Patents Examined by Scott A Zare
  • Simultaneous vehicle routing, vehicle scheduling, and crew scheduling
    Patent number: 8572001
    Abstract: A method for generating a transportation plan. A set of transportation requests are identified. An initial transportation plan having a set of vehicle routes, a set of vehicle schedules, and a set of crew schedules that satisfy the set of transportation requests is created. A set of vehicle routes, a set of vehicle schedules, and a set of crew schedules are simultaneously modified repeatedly using a policy to generate a new transportation plan until an objective is met.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Benjamin Leslie Hollis
  • Enterprise asset management
    Patent number: 8566182
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and apparatus, including software tangibly stored on a computer readable medium, involve managing assets of an enterprise. A purchase order requesting a good or a service of an enterprise is received. A particular asset for use in providing the good or the service is identified. An electronic asset record associated with the particular asset is modified to include information relating to the purchase order. Invoice data for requesting payment for the good or the service requested in the purchase order is generated. The invoice data is verified based at least in part on the modified electronic asset record.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Cheryl Brower, Gaylen M. Landau-Hubbard, Sandra R. Morgan, Michael Whalley
  • Thermal beverage container with secure account identifier
    Patent number: 8561830
    Abstract: A thermal beverage container provides an RFID tag anchored between dual walls of the container to be hermetically protected while scannable, thereby permitting the container to be used as a gift card to promote the use of reusable containers rather than disposable cups in the purchase of beverages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Inventor: Christopher Hallberg
  • Method and system for automatic scoring of the intellectual properties
    Patent number: 8566251
    Abstract: Novel methods of IP or patent management and monetization based on IP/patent pooling and scoring systems are disclosed. In addition, novel partnership methods with IP producing entities (such as universities) are disclosed which produce incentives and efficiencies far and above other methods. Systems and methods are disclosed for valuation of IP instruments and distribution of IP revenue/proceeds. Examples of methods for scoring IP instruments, using a transactional and event driven point/value system, are disclosed for tracking, monitoring, distribution and allocation of proceeds in a complex pooling arrangement of IP instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Inventors: Saied Tadayon, Bijan Tadayon, Mahin Tehrani
  • Methods and systems for bulk activation of multiple, disparate stored value accounts
    Patent number: 8554614
    Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a method of activating a plurality of disparate stored value accounts utilizes a set of multiple presentation instruments redeemable at different merchants. Each presentation instrument includes a unique presentation instrument identifier used to associate value with the presentation instrument. Also, the set includes a set identifier, which may be included on a package that secures the presentation instruments together. In one embodiment, the set identifier is received over an electronic network, a list of the presentation instruments in the set is accessed from a computer database, and each of the presentation instruments is activated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2013
    Assignee: First Data Corporation
    Inventors: Douglas P. Dwyre, Steven E. Arthur, Christopher L. Toomer, Kenneth Algiene
  • Transaction pre-processing with mobile device for a currency dispensing device
    Patent number: 8548912
    Abstract: A system and method of pre-processing a transaction using a mobile device are presented. The system and method may include beginning a transaction at a mobile device. Beginning the transaction may include receiving transaction information at the mobile device. The transaction information may include a transaction identifier, type of transaction, method of payment, and the like. In some examples, the transaction information may be stored at the mobile device. A network associated with a merchant or ATM associated with a financial institution may be detected at the mobile device. The mobile device may connect to the detected network and the transaction may be completed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2010
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Bank of America Corporation
    Inventor: Matthew Brian Cincera
  • System to determine posting payment amount based on specific type of item
    Patent number: 8548869
    Abstract: Products and processes are provided in which information is received about a post for an item to be sold. The information may include type data identifying the item for sale as being a specific type of item. Based on the received type data, a posting payment amount is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventors: Jay S. Walker, Andrew S. Van Luchene, Deirdre O'Shea, Geoffrey M. Gelman, Dean P. Alderucci
  • Method for estimation of a payment for an existing report based on subsequent reports which provides incentives for reporters to report truthfully
    Patent number: 8538833
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for paying for an existing report are provided. In the method, an existing report for which a first structure of entities is identified is received. Thereafter, a set of other reports for which respective second structures of entities are identified is received. A weighting for other reports in the set of other reports is assigned, based on the respective structures. A payment for the existing report is extracted based on the weighting, a selected scoring rule, and the set of other reports.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2013
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher R. Dance, Onno Zoeter, Yu-An Sun, Venkatesh Rao
  • Charging system, kiosk, and method of reserving a power charging device and supplying current to a power storage device
    Patent number: 8521599
    Abstract: A charging system for use in supplying current to a power storage device includes a charging device configured to be coupled to the power storage device to perform a charging operation and a kiosk coupled to the charging device. The kiosk is configured to receive pricing data for the charging operation from the charging device, display the pricing data, enable the pricing data to be accepted, and authorize the charging device to initiate the charging operation if the pricing data is accepted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Cecil Rivers, Jr., Radoslaw Narel, Marvin Herville Green
  • Method and system for re-routing items sold or auctioned to a new customer
    Patent number: 8515822
    Abstract: A method and system for auctioning or sales of deliverable items via the Internet permit customers to purchase or bid on items. Delivery of the item is first scheduled to a first bidder or purchaser and then in response to a second bidder or purchaser's bid or purchase, may be rescheduled for delivery to the second bidder or purchaser. A replacement item may be offered to a losing bidder and in the case of a purchase, may be automatically scheduled for delivery to a purchaser whose item has been re-scheduled for delivery to another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Inventors: Charles D. Angert, Andrew Mitchell Harris
  • Negotiation of product purchase with an electronic device
    Patent number: 8515824
    Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, methods and systems disclosed herein provide for negotiating product purchase with an electronic device. An example method includes acquiring product data from a product. The method also includes determining purchase offer information based on the product data. Further, the method includes negotiating purchase of the product based on the purchase offer information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dean F. Herring, Brad M. Johnson, Adrian X. Rodriguez, Jeffrey J. Smith
  • System to provide a posting payment amount as a credit for purchases
    Patent number: 8510175
    Abstract: Products and processes are provided in which information is received for a post relating to an item to be sold via a posting site. A posting payment amount relating to the post is determined. The posting amount is provided as a credit for purchases. For example, the credit may be a credit that is usable for purchases via the posting site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventors: Jay S. Walker, Andrew S. Van Luchene, Deirdre O'Shea, Geoffrey M. Gelman, Dean P. Alderucci
  • System to feature a posting
    Patent number: 8510174
    Abstract: Products and processes are provided in which information is received about a post relating to an item to be sold via a posting site. A posting payment award is determined. The posting payment award may be determined by calculating a posting payment amount. The posting award is provided in the form of a prominent feature of the post on the posting site.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventors: Jay S. Walker, Andrew S. Van Luchene, Deirdre O'Shea, Geoffrey M. Gelman, Dean Alderucci
  • Systems, methods and computer program products for automating financial institution client positive pay return decisions
    Patent number: 8504477
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for automatically processing positive pay return decisions. Positive pay return decisions are financial client decisions that authorize return of a pay item, such as a check, in the event that the client determines that the pay item warrants return, such as in the instance in which the check has been fraudulently altered or the like. Automated processing provides for deleting pay status from a service management system, creating a credit transaction to credit an appropriate demand deposit account and creating a return file that identifies the item and the reason for return.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Bank of America Corporation
    Inventors: Deborah A. Copes, Debra R. Murphy, Ann M. Cromarty, William A. Schauer
  • Outgoing returns processing
    Patent number: 8504448
    Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatuses and/or computer program products are directed to outgoing returns processing. The outgoing returns processing includes receiving outgoing returns data files, where the outgoing returns data files may be of a plurality of different file formats and received from a plurality of different channels. The outgoing returns processing further includes converting the outgoing returns data files to a platform file format and retrieving image files based on the outgoing returns data files. The outgoing returns are then settled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 6, 2013
    Assignee: Bank of America Corporation
    Inventors: L. Edward Shaw, Patricia Anne Sullivan Fleming, Martin T. Mulligan, Marcus Eugene McGinnis, Karl R. Johnson, Thomas D. Thibault
  • Retail checkout system and method
    Patent number: 8494908
    Abstract: A near field communication (NFC) based checkout system comprises an NFC enabled mobile telephone that reads product data from an NFC tag associated with a product. The mobile telephone updates a shopping list when the consumer scans an item. The consumer uploads the shopping list at a payment terminal at the checkout via an NFC link. The payment terminal connects with a price look up (PLU) database and downloads the price data for the items in the shopping list to provide a total price. The payment terminal requests authorization of the total price from the consumer's financial authorization.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2013
    Assignee: NCR Corporation
    Inventors: Nathaniel Christopher Herwig, Daniel F. White
  • Brokering and payment optimization for cloud computing
    Patent number: 8484136
    Abstract: A system includes a receiving module to receive a purchase inquiry for a cloud computing service from a consumer in a first currency. A pricing module is used to price-out the cloud computing service from a provider where the cloud computing service is provided in a second currency. A reconciliation module reconciles the purchase of the cloud computing service in the consumer's geographical location and currency with the provider's location and currency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: CA, Inc.
    Inventors: Eitan Hadar, Debra Jean Danielson
  • Verification method and system
    Patent number: 8484107
    Abstract: Systems and methods for verifying and monitoring employees are provided. Employees call-in to the system at scheduled times. If an employee misses a scheduled call-in, an alert can be generated. An employer notification process can generate the alert, notifying a supervisor of the employee's missed call. The alert can include the employee's name, the location of the employee, and the time he/she was supposed to call. Such systems and methods can be used to verify that a worker is at the proper location at the proper time and awake and alert during the entire time period that he/she is supposed to be working.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2013
    Assignee: SteadyCare, LLC
    Inventors: Arthur Phillip Clifford, Patricia A. Marrin
  • Utilizing supporting dimensions to further define transaction entities in a computerized financial/accounting system
    Patent number: 8473375
    Abstract: A computer-implemented financial system that allows for account modules to be set up, and transaction data to be entered, stored and retrieved as transaction entities, with each transaction entity including an amount, is provided. The financial system further allows for supporting dimensions (dimensions that are entered and saved to the transaction only and that are not selected from a predefined dimension code list) to be utilized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2013
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brett M. Lindemann, Kimberly A. Nelson, Ronald H. Schulz
  • Storage-cabinet and method for selling frozen and/or refrigerated goods from such a locked storage-cabinet
    Patent number: 8468059
    Abstract: A storage cabinet for at least one of refrigerated and frozen goods for sale through that the cabinet door opens via entering of a door opening code in a payment terminal with scanning equipment for reading of codes which identify said goods. The goods which are purchased by lifting them out of the cabinet are scanned with the scanning equipment and are debited to a purchasing account associated with the door opening code. The cabinet is locked when the cabinet door closes. Further the cabinet rests on a weighing device. If a predetermined difference between the scanned goods' weight and the cabinet's weight occurs, the weight difference is registered in a transaction data file associated with the door opening code, wherein loss of goods is registered on a known purchasing account.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 19, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Inventor: Anders Enqvist