Abstract: Among other things, advertisements are received for brands or products of brands. Criteria for placement of the advertisements are received at online retail sites. The online retail sites are controlled independently from one another. Inventory data for the products at the online retail sites is received and stored. Data about propensities of the consumers to favor one or more of the brands or one or more products of the brands, from activities of consumers on the online retail sites, is stored. Activity data about current activities of the consumers on the online retail sites is received. One or more of the advertisements are placed on pages served to the online retail sites based on the placement data, the inventory data, the propensity data, and the activity data. Conversion data is received indicating that consumers engaged in conversion events with respect to products associated with the brands or products of brands being advertised.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for transaction management. One of the methods includes, for a first transaction from a plurality of transactions, in response to determining that the first transaction for a corresponding user account at a first entity satisfies the threshold criteria for a corresponding second entity, accessing account data for the corresponding user account, first data for the first entity, and second data for the second entity to complete the first transaction. For a second transaction, in response to determining that the second transaction for a corresponding user account at the first entity does not satisfy the threshold criteria for the corresponding second entity, a determination is made to not access second data for the corresponding second entity, and account data is accessed for the corresponding user account and the first data for the first entity to complete the second transaction.

Abstract: Among other things, information is received, from two or more competitor merchants offering products to customers, about one or both of a current price and units of inventory of each of the products. The information about the current prices and units of inventory of the product offered by the two or more competitor merchants is provided through a communication network for presentation to one or more customers.

Abstract: Among other things, advertisements are received for brands or products of brands. Criteria for placement of the advertisements are received at online retail sites. The online retail sites are controlled independently from one another. Inventory data for the products at the online retail sites is received and stored. Data about propensities of the consumers to favor one or more of the brands or one or more products of the brands, from activities of consumers on the online retail sites, is stored. Activity data about current activities of the consumers on the online retail sites is received. One or more of the advertisements are placed on pages served to the online retail sites based on the placement data, the inventory data, the propensity data, and the activity data. Conversion data is received indicating that consumers engaged in conversion events with respect to products associated with the brands or products of brands being advertised.

Abstract: Among other things, advertisements are received for brands or products of brands. Criteria for placement of the advertisements are received at online retail sites. The online retail sites are controlled independently from one another. Inventory data for the products at the online retail sites is received and stored. Data about propensities of the consumers to favor one or more of the brands or one or more products of the brands, from activities of consumers on the online retail sites, is stored. Activity data about current activities of the consumers on the online retail sites is received. One or more of the advertisements are placed on pages served to the online retail sites based on the placement data, the inventory data, the propensity data, and the activity data. Conversion data is received indicating that consumers engaged in conversion events with respect to products associated with the brands or products of brands being advertised.

Abstract: Among other things, product data is repeatedly communicated from an application on a device associated with a retail location to a server of a platform controlled independently of the application on the device. The product data identifies (a) current numbers of units of products available for retail customers at the retail location and (b) purchasing behavior of retail customers of the retail location with respect to combinations of the products. The retail location is repeatedly restocked with additional units of products to maintain the products in an in-stock state, the additional units have been received in deliveries made from one or more upstream product distribution entities based on predictions facilitated by the server of future demand for the products by retail customers of the retail location.

Abstract: Among other things, product data is repeatedly communicated from an application on a device associated with a retail location to a server of a platform controlled independently of the application on the device. The product data identifies (a) current numbers of units of products available for retail customers at the retail location and (b) purchasing behavior of retail customers of the retail location with respect to combinations of the products. The retail location is repeatedly restocked with additional units of products to maintain the products in an in-stock state, the additional units have been received in deliveries made from one or more upstream product distribution entities based on predictions facilitated by the server of future demand for the products by retail customers of the retail location.

Abstract: Among other things, information is received, from two or more competitor merchants offering products to customers, about one or both of a current price and units of inventory of each of the products. The information about the current prices and units of inventory of the product offered by the two or more competitor merchants is provided through a communication network for presentation to one or more customers.

Abstract: Among other things, information is received, from two or more competitor merchants offering products to customers, about one or both of a current price and units of inventory of each of the products. The information about the current prices and units of inventory of the product offered by the two or more competitor merchants is provided through a communication network for presentation to one or more customers.

Abstract: Among other things, information is received, from two or more competitor merchants offering products to customers, about one or both of a current price and units of inventory of each of the products. The information about the current prices and units of inventory of the product offered by the two or more competitor merchants is provided through a communication network for presentation to one or more customers.

Abstract: Among other things, product data is repeatedly communicated from an application on a device associated with a retail location to a server of a platform controlled independently of the application on the device. The product data identifies (a) current numbers of units of products available for retail customers at the retail location and (b) purchasing behavior of retail customers of the retail location with respect to combinations of the products. The retail location is repeatedly restocked with additional units of products to maintain the products in an in-stock state, the additional units have been received in deliveries made from one or more upstream product distribution entities based on predictions facilitated by the server of future demand for the products by retail customers of the retail location.

Abstract: Among other things, product data is repeatedly communicated from an application on a device associated with a retail location to a server of a platform controlled independently of the application on the device. The product data identifies (a) current numbers of units of products available for retail customers at the retail location and (b) purchasing behavior of retail customers of the retail location with respect to combinations of the products. The retail location is repeatedly restocked with additional units of products to maintain the products in an in-stock state, the additional units have been received in deliveries made from one or more upstream product distribution entities based on predictions facilitated by the server of future demand for the products by retail customers of the retail location.

Abstract: Among other things, product data is repeatedly communicated from an application on a device associated with a retail location to a server of a platform controlled independently of the application on the device. The product data identifies (a) current numbers of units of products available for retail customers at the retail location and (b) purchasing behavior of retail customers of the retail location with respect to combinations of the products. The retail location is repeatedly restocked with additional units of products to maintain the products in an in-stock state, the additional units have been received in deliveries made from one or more upstream product distribution entities based on predictions facilitated by the server of future demand for the products by retail customers of the retail location.

Abstract: Among other things, product data is repeatedly communicated from an application on a device associated with a retail location to a server of a platform controlled independently of the application on the device. The product data identifies (a) current numbers of units of products available for retail customers at the retail location and (b) purchasing behavior of retail customers of the retail location with respect to combinations of the products. The retail location is repeatedly restocked with additional units of products to maintain the products in an in-stock state, the additional units have been received in deliveries made from one or more upstream product distribution entities based on predictions facilitated by the server of future demand for the products by retail customers of the retail location.

Abstract: A computer power supply, motherboard, and computer system each is adapted for providing multiple operating functions. Of particular importance is an energy-conserving operating function that eliminates any unnecessary energy waste and annoying noise, while allowing information processing to continue, as opposed to (1) a conventional operating state that inevitably incurs substantial energy waste and annoying noise, and to (2) a conventional suspend state that idles and deactivates information processing essentially. Of anther importance is an operating system for selectively executing a power-down process to an energy-conserving operating function and a power-up process to a full operating function.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus is preferably made to contain hardware components of plural turntables, plural head units, plural decoding units, at least one encoding unit, and a system control unit. These components are adapted in such a manner as to afford (1) true multitasking in information reading and writing, (2) direct communication for information to be exchanged directly within the information processing apparatus, (3) disc removability for information to be stored as off-line archives and to become transportable between computer systems, (4) separation of user-created data from program files for eliminating time-consuming file-defragmentation processing and for conveniently safekeeping the user-created data, and (5) capability of launching favored software programs directly from original software discs.

Abstract: A multitasking information processing method comprises the steps of (a) providing a plurality of turntables each for detachably storing an optical disc thereon; (b) affording a plurality of optical units each comprising a driving means and an optical read head; (c) simultaneously controlling the driving means so as to move the optical read heads in radial directions of the optical disc to a plurality of predetermined disc positions for simultaneously retrieving information stored thereon; (d) multitaskingly or simultaneously processing a plurality of information sets retrieved; and (e) rendering data transmitting means capable of multitaskingly transmitting the processed information sets processed.

Abstract: A high-performance optical information processing apparatus having various hardware for arriving at multitasking function. The optical information processing apparatus provides disc-loading and unloading flexibility, allows a user to launch a software program or simultaneously several software programs directly from an optical disc and/or several optical discs stored therein, eliminates tedious and time-consuming software installation, affords a kind of copy-right protection to software, and alleviates the burden of accessing a hard-disk drive during the process of information reproduction.

Abstract: An energy-conserving computer or information communication apparatus comprising keep-alive communication circuitry, keep-alive memory circuitry, keep-alive control means, and keep-alive operating instructions for establishing instant communications without consuming main energy. Preferably, a power source carried on a signal-transmitting phone line or cable is used as keep-alive power. Also provided is an energy-conserving operating system capable of entering an energy-conserving operating state in addition to the normal operating state and the sleep, off, or standby state. Consequently, for the first time, the energy-conserving communication apparatuses or computers can stay normally offline (like telephones) for establishing instant and universal communications therebetween via the Internet, and allow to proceed with the download of communication information in the energy-conserving operating state similar to the conventional sleep state, without entering the power-consuming normal operating state.

Abstract: The present invention improves the conventional information reproduction practice by providing a high-performance optical information processing apparatus having various hardwares for arriving at multitasking capability as well as means for achieving disc-loading and -unloading flexibility, thereby allowing a user to launch a software program or simultaneously several software programs directly from an optical disc and/or several optical discs stored therein, eliminating tedious and time-consuming software installation, affording a kind of copy-right protection to softwares, and alleviating the burden of a hard-disk drive during the process of information reproducing. 1 References Cited U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 5,375,113 December 1994 Pollard et al. 369/30 5,335,218 August 1994 Osada 369/178 5,253,235 October 1993 Isobe et al. 369/37 5,251,192 October 1993 Liu 369/36 5,193,079 March 1993 Ko et al.