Abstract: A ripening schedule for produce is created and the ripening schedule when implemented at a ripening chamber is effective to control the environmental conditions and the time spent in the ripening chamber by the produce in order to conform ripening conditions of the produce to the target shipping date. The ripening schedule is applied to control ripening conditions in the ripening chamber.

Abstract: A device communicates with a parking meter associated with a parking space to be used for parking by an electric vehicle, where the electric vehicle is associated with the device. The device receives vehicle power information, vehicle profile information, and vehicle location information, and determines parking payment options based on the vehicle power information, the vehicle profile information, and the vehicle location information. The device receives a selection of a particular parking payment option of the parking payment options, where the particular parking payment option includes an option to pay for parking by providing power to the parking meter from the electric vehicle. The device causes the electric vehicle to connect to the parking meter based on the particular parking payment option, and causes the electric vehicle to provide power to the parking meter based on the particular parking payment option.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the field of shared bicycles, and particularly relates to a heartbeat control system for shared bicycles. The heartbeat control system may include a server configured to divide an area that includes the shared bicycles into a plurality of parking zones based on a virtual map and determine an off-peak period and a peak period of each of the plurality of parking zones, and a lock control device mounted on one of the shared bicycles. The lock control device may include a network module that is periodically actuated by the lock control device. The lock control device may be configured to obtain, based on a parking zone of the shared bicycle, an off-peak period and a peak period corresponding to the parking zone, and extend an actuation frequency during the off-peak period.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for generating business decisions. Embodiments of this system and method receive customer transaction data and additional information (cumulatively referred to as ‘modeling data’). This data is utilized to generate a product decision tree which models consumer purchasing decisions as a tree structure. The product decision tree may be utilized by the system to analyze demand for a given leaf (product) in association with other related products. In some embodiments, customers are segmented into groupings of customers who have similar attributes, including similar shopping behaviors. Customer insights are generated for the customer segments. The customer insights and the product decision tree are used to generate business plans, which may then be provided to a store for implementation. These plans may include a product assortment plan, an everyday pricing plan, a promotional plan, and a markdown plan.

Abstract: Described are systems and processes for generating dynamic estimated time of arrival predictive updates for delivery of perishable goods. In one aspect a system is configured for generating dynamic estimated time of arrival (ETA) predictive updates between a series of successive events for real-time delivery of orders. For each order, a plurality of delivery events and corresponding timestamps are received from devices operated by customers, restaurants, and couriers. Based on the timestamps, the system generates a plurality of ETA time predictions for one or more of the delivery events with trained predictive models that use weighted factors including historical restaurant data and historical courier performance. As additional timestamps are received for a delivery event, the trained predictive models dynamically update the ETA time predictions for successive events. The predictive models may be continuously trained by updating the weighted factors based on the received timestamps.

Abstract: In one aspect, a computer-implemented method of receiving information corresponding to a designed product and determining initial price(s) as well as initial values of other business variables associated with the price. The method allows a user to enter a change to a price or the other business variable to instantly discover how the change affects other variables and optionally how the change affects one or more allowable ranges of acceptable values of other variables. The user can then lock the value of one or more of the variables and prices and change others to instantly discover how a change to one affects the others and optionally how a change to one affects one or more allowable ranges of acceptable values of the others while any locked values remain unchanged. The user can then order manufacture of the designed product as a function of values of price and other business variables.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for managing computing resources by a provider network. A selection of a pricing plan for use of a computing resource is received. The pricing plan can include inclusion of a premium for continued use of the computing resource during a maintenance window, or a cost benefit for interrupting use of the computing resource during the maintenance window. Maintenance is performed on the computing device in accordance with the maintenance window and based on the selected pricing plan.

Abstract: In some implementations, a system is capable of generating and distributing access credentials to users that access a rental property for a limited time period. Users can be provided with access to the rental property through an application or webpage portal without creating a new user account or user login for the application. For example, a user can be granted access to control electronic devices associated with a monitoring system of a rental property without creating a new user account with the monitoring system. Techniques described herein enable such users to more easily access, for example, rental property information that is associated with a monitoring system of the rental property. In this manner, access credentials can be distributed to users through any suitable means, e.g., through email or SMS, and used to temporarily authenticate users.

Abstract: This disclosure describes, in part, embodiments of a material dispenser configured to dispense material while tracking an amount of dispensed material and messaging to a user, in near-real-time, the amount of dispensed materials, a running cost of the dispensed materials, and/or the like. The material dispenser may include one or more weight sensors to track an amount of dispensed material and a display to indicate to a user a running amount of material that has been dispensed and a running cost to the user.

Abstract: A device may receive transaction data relating to a transaction event associated with a user and a merchant. The transaction data may include a merchant identifier and a transaction amount. The device may process the merchant identifier to determine whether the transaction event is associated with a rate-based service. The device may obtain, based on determining that the transaction event is associated with the rate-based service, location data from a user device associated with the user. The device may determine, based on the location data, a distance or a duration associated with the rate-based service. The device may determine, based on the distance or the duration, a transaction estimate for the rate-based service. The device may determine whether the transaction amount corresponds to the transaction estimate and perform one or more actions based on determining whether the transaction amount corresponds to the transaction estimate.

Abstract: Methods and systems for prescription drug shipping selection are provided. For example, a shipping temperature for a prescription drug may be identified. A forecast temperature may be determined for a shipping origin and a forecast temperature may be determined for a shipping destination. One or more potential packing configurations capable of achieving the shipping temperature between the shipping origin and the shipping destination may be determined. A shipping cost for each of the one or more potential packing configurations may be calculated. Packaging materials and labor cost may additionally be considered. Other methods and systems are described.

Abstract: A method and system capable of authenticating transactions involving at least one service provider and one or more users who are each in electronic communication. This electronic communication can be, for example, SMS, MMS, e-mail, or online account messaging. It is an aspect of certain embodiments where the transaction is an authentication and/or verification of an entity. Examples of such entities are products, actions, and users.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for tracking one or more items. In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method for tracking an item. The method may include periodically detecting sensor information of an item by a sensor device. The method may also include periodically transmitting the sensor information by the sensor device. The method may also include receiving the sensor information at a tracking center, storing the sensor information in a database, and reviewing the stored sensor information. The method may further include using the stored sensor information to update shipment information for a package.

Abstract: The invention provides an improved method of logistics and/or operations for conducting a direct-to-consumer e-commerce retail business. The logistics and/or operations system of the present invention may be used in connection with any online or e-commerce retail sector, including, for example, but not limited to, food retail (i.e., grocery retail), electronics, home goods, books, clothing, and shoes.

Abstract: There is provided a wireless portable device for providing location-based data to a user in a defined geographical area including a plurality of points of interest, the wireless portable device comprising a wireless transmitter, a wireless receiver, and a display. The wireless transmitter can transmit location information to a wireless server over a wireless network. The wireless receiver can receive location-based data relating to a point of interest from the wireless server periodically and automatically, based on the location of the wireless portable device. By optimizing map routes and schedules using the location-based data and user preferences including wish lists, the wireless portable device can provide helpful recommendations via the display, enabling the user to plan an efficient schedule of activities in the defined geographical area optimized by walking distance, queue wait times, booking and arriving at reserved events, and/or by other user preferences.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for dynamic transportation pooling are provided herein. A computer-implemented method includes determining vehicle-sharing user preferences attributed to each of multiple users; identifying vehicle-sharing opportunities involving two or more of the users riding in two or more vehicles, wherein each of the identified vehicle-sharing opportunities comprises (i) a location wherein at least one of the users exits a first of the vehicles and enters a second of the vehicles, wherein the location comprises a vehicle demand that exceeds a pre-determined threshold, and (ii) a temporal range until the vehicles will reach the location, and wherein said identifying is based on the vehicle-sharing user preferences attributed to each of the users, the current location of each of the vehicles, the destination of each of the vehicles, and traffic information; and outputting each of the vehicle-sharing opportunities to a mobile device of each of the users.

Abstract: A method may include receiving, from a client device, a reservation time and image data relating to a desired room; receiving, from a network storage device, facility data for a plurality of rooms; identifying, using an image recognition model, the desired room based on the image data and the facility data; determining an availability of the desired room based on the reservation time and the facility data; generating a first reservation option to reserve the desired room and/or a second reservation option to reserve an alternate room; transmitting, to the client device, the first reservation option and/or the second reservation option; receiving, from the client device, a user selection of the first reservation option and/or the second reservation option; and transmitting, to the network storage device, an instruction to reserve the desired room and/or the alternate room.

Abstract: A method and system using blockchains for distributing event information related to vehicle operation between a plurality of entities. The method includes executing blockchain agreements between the plurality of entities participating in a blockchain exchange for distributing event information related to the vehicle operation, where the blockchain exchange includes a plurality of databases having blockchains of data blocks for storing the event information. Next, generating by a particular entity of the plurality of entities the event information related to vehicle operation and validating the event information by a consensus of the plurality of entities participating in the blockchain exchange. Then, appending, upon validating by the consensus, a blockchain within the blockchain database for enabling each entity to have access to a same replicated block data with the event information to enable enhanced vehicle operations of multiple vehicles based on the same replicated block data.

Abstract: A taximeter for a vehicle, comprising data interface for obtaining signal indicative of the vehicle speed and/or distance traveled, preferably a speed pulse signal, memory for storing tariff data linking taxi fare with vehicle speed, distance traveled and/or time elapsed, processing unit for dynamically determining, utilizing the obtained signal and tariff data, stroke characteristics for the current situation in terms of dynamically determined stroke value and of dynamically determined stroke interval, and updating the accrued fare after each stroke utilizing the determined stroke characteristics, and display for visualizing the accrued fare. A corresponding method is presented.

Abstract: A system for coordinating physical transport of an object utilizing artificial intelligence. The system includes at least a server designed and configured to receive carrier capabilities data from a carrier device and to receive sender request data from a sender device. The system includes a carrier opportunity forecasting engine operating on the at least a server designed and configured to generate a carrier opportunity output. The system includes a sender opportunity forecasting engine operating on the at least a server designed and configured to generate a sender opportunity output. The system includes a sender qualification module operating on the at least a server designed and configured to generate at least an applicable object output. The system includes a carrier qualification module operating on the at least a server designed and configured to generate at least an applicable carrier index output.