Abstract: A system and method employs an online site for making stored digital video recordings available for selection and download to a wireless communications device. Upon receipt of a selection for a digital video recording, the system and method causes the selected digital video recording to be wirelessly transmitted to the wireless communications device. The selected digital video recording is also made available to a personal computer associated with the user who made the selection. At least a title of the selected digital video recording is stored in a personal storage account of the user.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are provided for calculating a course for avoiding user identified criteria. A navigation device with route calculation capabilities includes a processor connected to an input and a memory that includes cartographic data and user identified criteria. A route calculation algorithm can be used to calculate a course between two or more waypoints based on the predefined user criteria of the cartographic data. Performing the route calculation algorithm includes analyzing the cartographic data with a preference for providing the course that identifies and avoids the user identified criteria. A display is connected to the processor and is capable of displaying the calculated route and cartographic data. The device is also adapted to dynamically analyze an area surrounding a present location for user identified criteria to avoid and display the results of the analysis.

Abstract: A method for making an electronic payment system available to a plurality of users includes storing payment account information for a first user and biometric information of the first user. Before allowing the first user to make a payment with the first user's payment account, biometric information identifying the first user is received and compared to the stored biometric information of the first user. Biometric information of a second user, who is a family member of the first user, is stored to enable confirmation of the identity of the family member as a security measure in said electronic payment system.

Abstract: A method for providing electronic access to an electronic payment system includes receiving, in conjunction with a purchase by an accountholder at a merchant, information for identifying a payment account of the accountholder based upon entry into a POS terminal of the merchant of an identifier that enables identification of the accountholder and a mobile communications device of the accountholder. The method further includes providing electronic access to an electronic payment system that further enables using a telephone number of a payee to initiate an electronic communication with an electronic device associated with the payee without requiring a communications link to be established directly between a mobile communications device of the accountholder and the electronic device of the payee in order to complete a payment from the accountholder to the payee. Methods further include providing an additional service account with which a payment account of the accountholder is associated.

Abstract: A method of providing a craft kit involves providing a kit including a frame with a window and a collection of beads presenting a plurality of colors and a pre-selected, fixed number of beads of each color. After providing the craft kit an image is received from a user. A bead template is generated by assigning a bead color to each of a plurality of bead positions on the template document to create a representation of the image using only beads from the collection of beads in the craft kit, and including a bead color indicator in each of said positions on the template document corresponding to the assigned bead color. Once the bead template document is created, it is transferred to the user to enable assembly of a bead array on the frame presenting the representation of the image.

Abstract: Methods for providing a payment account enabling an accountholder of the account to obtain discounts on purchases made at point of sale terminals of a plurality of different merchants and to pay for the purchases with the provided account. Methods further include providing an accountholder of the payment account an online user-account that enables the accountholder to access websites corresponding to the plurality of different merchants and to obtain a discount on each online purchase made at said websites by virtue of said access to a website at which said online purchase is made from said online user-account. The methods further include providing payment accounts to persons sponsored by the accountholder and to individuals sponsored by such sponsored persons and paying commissions to the accountholder based upon purchases made at point of sale terminals of the plurality of different merchants by persons or individuals within such a sponsored network.

Abstract: A system and method employs an online site for making stored digital video recordings available for selection and download to a wireless communications device. Upon receipt of a selection for a digital video recording, the system and method causes the selected digital video recording to be wirelessly transmitted to the wireless communications device. The selected digital video recording is also made available to a personal computer associated with the user who made the selection. At least a title of the selected digital video recording is stored in a personal storage account of the user.

Abstract: Methods for providing a payment account enabling an accountholder of the account to obtain discounts on purchases made at point of sale terminals of a plurality of different merchants and to pay for the purchases with the provided account. Methods further include providing an accountholder of the payment account an online user-account that enables the accountholder to access websites corresponding to the plurality of different merchants and to obtain a discount on each online purchase made at said websites by virtue of said access to a website at which said online purchase is made from said online user-account. The methods further include providing payment accounts to persons sponsored by the accountholder and to individuals sponsored by such sponsored persons and paying commissions to the accountholder based upon purchases made at point of sale terminals of the plurality of different merchants by persons or individuals within such a sponsored network.

Abstract: A method for providing an electronic payment system includes receiving, in conjunction with a purchase by a buyer using a personal computing device in the purchase of content, a mobile telephone number of the buyer. The electronic payment system transmits, to a mobile communications device of the buyer, information to which the buyer must respond to authorize the purchase. The electronic payment system causes, following receipt of a reply to the information sent to the buyer's mobile communications device, a monetary amount corresponding to the price to be paid for the content to be charged to a mobile subscriber account corresponding to the mobile telephone number of the buyer. Methods further include processing a payment for a purchase at a POS terminal at a retail location based upon entry of the mobile telephone number of the buyer into the POS terminal.

Abstract: A method for processing payment for a purchase transaction includes enabling the provision of a first payments account to an accountholder and enabling a second payments account of the accountholder to be associated with the first payments account. A limit on the number of times the first payment account can be used for making purchase transactions within a determined time period is established. During a purchase transaction being made by the accountholder using the first account, information indicative of the first account and the purchase transaction is received. It is determined whether the limit on the number of times the first account has been used by the accountholder within the determined time period has been reached. When the limit on the number of times the account can be used in the time period has been reached, the second account of the accountholder is used for the purchase transaction.

Abstract: A method for developing a direct person-to-person multilevel direct affiliate marketing network using electronic communications makes a first person an affiliate member of an affiliate marketing program via an online registration process. An electronic communication is generated that has a unique hyperlink that, when selected, links to a source associated with the affiliate marketing program and identifies the first person so that a commission can be allocated to the first person based upon purchases made at the source as a result of access to the source via the link. The first person can forward the electronic communication to others who can use the link to access the source and purchase products or services and/or become an affiliate member. A person that becomes a new affiliate member as a result of accessing the source via the link is placed in a developing network organization of the first person.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for facilitating a purchase transaction includes enabling a deposit account of an accountholder to be associated with another account of the accountholder that is provided by a provider of media to the accountholder. The account provided by the media provider corresponds to provision of media to the accountholder or is a financial account that is associated with a media account of the accountholder. Information indicative of the account provided by the provider of media is received during a purchase transaction. The purchase transaction is settled using funds from the deposit account.

Abstract: A system and method for placing products or services within interactive television or radio programming or other programming, and for facilitating viewers' purchases thereof. The present invention allows viewers to mark and store placed products or services for later consideration or purchase; provides a virtual catalog entry showing such options as different colors, styles, or sizes, as may be appropriate given the nature of the product or service; identifies local or regional sources or providers of selected products or services; indicates availability and estimated delivery times for selected products or services; and allows for a greater variety of products and services to be placed.

Abstract: Mobile decoupled payments account systems and computer-implemented methods provide a decoupled mobile payments account and processing for payments made with a decoupled mobile payments account. A demand deposit account of an accountholder is associated with a decoupled mobile payments account that enables a mobile device to be used in making proximity or remote payments. Embodiments include mobile decoupled payments accounts based upon open or closed loop processing networks and mobile decoupled payments accounts that are ACH-direct accounts. An issuer of the mobile decoupled payments account authorizes or declines transactions and, for approved transactions, initiates an ACH transaction to obtain funds corresponding to an approved purchase transaction from the demand deposit account of the accountholder.

Abstract: A system and method for electronically processing and settling electronic financial transactions in an environment in which a number of different service providers provide financial services in addition to their core communications, content aggregation, media or Internet search, advertising and/or auction services. More specifically, the present invention concerns an electronic financial gateway and/or middleware processing of financial transactions in an environment in which a plurality of communications, media, or Internet service providers provide also financial services to their customers. The financial transactions are settled to existing accounts associated with the service providers.

Abstract: A system and method for determining and allocating fees arising from or otherwise associated with an electronic transaction, particularly the processing of a purchase or other financial transaction, wherein the fees or portions thereof are allocated to various parties.

Abstract: A system and method for receiving an electronic response to an advertisement that is wirelessly transmitted to a mobile wireless communications device involve routing a connection from the wireless communications device to a source based at least in part on a location of the mobile wireless communications device. A wireless communications device has an input and a display and, in response to an input indicating interest in that which is advertised, transmits its location for use in routing a connection with a source associated with the advertisement.

Abstract: A system and method for substantially increasing billing flexibility on communications or media accounts which also offer user users the ability to make electronic purchases or other financial transactions, where those transactions are accounted for with an additional account or with the same account through which the media or communications services are offered. Charges associated with use of the communications service or making of the financial transactions may be increased or reduced depending on such factors as volume of use, number of transactions, and a monetary value of the transactions.

Abstract: A system and method for depositing salary payments directly into an account that is associated with at least one of a communications service and an Internet feature, such as auction, search, communication, hosting, social community, content aggregation, media downloading or streaming, whereafter the deposited money is available to be used in electronic commerce or to be otherwise withdrawn. The account may be maintained either by a communication service provider associated with the account or by a financial service provider (e.g., a bank) in partnership with a provider of communications and/or Internet services or with the ability to support such communications/Internet offerings.

Abstract: The invention is a system and method for electronically processing electronic payment transactions. The invention provides a system and method for processing electronic payment transactions based upon a threshold amount. The system and method determine whether a monetary amount associated with a transaction meets a threshold amount and selects an account of the purchaser for settling the transaction based upon that determination. The invention thus allows micropayments, of an amount beneath a threshold, to be settled with one account, whereas non-micropayments may be settled to another account. In other embodiments, the threshold is based upon cumulative amounts, which may include amounts associated with subscriber use of the payment device, when the payment device is a subscriber device such as a wireless communications device.