Patents Examined by Shahid Merchant
  • Patent number: 8788378
    Abstract: An integrated medical database system for the emergency medical transportation business. The system includes a dispatch and demographic module, a clinical module, an administration module and a billing module. Each module may communicate data with one or more of the other modules to form a system incorporating data sharing, thus achieving an end-to-end automation of emergency medical care accounting. Internal consistency checks are performed by the system to ensure that proper treatments are performed according to a chosen diagnosis. The system includes a billing modifier module operating on data from the dispatch and demographic module. In one embodiment, the billing modifier module applies Geographic Practice Cost Index (GPCI) and Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) billing modifiers based on modifiable computerized rules so as to provide a more accurate charge to the payer. The results of the billing modifier module are forwarded to the billing module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Golden Hour Data Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin C. Hutton, Scott J. Jones
  • Patent number: 8589191
    Abstract: A Home Resale Price Protection Plan provides a payment to a homeowner should the homeowner have to sell his or her house at a loss due to a drop in a Real Estate Price Index. In exchange for an upfront fee, the homeowner would receive a payment for the lesser of their actual loss or the loss calculated by multiplying their original purchase price by the proportional drop in an appropriate housing price index. The Home Resale Price Protection Plan is contingent on the death, disability or other hardship faced by the homeowner. The Plan may be insured. The benefits of the Plan may be payable by an insurance company.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 19, 2013
    Assignee: PriceLock Finance, LLC
    Inventors: Steven M. Menzies, Christopher W. Overton, Jeffrey A. Silver
  • Patent number: 8577775
    Abstract: The methods and systems described herein can identify meaningful relationships between actual positions within a portfolio of investments, as well as relationships to externalities. Based on the understanding that relationships between positions are not fixed over periods of time but can vary depending on recent external events, the methods and systems described herein can achieve a portfolio of investments that are least related to other investments within the portfolio (e.g., a diverse portfolio) and, if desired, least related to the overall market (e.g., a market neutral portfolio). The methods and systems described herein can filter performance data to evaluate and manage risk across a dynamic portfolio that includes numerous primary instruments and hedge instruments. The methods and systems described herein can also provide a diagnostic tool to monitor both risk and diversification (including relationships) by determining the actual amount of profit and loss and a diversity score for each investment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 5, 2013
    Inventor: Sander Gerber
  • Patent number: 8543482
    Abstract: Information regarding the current state in the market is used to prevent orders from crossing. In an example provided herein, when an order is entered into a market, information regarding current positions in the market is taken into account to determine whether the order will cross with other orders. If the orders would cross, appropriate action is taken to prevent the crossing of orders in a way suitable for the person or persons trading. The teachings described herein may be used for any reason to prevent orders from crossing. Moreover, they may be used in other areas of trading to assist the trader in obeying any other rule or regulation that might involve analyzing current positions in the market before taking action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2013
    Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc
    Inventors: Harris Brumfield, Farley Owens
  • Patent number: 8468074
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide apparatuses and methods for processing rejected checks. Checks that are rejected for deposit at deposit locations are captured on-site. A carrier picking up the rejected checks at the deposit location sorts the rejected checks into envelopes with data recognition markings. The recognition markings on the envelopes help with sorting and identifying the checks as rejected, as well as providing data to associate the rejected checks with a customer or an account. Image files are created for the rejected checks using an image capture system. Data files are created to match-up with the image files. The rejected checks are investigated to populate the data file, in order to determine how to process the rejected checks. The checks are submitted for posting and settlement often before any claims are made by customers for provisional funds for their rejected checks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2013
    Assignee: Bank of America Corporation
    Inventors: Christopher J. Schrick, Katherine Renee Fadden, Craig Allan Hall
  • Patent number: 8423415
    Abstract: Methods and systems for dynamically generating a verification value for a transaction and for utilizing such value to verify the authenticity of the payment service application. The dynamically created verification value may be generated on a payment device, such as an integrated circuit credit card or smart card, embedded into the payment data, and transmitted to a point of sale terminal. Alternatively, payment data is sent by a payment device to a point of sale terminal, which generates a verification value and embeds it into the payment data. The embedded verification value is used by a service provider to verify the authenticity of the transaction. The methods and systems may be used in a contactless (wireless) environment or a non-wireless environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 16, 2013
    Assignee: Visa International Service Association
    Inventors: Jagdeep Singh Sahota, Christian Aabye
  • Patent number: 8315889
    Abstract: A Home Resale Value Protection Plan provides a payment to a homeowner should the homeowner have to sell his or her house at a loss, wherein the loss is attributable to an overall drop in the housing market. In exchange for an upfront fee, the homeowner would receive a payment for the lesser of their actual loss or the loss calculated by multiplying their original purchase price by the proportional drop in an appropriate published house price index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Pricelock Finance, LLC
    Inventors: Steven M. Menzies, Jeffrey A. Silver, Christopher W. Overton
  • Patent number: 8311933
    Abstract: A computerized method and system for managing risk associated with a Hedge Fund is disclosed. Information relating to Hedge Funds is gathered and stored as data in preparation for a risk inquiry search relating to a Hedge Fund. Documents and sources of information can also be stored. A subscriber, such as a Financial Institution, can submit a Hedge Fund descriptor for which a risk inquiry search can be performed. The risk assessment or inquiry search can include data retrieved resultant to augmented retrieval methods. Scrubbed data as well as augmented data can be transmitted from a risk management clearinghouse to a subscriber or to a proprietary risk system utilized by a subscriber, such as a risk management system maintained in-house. Risk inquiry searches can be automated and made a part of standard operating procedure for any transaction conducted by the subscriber in which a Hedge Fund is involved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Goldman, Sachs & Co.
    Inventor: David Lawrence
  • Patent number: 8301532
    Abstract: Information regarding the current state in the market is used to prevent orders from crossing. In an example provided herein, when an order is entered into a market, information regarding current positions in the market is taken into account to determine whether the order will cross with other orders. If the orders would cross, appropriate action is taken to prevent the crossing of orders in a way suitable for the person or persons trading. The teachings described herein may be used for any reason to prevent orders from crossing. Moreover, they may be used in other areas of trading to assist the trader in obeying any other rule or regulation that might involve analyzing current positions in the market before taking action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2012
    Assignee: Trading Technologies International, Inc.
    Inventors: Harris C. Brumfield, Farley Owens
  • Patent number: 8234197
    Abstract: Systems and methods of allocating transactions among business objects are described. Allocation is accomplished using generated allocation rules that are generated using a hierarchical data structure representative of relationships between the business objects and using predefined rules that characterize the business objects. Each generated allocation rule is associated with at least one of the business objects and is used to query a set of transactions to be allocated. Query results, generated using a generated allocation rule, include the transactions to be allocated to the associated business object. Embodiments are disclosed to illustrate how the invention can be used to allocate sales commissions to members of a sales team. The invention is applicable to a variety of business objects including people, organizations, accounts, tasks, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Eric L. Solberg, Jacob Avital
  • Patent number: 8234213
    Abstract: A system for processing transaction data is provided. The system includes a substitute draft system that receives a retrieval request and generates a substitute draft in response to the retrieval request. The system also includes a merchant interface that is connected to the retrieval system. The merchant interface generates a merchant request in response to the retrieval request. The system thus allows a substitute draft to be generated in response to the retrieval request that may eliminate the need for a merchant response with a sales draft to the request. The system provides for higher and more efficient completion of retrieval requests by ensuring that such retrieval requests receive at least a substitute draft response. By providing at least a substitute draft response to the card user, a chargeback for no response is avoided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Paymentech, LLC
    Inventors: Thomas J. Marsan, Jeffery W. Brown
  • Patent number: 8229822
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for evaluating an investment employs entries and associated impact groups to define analytical lines that represent financial activity of a business entity over time. Distribution factors can be used to allocate the value of the respective entries over corresponding user-defined time periods. Annual entries can be defined and allocated into corresponding entries. Conditional calculations pertaining to the analytical lines can also be carried out. In addition, rules-based logic can be used to adjust dates pertaining to the analytical lines (such as shifting days ahead in manner that accommodates for non working days). The analytical lines are processed to simulate information that forecasts financial activity of the business entity. The user can apply variation factors to numeric values used in the method. Such variation factors permit the method to quickly and conveniently model scenarios that affect a primary entry or item or other calculation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Inventor: Charalampos Oikonomidis
  • Patent number: 8224723
    Abstract: A system that facilitates opening of a bank account by banking personnel for a customer. The account opening system includes an automatic rate determination feature that uses customer information, account information and other criteria to determine an account interest rate. The rate determination system may also mediate rate negotiation between a personal banker and the customer by limiting the increase in rate awarded by the personal banker. An auditing system assigns numbers to a series of profiles, each describing a request to open an account. Profiles to be audited are determined by generating random numbers that fall within the range of assigned profile numbers. Random number generation is repeated until a threshold percentage of profiles have been selected for auditing. The account opening system includes a system for tracking the progress of the account application and for organizing information recorded by the personal banker during interactions with the customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.
    Inventors: Joel Joseph Bosch, Prashant Rathi, Kathleen Marie Howcroft, Robert McCoy West
  • Patent number: 8219490
    Abstract: Systems and methods of conducting a payment transaction using a mobile phone as a relay. The systems and methods receive transaction information associated with a transaction at a mobile communication device from a merchant. They send the transaction information with the mobile communication device to an issuer associated with the mobile communication device. The issuer thereafter sends an authorization response message to the merchant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Visa U.S.A., Inc.
    Inventors: Ayman Hammad, Patrick Faith
  • Patent number: 8219472
    Abstract: Disclosed are a method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for determining the value of a derivative product over nonconsecutive periods. The derivative product may be an interest rate swap product, which, when exchanged traded, normally is valued on a mark-to-market basis over consecutive periods. The product may be valued using swap value factors and settlement values according to the methodology disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: Chicago Mercantile Exchange, Inc.
    Inventors: Suneel Iyer, Keith Anguish, Moody Hadi, Ketan Patel
  • Patent number: 8204810
    Abstract: Described is a system and method that satisfies offers from customers with quotes from suppliers in a way that increases the likelihood of achieving an acceptable match. The system of the present invention is configured to receive from a customer an offer for a product. The system queries in parallel multiple suppliers for rate quotes on the desired product. Each of the suppliers is ranked according to the lowest rate quoted by each supplier. The supplier quoting the lowest rate is selected as the winner of the offer. The system may then evaluate any other rate quotes provided by the winning provider. The system may satisfy the customer's offer with the winning provider at a higher rate (if one was provided) than the winning rate quoted, up to the customer's offer (perhaps adjusted for a reasonable profit).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Expedia, Inc.
    Inventors: Barnaby Merrick Harford, Sendi Widjaja, Maja Bogdanovic, Clair Hector
  • Patent number: 8195517
    Abstract: Instead of a PIN which is associated with an account and provides access to an account, a dynamically generated card identifier (dynamic CID) is used to verify that the consumer currently possesses the transaction card at the time of purchase and/or is the true card owner. At the time of purchase, a token generates a dynamic CID, which changes with each transaction. A consumer enters the dynamic CID into a pre-existing CID field in an electronic order form. The merchant then sends the dynamic CID to a card authorization system within an authorization request. The card authorization system issues a response to a merchant system via a pre-existing authorization message indicating that the transaction card and dynamic CID have been validated, thereby adjusting the fraud risk associated with the transaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2012
    Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
    Inventor: Glade Raymond Erikson
  • Patent number: 8185464
    Abstract: A method of making distributions from an investment fund. The method includes the steps of creating shares for sale, providing a managed distribution schedule identifying a number of payments to be provided during each of consecutive periods, providing an investment strategy for investing in assets to provide funds sufficient to meet the managed distribution schedule, issuing a share to an investor in exchange for funds received from the investor, investing the received funds according to the investment strategy, calculating the value of each of the payments to be provided according to the managed distribution schedule in a period to the investor, and providing each of the payments to the investor during the period. Each payment during the period is sourced from one or more of net income of the assets, accumulated undistributed net profits resulting from a sale of any asset excluding long-term capital gains, and return of capital.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 22, 2012
    Assignee: The Vanguard Group, Inc.
    Inventors: John Ameriks, John Buhl, Edward Delk, Kathryn Hyatt, Ranga Narayanan, Shawn Travis, Daniel Wallick
  • Patent number: 8175946
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program product are described for providing the execution probability of a limit order within a given time period based on historical and current information and for adaptively and dynamically adjusting to intra-day trade data. For a given financial interest, the frequency of trade execution, the time evolution of the price, the time evolution of the trade volume, and the current state of the market, among other parameters, are captured and/or calculated. A probability function is generated based on the parameters corresponding to various time spans, and the execution probability of a limit order within a given time period is provided. Embodiments of the invention can be employed to estimate the probability of a limit order being executed within a given time period in the future, e.g., the next two minutes, based on the parameter data of a given time period in the past, e.g., the previous five minutes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2012
    Assignee: Bloomberg Finance L.P.
    Inventors: Gheis Henri Hamati, Yan Zeng
  • Patent number: 8165946
    Abstract: Enabling innovative merchant transaction pricing capability, while improving pricing process efficiency, is disclosed. When a merchant submits financial transaction account records to a payment processor for payment, the payment processor utilizes granular transaction data to calculate complex merchant transaction pricing rules. The system accesses individual transaction data, aggregate transaction data, transaction history, customer data, merchant data and product data to enable flexible, innovative and dynamic pricing capabilities that increase revenue and increase customer satisfaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2012
    Assignee: American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc.
    Inventor: James Anderson