Abstract: An apparatus and computer-implemented method for distributing information to a plurality of client devices on a network is disclosed. The computer-implemented method includes the steps of: 1) receiving a variety of information from a plurality of sources, 2) organizing the variety of information into information categories, and 3) distributing the variety of information to the plurality of client devices based on the information categories requested by the plurality of client devices. The invention further includes the steps of: 4) accepting user input at the client device to specify information categories for retrieval from a server, 5) generating a user profile based on the information categories specified by the user input, and 6) retrieving information at predetermined intervals from the server based on the user profile.

Abstract: A method for tracking behavior which includes enabling a customer to view a plurality of online accounts, and enabling the customer to access the online accounts is provided. The method may include tracking the transaction history of each account; and providing flexible reporting to track customer events. The customer events may be customer transactions or customer purchases. The method may further include providing targeted email campaigns to the customer, and providing rewards to the customer based on the tracked customer events.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for maintaining a loyalty plan. The system includes a bank of award points, and an issue module configured to issue points to members. A redeem module redeems points from members in exchange for goods or services. A member interface permits members to access an affiliate module in real time to receive points or redeem points. The invention also includes a method for maintaining a loyalty plan.

Abstract: In summary, the present invention is an information and advertising distribution system. A data server stores and updates a database of information items and advertisements. The information items and advertisements are each categorized so that each has an associated information category. Workstations remotely located from the data server each include a display device, a communication interface for receiving at least a subset of the information items and advertisements in the data server's database and local memory for storing the information items and advertisements received from the data server. An information administrator In each workstation establishes communication with the data server from time to time so as to update the information, items and advertisements stored In local memory with at least a subset of the information items and advertisements stored by the data server.

Abstract: A server services client requests in an improved manner by a utilizing a combination of sending an id of the last article that has been previously sent to the client, load balancing servers to provide efficient servicing of clients and providing redundant servers so that a failure of any one server does not result in the termination of server services to clients.