retrieves network content from an electronic commerce system and identifies items and associated data within the network content. The information identified may be modified and/or made available for use in another electronic commerce system. Modifications made to the information may be used by the service to further improve the identification accuracy and/or capabilities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Vishnu V. Sadhana
  • Patent number: 9805413
    Abstract: Systems and methods of site outage management are disclosed. In some example embodiments, a service outage of an online service is detected. The service outage disables the online service from receiving a bid for an item listing on the online service. The item listing has a seller and a listing end time. Timing information for the service outage is determined, and the item listing is identified based on the listing end time and the timing information for the service outage. An outage management action is performed based on the item listing being identified. The outage management action comprises one of automatically extending the listing end time, automatically transmitting an outage notification of the service outage to the seller, and automatically issuing a credit to an account of the seller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: PAYPAL, INC.
    Inventor: Suzy K. Chang
  • Patent number: 9799062
    Abstract: Generally discussed herein are systems, apparatuses, and methods for providing information regarding a product that is unique to a geographical region. In one or more embodiments a method may include determining a location of a user, receiving information indicative of one or more products unique to a particular geographical region corresponding to the determined location of the user, wherein each of the one or more products are offered for sale in the particular region by one or more merchants, and providing information about at least one of the products and about a merchant, from the one or more merchants, offering that product for sale in the geographical region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventors: Lakshmi Narasimhan, Saikrishna Vaidyanathan, Muthukumar Ramasamymadasamy
  • Patent number: 9799064
    Abstract: At least one database is accessed that includes at least personal size information representing measurements respectively associated with at least one person. Clothing information is received that represents at least one of the plurality of articles of clothing. The received clothing information is processed to associate the clothing information with at least some of the personal size information associated with one of the plurality of persons. Thereafter, a value is determined, as a function of the processed clothing information, that represents the fit of the one of the articles of clothing with at least one person. Information associated with the information is displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: EYEFITU AG
    Inventor: Isabelle Ohnemus
  • Patent number: 9799046
    Abstract: In accordance with some implementations, a method for enabling clickless purchasing is disclosed. The method is performed on a server system having one or more processors and memory storing one or more programs for execution by the one or more processors. The server system detects commercial intent from a user of the computer system. In response to detecting commercial intent, the server system determines a product relevant to the detected commercial intent of a user. The server system sends a recommendation message to the user, wherein the recommendation message includes an option to purchase the product. The server system then receives a response message from the user, the message including authorization from the user to purchase the recommended product. The server system then purchases the recommended product on behalf of the user and delivers the purchased product to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2017
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Nathan Stoll, Andrew Ellerhorst
  • Patent number: 9792621
    Abstract: A display characteristic determination machine receives a request to display seller-related content that references an item available for sale. The display characteristic determination machine identifies a display characteristic available from a web server, determines that the seller-related content is to be displayed using the display characteristic, and communicates to the web server that the seller-related content is to be displayed using the display characteristic and with primary content. The display characteristic determination machine may function as an allocation device to allocate use of the display characteristic. This functionality may be scaled, for example, to include determining use of multiple display characteristics, available from multiple web servers, by multiple instances of seller-related content requested for display by multiple sellers of multiple items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: PAYPAL, INC.
    Inventors: Steve Yankovich, Han-Shen Yuan
  • Patent number: 9786002
    Abstract: A system and method for presenting a sales demonstration using a user interface of a pool/spa controller is provided. A first device includes a system controller user interface and sends data to a second device. The second device processes the data to present a media presentation which exhibits systems, associated features, and their ability to be controlled via a controller. A user can control pool and/or spa equipment using the first device, and the user's input can guide a presentation on the second device, which demonstrates corresponding features of such equipment. As such, the natural connections among a user, a controller, and an associated feature are demonstrated in a sales-effective manner. Additionally, the first device can present a user with a simulation of a control system interface to allow for effective sales of products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2017
    Assignee: Hayward Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin Potucek, Gregory Fournier, Jason DeBruin, Bruce Porter, Michael Massa
  • Patent number: 9779443
    Abstract: Systems and methods for designing personalized merchandising schemes that are responsive to events received in an event stream may provide, for example, one or more graphical user interfaces by which to receive parameters for a personalized merchandising scheme from a designer. Messages may be selected for delivery to a user responsively to an event according to a defined personalized merchandising scheme.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: BLUESHIFT LABS, INC.
    Inventors: Vijay Chittoor, Mehul Shah, Subramanyam Mallela, Olivier Van Laere, Cibin George, Aswani Nerella
  • Patent number: 9773268
    Abstract: Systems herein relate to acquiring shopper insights from home product use and influencing shoppers to make additional future purchases of products. Further, the invention relates to electronically communicating with the shopper at the second moment of truth to provide the shopper with one or more influential messages including, but not limited to product information, e-coupons, discounts, surveys, ingredients, ingredient suggestions, recipe suggestions, entertaining, consumer reports, shopping list suggestions, wish list suggestions, and inventory list suggestions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: SUNRISE R&D HOLDINGS, LLC
    Inventors: Brett Bracewell Bonner, Titus Arthur Jones, Gregory Michael Menz, John Edward Osborne, II, Dion Brent Perkins, Christopher Todd Hjelm
  • Patent number: 9767499
    Abstract: A system is provided that searches and matches data. The system receives a payload including one or more data values, where the one or more data values represent an item configuration. The system further generates a match key for the payload that includes at least one data value of the one or more data values. The system further compares the match key with one or more match keys stored in a match repository. The system further retrieves a configuration item identity from the match repository when the match key matches a match key stored in the match repository, where the configuration item identity represents a previously ordered item configuration. The system further generates a new configuration item identity when the match key does not match a match key stored in the match repository, where the new configuration item identity represents the item configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2017
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas Daniel, Kshitij Ranjan, William Brand, Michael Lizio, Stephanie Merenda