Abstract: A database of consumer profiles is generated from multiple sources of information including demographic databases identifying demographic attributes of the consumers and transaction records for the consumers. The transaction records are processed to generate transaction attributes and interests of the consumer. The consumer profiles identify deterministic and probabilistic attributes about the consumer, but do not contain privacy violating information such as raw transaction records. The consumer profiles may be maintained in a plurality of distributed databases. Advertisers generate profiles that identify attributes of an intended target market of the advertisement. The advertisement profiles are in the form of operators that can be applied to the database of consumer profiles to determine applicability of advertisements to the subscribers. The operators may only be applied to or make measurements on certain “observables”.

Abstract: A system for generating rewards for information rendered by an information provider to a user. The system includes a receiving element to receive an information request from the user and identification elements to identify the user. The system also includes a delivery element for delivery of the information requested by the user from a service provider and a voluntary reward element for allowing the user to provide a reward to the service provider. A value determination element provides a system of value for the user based upon the reward provided by the user.

Abstract: A processor-based system utilized by a consumer may be controlled and managed by a service provider for the benefit of a retail vendor. The service provider may control the content that is displayed on the client system. For example, the service provider may control the initial sets of graphical user interfaces that are provided to enable the consumer to make service selections. In addition, the consumer may be asked for information that enables the system to customize subsequent information provided to the consumer. As a result, the consumer's processor-based system may be remotely managed and controlled to facilitate communications between a particular retail vendor and a consumer.

Abstract: A method of issuing an electronic negotiable document (END) comprising: creating as data an END and storing this in a tamper-resistant document carrier, the document carrier containing a unique public-secret key pair for signing and verifying and a unique document carrier identifier; signing the unique document-carrier identifier, the END and an END identifier using the secret key of the public-secret key pair and storing the result in the document carrier.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for generating markup information to be displayed on a client computer system. The client system includes memory configured to store at least one update file which comprises keyword information relating to keywords suitable for markup. In one implementation, the update file is generated at a remote server system and downloaded to the client system. When a new document (e.g. a web page) is displayed on the client system to an end user, selected context associated from the document is analyzed for selected keywords. In a specific implementation, the selected keyword information is provided by an entity other than the end user. Using the selected keyword information, specific context in the document is selected to be marked up. According to a specific embodiment, the selection of the document context to be marked up may be performed at the client system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically manufacturing a computer. An order is received from a customer. A manufacturing plant assembles together the hardware and software components from stores specified by the order, and loads the software packages onto the computer. A Web page is provided for the customer to specify any software modifications required. Those modifications are recorded as auto-modification files. The auto-modification files and the order details are checked against each other and the manufacturer's current capabilities for consistency by a validation unit. Each auto-modification file in turn is called by the manufacturing control unit, which determines the configuration data corresponding thereto and enters that configuration data into the computer as the software packages are being loaded.

Abstract: A method to provide directions to customers requesting information about the location of products in a store that brings the customer into the vicinity of other products in which the customer may have an interest to purchase receives customer identification data and product selection data, determines customer interest data from the customer identification data, and generates a customer path to a location corresponding to the product selection data that includes a location corresponding to the customer interest data. A customer following the generated path comes into the vicinity of one or more products in which the customer may have an interest to purchase. A customer may enter the identification data through a keypad or through a scanning device that reads a customer token. Preferably, the customer token may be a smart card or a card bearing a magnetic stripe. A keypad or touch screen may be used to provide product selection data.

Abstract: An automated exchange is provided for trading the financial instruments, such as options contracts. The exchange receives an order to purchase or sell a quantity of the instrument. Information concerning the order is transmitted to one or more market participants. Responses to the transmitted information are received during a predetermined period of time. Trades are executed between the order and the responses. The information transmitted may include only limited information about the order. For example, the party placing the order may remain anonymous. The price of the trade is calculated based on the responses. The order may also trade against previously received orders and quotations.

Abstract: The system and method provide access to a structured computer program through a website by a buyer via the Internet. The structured computer program displays a list of producers from a producer database to the buyer, receives a selected producer from the buyer, and stores the selected producer in memory. It displays a list of products from a product database, based on the selected producer, to the buyer, receives a selected product from the buyer, and stores the selected product in memory. It requests information from the buyer such as the buyer's zip code and email address, receives the zip code and email address from the buyer, and stores the zip code and email address in memory. Based on the selected product and the zip code, it selects a reseller geographically closest to the buyer from a reseller database and based on the selected producer and product it selects a cash value discount and expiration date from a discount database.

Abstract: A searchable database comprising a multiplicity of tables including an attributes table and a values table for a multiplicity of target search items constructed and arranged so that selection of values for one or more target search item attributes yields an attribute-value construct specifying a particular one of said target search items and precluding an indeterminate search result. Such database may be employed in an online comparison shopping system comprising a database containing product information of multiple vendors, manufacturers and/or products and a user interface generating a virtual shopping cart, and constructed and arranged to enable a user to selectively aggregate an order in said virtual shopping cart, comprising products represented in said database, and means for electronically disaggregating said order to generate vendor-specific orders to respective vendors.

Abstract: A computer-aided method for implementing at least one synthetic stock investment fund.

Abstract: A method for managing electronic commerce includes storing consumer information. Transactional information is sent to a user. A request made by the consumer to make a transaction and the consumer information are securely forwarded to a party of the transaction.

Abstract: A method of alerting a telemarketing agent of a promotion opportunity in response to activity of a potential customer browsing a public server and an apparatus for monitoring the customer activity and alerting the telemarketing agent includes a telemarketing analysis server, computer telephony hardware and a server for controlling the computer telephony hardware. The apparatus further includes software on the public server for collecting data relating to the activity of potential customers browsing the public server.

Abstract: A computer-aided method for implementing at least one synthetic investment fund.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and method for managing mail/bills from a central online location. Mail/bills are sent/forwarded to the central online location via electronically or traditional mailing service. Once the mail are received, they are sorted, and either discarded or stored in a database for further processing. The central online location further consolidates both electronic and paper formatted bills into an easily manageable and accessible manner. The subscriber can view the bills online and take appropriate action. Further, the subscriber saves time and money in not having to review unimportant mail because they are discarded in accordance with the subscriber's instructions.

Abstract: The vehicular data exchange system of the present invention includes a plurality of computer terminals and a processor. Each of the computer terminals include an input device for inputting the vehicular data and a display device for visually displaying the inputted vehicular data which include vehicular characteristics data units and vehicular financial data units. The processor controls the vehicular data whereby the vehicular characteristics data units inputted into a first one of the computer terminals are transmitted to a plurality of other ones of the computer terminals for display on respective ones of the display devices associated with the other ones of the computer terminals.

Abstract: This invention concerns trading in financial instruments, such as by use of a computer based cash management facility electronically linked to a computer based clearing house, and an automated real time screen trading system operated by the investor using standard personal computers linked by a communications network to a central clearing house computer. In particular, this invention concerns a contract exchange and protocol, and in another aspect it concerns a financial instrument. The contract exchange may provide direct entry to the market, and the opportunity to trade 24 hours a day, to potential investors from every office and home in the world. Trading need never cease on the Contract Exchange even with an external world catastrophe.

Abstract: A medical image storage system is provided that integrates a clinical information system with a medical image management system. Such an integrated system can be used in a method that uses clinical information associated with a medical image to determine when and where the medical image should be stored. Because the probability of a medical image being accessed is generally governed by the diagnostic significance of the image, this integrated system provides more efficient storage of medical images as compared to conventional systems that operate independently of diagnostic information.

Abstract: A method and apparatus which enables customers to remotely order goods from a merchant and receive the goods without revealing customer identity or address to the merchant, nor revealing what is bought to the bank or payment agency, and more generally to preserve as much anonymity as required such that no party except the customer has complete information about a transaction. The method uses clearing houses or encryption to break links between customer information and the merchant.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for creating an investment report. A database of stock information is screened based upon buyback ratio and prices/sales ratio selection criteria. The buyback ratio represents the percentage of stocks repurchased by a company during a given period that resulted in a net decrease in outstanding shares. The method and system use the criteria to identify companies with a highest buyback ratio and with the lowest price/sale ratio. The resulting list of stocks are ranked and output in an investment report that provides superior return over conventional investment techniques.