Abstract: A technique for controlling access to one or more attractions is achieved using a number of access keys, each being issued to one or more users. An electronic queue management part manages a virtual queue in respect of each attraction and receives electronic requests for attraction access, each request relating to an access key and being for the users associated with it to access a particular attraction. Receipt of each request causes the respective users to be added to a corresponding virtual queue. A time at which each group of users reaches the front of the virtual queue and can access the attraction is determined. The users access the attractions by presenting an access key to an access control part, in communication with the electronic queue management part. Only a user presenting an access key at the correct time for accessing the attraction is allowed access to the attraction.

Abstract: A method of setting a listing price for an item is disclosed. One or attributes of the item are determined based on data entered into fields of a listing user interface. One or more additional items are identified based on a comparison of one or more attributes of the one or more additional items with the one or more attributes of the item. Sales information associated with the one or more additional items is determined. A range of suggested prices and at least some of the sales information is incorporated into a selection user interface region of the listing user interface. Based on a selection of a suggested price from the range of suggested prices, a preview of the listing as it would appear in a search results page with the one or more additional items is presented in the listing user interface.

Abstract: A device for monitoring a mobile object having a sensor unit, which has at least one sensor for monitoring the mobile object. The device additionally has a processing unit, which is designed to record measured values from a sensor unit within a time span. The processing unit is designed to determine, as a function of the recorded measured values, in what kind of process in a transport chain the object is involved. A method for monitoring a mobile object is also described.

Abstract: A method implemented on an electronic computing device for arranging activities for one or more individuals using an autonomous vehicle (AV) includes receiving a request from a first individual for the AV. An action is initiated to provide the AV to the first individual. One or more activities are provided for the first individual to perform during a trip using the AV. A detection is made as to when the first individual completes one of the one or more activities. A cost of the trip is adjusted based on a completion of the one of the one or more activities.

Abstract: A device can receive, from a client device, a request to modify a schedule that includes information identifying the set of deliveries that the fleet of vehicles is to perform. The device can generate a set of modified schedules using information included in the request and one or more routing techniques. The device can determine, for each modified schedule, of the set of modified schedules, one or more scores for ranking the set of modified schedules, such as a projected delivery time score, an operational cost score, and/or an overall score. The device can provide the set of modified schedules that have been scored to the client device. The device can receive a modified schedule that has been selected by the client device. The device can deploy the selected modified schedule to instruct the fleet of vehicles to perform an updated set of deliveries associated with the selected modified schedule.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for clearing internationally shipped items through government customs agencies. Aspects of the invention utilize a unifying database to consolidate information from different parties (e.g., government entities, shippers, carriers, brokers, and item recipients) associated with delivery of an internationally shipped item in a common location. The unifying database facilitates communication between different the parties that use different data protocols, different data formats, different data types, different EDI, etc., Parties can update relevant information corresponding to their responsibilities within the unified database. When one party updates information, other parties can be notified electronically in essentially real time of status changes relevant to item delivery. Brokers can be assigned for at-will clearance work based on broker profile information maintained in the unifying database.

Abstract: Techniques for managing notifications may be described. In an example, the notifications may relate to an item and may be provided to a user device. An active device may be associated with the item. The active device may store a token for communication with a local area network associated with a location. Based on the communication, a determination may be made that the item may be in proximity to the location. Corresponding notifications may be sent to the user device.

Abstract: Systems and methods of performing logistical management are provided. The logistical management system may receive a request to ship a package from an electronic device associated with a user. The request can include an initial location and information relating to one or more characteristics of the package. In response to receiving the request, electronic data store may be queried to determine a set of possible itineraries for the package. The set of possible itineraries can then be validated against a set of pre-determined rules to produce a subset of itineraries. One of the subset of itineraries can then be chosen.

Abstract: Systems and methods of performing logistical management are provided. The logistical management system may receive a request to ship a package from an electronic device associated with a user. The request can include an initial location and information relating to one or more characteristics of the package. In response to receiving the request, electronic data store may be queried to determine a set of possible itineraries for the package. The set of possible itineraries can then be validated against a set of pre-determined rules to produce a subset of itineraries. One of the subset of itineraries can then be chosen.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method is provided including receiving, at a server computer, a communication that indicates controllability of an access control device by a client application associated with an e-commerce service. The access control device associated with a property and configured to selectively allow access to the property relative to interaction with the client application. The method further includes determining that the property is constituted by dwellings beyond the access control device and identifying, based on a reconciliation of addresses of the dwellings with information of user accounts of an e-commerce service, at least one of the dwellings associated with the e-commerce service. The method further includes causing relative to the reconciliation an update to at least one of the user accounts associated with the at least one of the dwellings, the update opting-in the at least one of the user accounts to a feature of the e-commerce service.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure disclose a method and apparatus for planning a route. A specific embodiment of the method includes: acquiring task information; generating initial route information based on the task information; performing the updating step including: updating the second sequence in the second sequence set based on a preset rule; updating the first sequence in the first sequence set based on the updated second sequence set; and determining a delivery cost of the delivery unit based on the updated first sequence set and the updated second sequence set; and the method further includes: determining, based on the updated first sequence set and the updated second sequence set, a route of the to-be-delivered items delivered from the initial node to the destination node via the intermediate node, in response to the determined delivery cost meeting a preset delivery cost condition.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method including: creating, by a computer device, a database record for a user in a computer-based immutable ledger; updating, by the computer device, the database record with a beginning amount of fuel when the user rents a vehicle; receiving, by the computer device, fuel purchase information from a fuel dispenser at a filling station; updating, by the computer device, the database record with the fuel purchase information; updating, by the computer device, the database record with an ending amount of fuel when the user returns the vehicle; determining, by the computer device, an amount of overpayment for fuel by the user; and updating, by the computer device, the database record with a credit based on the determined amount of overpayment.

Abstract: Computer vision and image characteristic search is described. The described system leverages visual search techniques by determining visual characteristics of objects depicted in images and comparing the determined characteristics to visual characteristics of other images, e.g., to identify similar visual characteristics in the other images. In some aspects, the described system performs searches that leverage a digital image as part of a search query to locate digital content of interest. In some aspects, the described system surfaces multiple user interface instrumentalities that include images of patterns, textures, or materials and that are selectable to initiate a visual search of digital content having a similar pattern, texture, or material. The described aspects also include pattern-based authentication in which the system determines authenticity of an item in an image based on a similarity of its visual characteristics to visual characteristics of known authentic items.

Abstract: A method for automating design center product selection includes maintaining a design center database based on input from a builder, the design center database including a options available; providing a buyer interface accessible from a computing device, the buyer interface; receiving one or more selections from the buyer through the buyer interface; creating a purchase order based on a finalized selection from the buyer; creating a summary document accessible to the buyer and to the builder, the summary document having selection photos of a home with the selected options; and assigning a unique identifying code to each of the options, the unique identifying code further being associated with the selected options on the summary document.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing a merchant-customer engagement system include a physical merchant location in which a customer may be tracked to determine products within the physical merchant location that the customer is interested in. A merchant may use a wearable merchant device that is configured to identify the customer via a camera that captures an image of the customer, and that image may be used to retrieve customer account information for that customer. Using the customer account information and the products that the customer is showing interest in, the wearable merchant device may be used to display merchant-customer engagement information next to a view of the customer to allow the merchant to help the customer while utilizing a variety of displayed information about the customer including, for example, past purchases, products browsed in-store and previously browsed online, time spent in an area of the physical merchant location, etc.

Abstract: A system manages the customization of content for three-dimensional physical artifacts. The three-dimensional physical artifacts represent digital content items such as electronic books. The systems receives as input requests for physical artifacts and customization instructions. The customization instructions may define an arrangement of content on a back side of the digital content item. The content may include barcode(s) relating to the electronic content item (e.g., a link to a location where the electronic content item may be obtained). The system uses the input to generate sets of machine-readable instructions that are used by a production apparatus to produce the content of the physical artifacts.

Abstract: A model trading method, system, and computer program product include extracting a feature-model list from a first application and a feature-model list from a second application on a device, creating a price model for a price for each feature-model of the feature-model list of the second application that matches a feature-model of the feature-model list for the first application, and facilitating feature-model trading between the first application and the second application based on the feature-model list and the price model.

Abstract: An apparatus that provides a cooperative shopping service in association with a chat application includes a friend information receiving unit configured to receive, from a host device, information about at least one friend or chat room selected from a list of multiple friends or multiple chat rooms managed by the chat application; an invitation unit configured to transmit an invitation message to a guest device corresponding to the friend or a member of the chat room through the chat application; and a cooperative shopping service providing unit configured to provide, both to the host device and the guest device, a list of products that are capable of being put into a shopping cart of the host device and receive order information about product selected from the list of products by at least one of the host device and the guest device, wherein the list of products provided to the host device and the guest device is generated based on a location of a delivery destination determined by the host device.

Abstract: Consistent with some embodiments of the invention, a web-based comparison shopping and marketplace service enables a user to search for and/or browse products of interest, and then obtain geographically-relevant, real-time product availability and pricing information for a product of interest that is offered by one or more physical retail stores. Additionally, with some embodiments, the service enables a user to conclude a purchase transaction for a product that is located at a retail store, and then provides the user with driving directions from the user's location to the retail store.

Abstract: A method of analyzing images by a computing device to generate an e-commerce interface, comprising receiving, from a computing device associated with a first human user, a list of items associated with the first human user; receiving, from a computing device associated with a merchant, purchasing information for each item of the list of items; receiving, from a second human user, one or more images depicting the first human user using one or more items from the list of items; automatically analyzing the one or more images to identify the one or more items; and generating a user interface comprising at least one of the one or more images, links to a computing system of the merchant from which the second human user may obtain the one or more items identified.