Abstract: A user-personalized product sampling, recommendation and purchasing system uses customer identification numbers and associated customer profile data to tailor specific product recommendations to a customer at a content sampling station of a retail location. The customer also can use her customer profile to receive the same information from an Internet website of the merchant. In-store sampling stations also may have the capability of checking store inventory and central warehouse inventory and providing recommendations to the customer in accordance with product availability, and optionally may provide the customer with the ability to place product orders directly through the sampling station. The recommendation system also can be used to tailor product recommendations in accordance with a rule-based model and real-time inventory data from a POS database.

Abstract: A method and system for enabling adults to perform stock market transactions on behalf of minors and other young persons who have demonstrated sufficient knowledge of the stock market. The method comprises enabling an adult to set up and put money into a custodial account that can be accessed by the minor, enabling the minor to make a stock transaction request, notifying the adult of the stock transaction request, and enabling the adult to fulfill the stock transaction request on behalf of the minor. The method can also include instructing the minor on the stock market and evaluating the minor's knowledge of the target stock before transmitting the stock transaction request to the authorizing adult.

Abstract: The fair value of a fund is determined by analyzing various factors indicative of how each underlying asset of the fund would be valued on the open market. The fund may be an international mutual fund that includes underlying assets, which include international equities. Because some of the underlying assets may not be traded in a liquid market at the time of valuation of the fund, a reliable estimate of the value of such underlying assets must be made based on available data related through historical correlations. The fair value of the fund is determined based on the estimated or actual values of each of the underlying assets.

Abstract: A method of valuation of large groups of assets by partial full underwriting, partial sample underwriting and inferred values of the remainder using an iterative and adaptive supervised and unsupervised statistical evaluation of all assets and statistical inferences drawn from the evaluation and applied to generate the inferred values. Individual asset values are developed and listed in tables so that individual asset values can be rapidly taken from the tables and quickly grouped in any desired or prescribed manner for bidding purposes. The assets are collected into a database, divided into categories by credit variable, subdivided by ratings as to those variables and then rated individually. The assets are then regrouped according to a bidding grouping and a collective valuations established by cumulating the individual valuations.

Abstract: An apparatus and process (collectively the “system”) for conducting and managing the primary offering of fixed income securities, specifically, but not exclusively, fixed rate municipal bonds at different prices for like maturities over electronic networks, particularly, but not exclusively, the Internet, is disclosed. A differential commission method for the distribution of primary market fixed income securities, including the steps of: (a) purchasing from an issuer, by an underwriter, at least one fixed income security on the primary market; (b) offering the at least one fixed income security to at least one investor; (c) setting, by a first offerer, a price, including a commission, for the at least one fixed income security; (d) setting, by a subsequent offerer, a different price, including a different commission, for the at least one fixed income security; and (e) purchasing, by the at least one investor, the at least one fixed income security.

Abstract: An electronic wallet including is made available to a user and is capable of storing a wide variety of different types of accounts (including both payment accounts and traditional credit card accounts). An identification of the different accounts corresponding to a user is displayed to the user and the user is allowed to manipulate these accounts. The electronic wallet also allows the user to combine funds from multiple different accounts into a single account. This combination allows the interface on a merchant server to be designed to accommodate a single account without concern for what types of accounts a user may wish to combine. Furthermore, in accordance with one aspect, when the user is purchasing goods and/or services from a merchant on-line, only those accounts that are useable at the merchant are presented as being available to the user.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for gathering information from issuers of municipal securities and distributing information evenly to municipal disclosure repositories, regulatory bodies and the public. A central aspect of the present invention is a computer application, which can be implemented on a computer system that is attached to a network of computers and other communication devices, such as the Internet. Initially, the application accepts the full name description of a particular municipal security issue, together with a unique identifier assigned by CUSIP. The system grants a secured and encrypted user id and password to the issuer enabling the issuer to enter ongoing information about the issue. This information may include annual audits of the issuer, certain operating data, and any event notices deemed material by the issuer.

Abstract: Methods for providing an account rollover marketplace which includes providing a consumer interface with which consumers interact to pursue account rollovers, permitting each consumer to interact with the consumer interface to request to receive multiple rollover offers, and presenting multiple account rollover offers from different financial institutions to a particular one of the consumers in response to that consumer requesting rollover offers.

Abstract: A method for financing future intentions of a first party (1, 15) pursuant to a first contract (4, 18) with a second party (2, 16) for a specified monetary sum. A contract (5, 19) involving a variable annuity is obtained from a third party (3, 17). A guaranteed benefit equal to at least the specified monetary sum is paid to the second party by the third party to pay for the fulfillment of the future intentions of the first party. The variable annuity has a guaranteed annual increase.

Abstract: A system for exchanging an obligation between parties where the exchange is administered by a supervisory institution that ensures real-time settling of obligations between parties by updating shadow records in real-time and instructing one or more exchange institutions to effect, from time to time, the exchange of obligations in accounts maintained external to the supervisory institution. Updates to the exchange institution accounts may reflect the net obligations of parties over a nominated period of time. The role of the supervisory institution is to ensure that obligations are only settled where parties have sufficient balance in their shadow records to complete the transaction. Obligations that can be exchanged include, but are not limited to: shares in financial or physical assets, participation rights in wagers, national or synthetic currencies, exchange settlement account deposits, taxation account deposits, and deposits of financial instruments or precious metals.

Abstract: A computerized scheme automates investment planning for a client. In the scheme, data regarding the client's desired asset allocation, current asset portfolio and preferred domain are input into a computer or processor. This data are used to automatically generate financial transaction recommendations for modifying the client's current asset portfolio to reach as close as possible to the desired asset allocation and the preferred domain. The recommendations include specific recommendations for selling amounts of selected current assets and specific recommendations for buying amounts of one or more investment funds. The recommendations are displayed on a summary report for review by the client or the client's financial manager, or the recommendations are electronically communicated to a trade execution computer which automatically performs the necessary transactions to execute the buy/sell recommendations.

Abstract: A system for facilitating the processing and settlement of a securities trade is provided. The system includes a computer which receives trade execution information and trade allocation information indicative of an executed trade by first and second trading parties. The system also includes a database of trading party profiles which are indicative of acceptable trade parameters for each trading party. A matching program compares the trade execution information with the trade allocation information and determines that a match exists if the trade execution information and the trade allocation information correlate within the acceptable trade parameters. The trading party profiles are configurable so that the trading parties can fully control enrichment of the trade information with enrichment data, and set timers to control how long the system searches for a match. Each trading party may have a plurality of profiles, from which the system may select depending upon trade criteria.

Abstract: A creditor creates a lock box at a financial institution. The lock box includes an escrow provision. A consumer makes regularly scheduled payments to the financial institution and designates the payment either for the creditor's lock box or for the escrow account. The financial institution reports all payments and escrow events to the creditor and to credit payment data repository. All credit payment data maintained in the credit data repository is maintained securely and will not be released without the consent of the consumer. The credit data maintained in the repository is used to report a credit score, which occurs only when the consumer authorizes the release of the data.

Abstract: A communication network based system and method for auctioning shares of investment product is disclosed. In the preferred embodiment, an investment company pursuant to the Investment Company Act of 1940, creates a publicly registered investment product (e.g., a mutual fund) with its own capital and as sole shareholder. After the investment product returns a pre-determined hurdle rate, or rate of return, the investment company then preferably liquidates its investment position in the investment product in order to freeze the net asset value of the shares of the mutual fund. The investment product is later opened for auction and the server system receives and stores bids from a plurality of bidders, in increments up to the net asset value. The bids preferably comprise a bid price per share and the number of shares bid. At the close of the auction, the server system preferably determines winning bidders by successively determining the highest bidder.

Abstract: A lightweight directory access protocol workflow management system. The invention converts a logical process into a reusable Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) directory representation. The directory representation is a hierarchical tree structure where each process element in the process is represented as an LDAP directory entry and is assigned a unique distinguished name and is stored in a Directory Server database or filesystem. The tree structure of the LDAP representation allows the sharing of LDAP trees or subtrees among users. The LDAP trees and subtrees can be remotely located and distributed among different LDAP servers. Another preferred embodiment of the invention provides a graphical user interface for creating a Workflow process definition which is comprised of process elements: activities; actions; and entry/exit points. The user constructs a Workflow process using the process elements, logically interrelating each activity.

Abstract: There is provided a method for managing an investment portfolio. The method includes determining a feasible change in value of a first asset, and determining an allocation between the first asset and a second asset based on the feasible change in value of the first asset. The second asset appreciates over a holding period, and the allocation yields an expected minimum future value for the investment portfolio.

Abstract: An electronic scale integrally formed within the housing of a piece of office equipment increases a user's work space in a home or business environment. The piece of equipment may be a personal computer or one of its peripheral devices. A mailing system automatically computes postal and/or private carrier rates for items of mail based on weight signals derived from the electronic scale. Since the scale is integrated into the computer, all mailing tasks are performed at a user's desk using the least space possible. The system is performed in accordance with a computer program which steps a user through the postage-computing method using one or more interactive display screens.

Abstract: A system for determining a basket of financial instruments for hedging investment risk in actively managed exchange traded funds is described. The system uses a trusted computer system and includes a computer storage medium storing a computer program product. The product determines the basket of hedging instruments by extracting factor information from a portfolio of the actively managed exchange traded fund and determining factors that affect the price of the exchange traded fund. The program can select a portfolio of instruments with similar behavior with respect to the determined factors to produce a hedging portfolio that tracks the price of the exchange traded fund.

Abstract: Installation and method for performing a financial service comprising the following steps: (a) calculation of at least one inflation correction value for a desired coupon value CV in a year i making use of the coupon value CV and of future index data Ii; (b) calculation of a cash value of the at least one inflation correction value for the coupon value CV in year i making use of the coupon value CV, the future index data Ii and the interest rates inti; (c) presentation of a purchase price to a purchaser at which the at least one inflation correction value for the coupon value CV, or a portion thereof, can be purchased.

Abstract: A computerized computer program in an Internet Web site with input and output capabilities for the sale, issue and dispensing of debit cards that includes automated teller machine as dispensers for debit cards that include each one a unique identification number on a storage member thereon. A purchaser clicks the Web site address through his or her personal computer, then, following the program steps, enters his/her particulars and those of the transaction which are merged with one of the unique identification numbers and transmitted to a remote computer facility that acts as clearing house for the users' transactions. The remote facility includes input and output means to communicate with the debit card issuer(s), the dispensers and the associated circuitry to obtain the identification numbers of the debit cards being issued and dispensed and the particulars of the holders and the transactions.