Abstract: An evaluation is generated in a performance evaluation system by defining a plurality of questions. A plurality of performance areas are defined and each associated with at least one of the questions. In response to a request for an evaluation including a performance area, questions associated with the performance area are included in the evaluation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a universal advertising and payment system and method for networking, monitoring and effectuating electronic commerce and controlling vending equipment. The system can effectuate electronic commerce and interactive advertising at the point of sale. Vending equipment can include vending access to the Internet, business application software, e-commerce, and e-business in a hotel room. In addition, vending equipment includes copiers, phones, facsimile machines, printers, data-ports, laptop print stations, notebook computers, palmtop computers (PALM PILOT), microfiche devices, projectors, scanners, cameras, modems, communication access, cellular phones, personal data assistants (PDA's), pagers, vending machines, personal computers (PC), PC terminals (NET PC), and network computers (NC).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a public, private, or cellular phone with access to the Internet for the purposes of transacting e-mail, e-commerce, and e-business and for communicating voice and data. In addition the present invention relates to a universal advertising and payment system and method for networking, monitoring and effectuating e-mail, e-commerce, and e-business and controlling vending equipment and applications. The system can effectuate electronic commerce and interactive advertising at the point of sale in this instance at a public, private or cellular phone. Vending equipment includes copiers, phones (public, private, cellular), facsimile machines, printers, data-ports, laptop print stations, notebook computers, palmtop computers (PALM PILOT), microfiche devices, projectors, scanners, cameras, modems, communication access, personal data assistants (PDA's), pagers, and other vending machines, personal computers (PC), PC terminals (NET PC), and network computers (NC).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a universal advertising and payment system for networking, monitoring and controlling electronic commerce and vending equipment. The system can effectuate electronic commerce and interactive advertising at the point of sale. Vending equipment includes copiers, phones, facsimile machines, printers, data-ports, laptop print stations, notebook computers, palmtop computers (PALM PILOT), microfiche devices, projectors, scanners, cameras, modems, communication access, personal computers (PC), PC terminals (NET PC), and network computers (NC). Vending equipment can be networked to each other through a first network, programmable and accessible by a PC, server, point of sale (POS) system, property or management information system (PMS/MIS), and networked to a second network. The first network and second network can be the same network.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a wireless network system and method for allowing digital devices to connect to a wireless network for the purpose of data communicating, e-mail, e-commerce, and e-business by way of an electronic commerce terminal. An electronic commerce terminal can be referred to as a pervasive computing device. In addition, the present invention relates to a universal advertising and payment system and method for networking, monitoring and effectuating e-mail, e-commerce, and e-business and controlling vending equipment and applications. The system can effectuate electronic commerce and interactive advertising at the point of sale.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a universal advertising and payment system and method for networking, monitoring, collecting data, selling goods and services, controlling interactive advertising, controlling and effectuating electronic commerce and controlling vending equipment including gas pumps and service stations. In addition the present invention relates to a universal advertising and payment system and method for networking, monitoring and effectuating e-mail, e-commerce, and e-business and controlling vending equipment and applications. The system can effectuate electronic commerce and interactive advertising at the point of sale.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a universal advertising and payment system and method for networking, monitoring and effectuating electronic commerce and controlling vending equipment. The system can effectuate electronic commerce and interactive advertising at the point of sale. Vending equipment includes copiers, phones, facsimile machines, printers, data-ports, laptop print stations, notebook computers, palmtop computers (PALM PILOT), microfiche devices, projectors, scanners, cameras, modems, communication access, cellular phones, personal data assistants (PDA's), pagers, vending machines personal computers (PC), PC terminals (NET PC), and network computers (NC). Vending equipment can be networked to each other through a first network, programmable and accessible by a PC, server, point of sale (POS) system, property or management information system (PMS/MIS), and networked to a second network. The first network and second network can be the same network.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a processing method for nullifying transaction processing fees incurred by a merchant, for processing a wide variety of credit card, e-commerce, and e-business type transactions. In addition the present invention relates to a universal advertising and payment system and method for networking, monitoring and effectuating e-mail, e-commerce, and e-business and controlling vending equipment and applications. The system can effectuate electronic commerce and interactive advertising at the point of sale. Vending equipment includes copiers, phones (public, private, cellular), facsimile machines, printers, data-ports, laptop print stations, notebook computers, palmtop computers (PALM PILOT), microfiche devices, projectors, scanners, cameras, modems, communication access, personal data assistants (PDA's), pagers, and other vending machines, personal computers (PC), PC terminals (NET PC), and network computers (NC).

Abstract: A system and method for operating a reward points accumulation and redemption program wherein a user earns reward points from a plurality of independent reward points issuing entities, with each tracking the user's earned reward points in a user reward point account stored on a rewards server (such as a frequent flyer account or a credit card loyalty account). On selective request by the user, a trading server accumulates some or all of the user's earned reward points from the reward servers and credits the accumulated points into a single reward exchange account associated with the user. The user may then select an item for purchase with the accumulated reward points. The item is provided to the user in exchange for a subset or all of the reward points.

Abstract: An advertising method and system to disseminate information concerning multiple products includes a database containing the information and provides a perceivable stimulus to a consumer positioned proximate to site, with the site being remotely disposed with respect to the database. To disseminate the information, a set of software modules are employed which implement a set of functionalities intended to provide centralized management, remote distribution, and the stimulus. The stimulus is provided by playback of digitally encoded information which may include a stimulus that is either auditory, visual, olfactory, tactile or any combination thereof. The stimulus may be provided by a dedicated multimedia kiosk which includes a monitor, digital processor having a sound card and an input device, such as a keyboard or a mouse. In addition, the stimulus may be provided using products advertised for sell in the retail store where the consumer is located or in conjunction with a kiosk.

Abstract: A point-of-sale terminal initiates a transaction and provides a prompt to be spoken to an operator (e.g. a cashier) of the POS terminal. The prompt indicates a verbal message that is to be spoken by the operator. The POS terminal then receives an audio signal via a microphone or similar device to record what the operator has spoken. Using speech recognition, the POS terminal determines whether the audio signal corresponds to the prompt, and thus whether the operator spoke the prompt properly. In one embodiment, the transaction is paused until the operator properly speaks the prompt. In another embodiment, the POS terminal stores an indication of whether the operator has properly spoken the prompt, thereby allowing the performance of the operator to be measured.

Abstract: This invention provides for a method of (or apparatus for) facilitating the delivery of advice to consumers using a server unit which can store and display the names and characteristics of experts and then rapidly assist in connecting the expert and consumer for real-time communication. The server can also have the ability to receive keywords from the consumer, match those keywords to one or more experts, and tell the consumer how to contact an expert.

Abstract: This invention provides for a method of (or apparatus for) facilitating the delivery of advice to consumers using a server unit which can store and display the names and characteristics of experts and then rapidly assist in connecting the expert and consumer for real-time communication. The server can also have the ability to receive keywords from the consumer, match those keywords to one or more experts, and tell the consumer how to contact an expert.

Abstract: When installing equipment in a complex system such as a telephone exchange, there are often a variety of possible solutions to the problem faced by the planner, using different types of equipment and providing different capabilities, e.g. spare capacity or extra capabilities. Not all personnel will necessarily be familiar with all types of equipment, which can have a practical limit on the installations an individual can work on. To overcome this, a planning system is disclosed which stores information relating to equipment types suitable for providing the different types of functionality required, and also stores information relating to the availability of such equipment types, and generates proposals for providing the functionality according to the availability and suitability of each equipment type. These may be ranked by cost, complexity, availability of components, or other criteria.

Abstract: This invention provides for a method of (or apparatus for) facilitating the delivery of advice to consumers using a server unit which can store and display the names and characteristics of experts and then rapidly assist in connecting the expert and consumer for real-time communication. The server can also have the ability to receive keywords from the consumer, match those keywords to one or more experts, and tell the consumer how to contact an expert.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for providing management of taxable events. The disclosed method includes determining a proceeds and tax consequence that would result from trading each of various combinations of a plurality of assets/liabilities. The disclosed method further includes displaying the proceeds and tax consequence from each potential trade in a computer-generated graph of at least two dimensions.

Abstract: An electronic money holding device has a first storage unit for storing a uniquely assigned identification number and an amount of held electronic money, a processor for controlling the reference to and the updating of the amount of held electronic money and the transfer of electronic money between the electronic money holding device and another electronic money holding device, and a second storage unit for storing information of service providers concluding sales contracts with a possessor of the electronic money holding device and payment information of each sales contract.

Abstract: A method of recovering the real value of a stock from the stock pricing data collected in a stock market and related ways of selecting stocks in the market are described. The method involves the steps of separating stock pricing data into two components. The first one represents the real value of a stock because it is firmly linked with financial fundamentals of an underlying enterprise. The second one is a random function of time, herein referred to as the noise wave of a stock. The real stock value is represented by a function of time, herein referred to as the value function of a stock. The value function of a stock represents the trend of appreciation of a stock in a stock market. The growth rate of the value function of a stock is introduced as a measure of appreciation of an investment in a stock. A measure of risk of an investment in a stock is introduced as a function of ordinates of the noise wave of the stock.

Abstract: Computer technology for substantially optimizing portfolios of multiple participants is disclosed. Preferably the portfolios of such multiple participants comprise fixed income instruments. The disclosed systems and methods include using at least one computer system for storing digital data representing portfolio holdings of multiple parties and, in particular, for each participant storing in the computer memory data representing constraints with respect to the desired portfolio. The method and system comprise optimizing using an optimization engine portfolio and constraint information of multiple participants so as to generate a set of trades that would substantially optimize participants portfolios with respect to a known objective.

Abstract: A system for managing requests for services from vendors including a database having contract information for vendors, entitlement information for users and requests for services. The requests are compared with the entitlement information for the requesting user and the contract information for the vendor that supplies the information to determine if the request is approved. If the request is approved, the system generates an associated billing item in the database for the request and the approved request is transmitted to the vendor. The vendor sends an invoice of charges associated with the approved requests which is compared with the associated billing items for the approved requests. Additionally, a method for managing user requests for services from vendors is provided including providing a database for storing contract information for vendors, entitlement information for users and requests for services from a vendor.