Abstract: A system and method are described for an online memories and greeting service. For example, a system according to one embodiment comprises at least one memory for storing program code and at least one processor for processing the program code to perform the operations of: receiving new photos, audio recordings, video, photo stories, and/or messages from a user; reading metadata associated with the new photos, audio recordings, video, photo stories, and/or messages; automatically arranging the new photos, audio recordings, video, photo stories, and/or messages into a new compilation on behalf of the user based on the metadata; and transmitting an electronic communication to notify the user and/or a friend of the user of the new compilation, the electronic communication including a preview of the compilation.

Abstract: A system and method are described for managing friends within an online stationery/card service. For example, a method according to one embodiment comprises: connecting to an external social networking service on behalf of a user; retrieving the user's friend data from the external social networking service, the friend data specifying friends of the user; filtering the friend data to arrive at an inner circle of friends based on user input; associating address data with one or more friends retrieved from the external social networking service; creating a personalized item in response to input from the user; and mailing the personalized item with one or more of the friends in the inner circle of friends.

Abstract: A graphical user interface and method are described for designing and managing photo stories. For example, a graphical user interface (“GUI”) for creating photo stories according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: a photo story creation region associated with a particular photo story and having a plurality of photos assigned thereto, the photos being responsively grouped into a the photo story based on an analysis of the photos and the metadata associated with the photos; a photo story design template displaying a preview image of a photo story design using the photos within the photo story creation region; wherein the photos within the photo story design template are arranged based on the order in which they are displayed within the photo story creation region and wherein the photos within the photo story design are rearranged in response to user modification of the photos within the photo story creation region.

Abstract: A system and method are described for automatically laying out photos within a photo story and automatically selecting colors for design elements based on the main colors in each of the photos. For example, a method according to one embodiment comprises: quantizing a photo used for the photo story, the photo initially having a predefined number of colors, wherein the quantizing reduces the number of colors to N colors; determining usage values for each of the N colors to determine the most used colors in the photo; and selecting a color for a photo story design element based on the usage values for each of the N colors.

Abstract: A system implemented within an online stationery/card service comprises: a stationery/card personalization engine providing an end user with a set of selectable stationery/card templates, the stationery/card personalization engine generating personalized stationery/cards with a selected template based on user input, the personalized stationery/cards designed for a particular set of recipients having a relationship with the end user; a relationship service including logic for dynamically generating a network address in response to placement of a stationery/card order by the end user, the relationship service responsively generating a relationship Website accessible using the network address; and a print module to generate and transmit a print job for printing the personalized stationery/cards including the network address of the relationship website for receiving the relationship responses; wherein in response to a recipient accessing the relationship Website using the network address, the relationship service

Abstract: A system and method are described for creating, managing and sharing photo stories. For example, one embodiment of a computer implemented method for selecting among a plurality of different photo story templates comprises: receiving a plurality of new photos from a user the photos having metadata associated; analyzing the photos and the metadata associated with the photos; responsively grouping the photos into a plurality of different photo stories based on the analysis of the photos and the metadata associated with the photos; and selecting a set of photo story design templates for each of the different photo stories based on the analysis of the photos and the metadata associated with the photos grouped into the different photo stories.

Abstract: A railroad monitoring apparatus includes first and second diverse vital processing units, first and second current sensors configured to measure the current being provided to one or more signaling elements of an item of wayside signaling equipment, and means for measuring voltage levels being supplied to each of the signaling elements. The first processing unit receives a first current measurement from the first current sensor and the measured voltage levels, and the second vital processing unit receives a second current measurement from the second current sensor and the measured voltage levels. The vital processing units are each programmed to determine based on one or more of the first current measurement, the second current measurement and the measured voltage levels: (i) the state of the item of railroad wayside signaling equipment, (ii) failures within the item of railroad wayside signaling equipment, and (iii) failures within the monitoring apparatus itself.

Abstract: A system and method are described for digitally processing a stationery order and for selecting an optimum fulfillment site for fulfilling the stationery order. For example, a method according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: providing an end user with a set of selectable stationery templates, the stationery personalization engine receiving an indication that an end user has selected a particular one of the stationery templates; collecting personalization data from the user, the personalization data including personalized messages, one or more stationery formatting options selected by the user, and names and addresses of stationery recipients; applying the personalization data to the stationery templates to generate a personalized stationery design; identifying a set of eligible fulfillment sites for printing the stationery design based on a first set of variables; and identifying an optimal fulfillment site from the set of eligible fulfillment sites based on a second set of variables.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method are described in which an appropriate pricing structure for a new stationery design is identified by automatically comparing attributes of the stationery design with attributes of existing stationery designs which have assigned pricing structures. In one embodiment, the attributes are prioritized such that certain attributes are weighted more than other attributes when determining an appropriate price structure. For example, in this embodiment, a search is initially performed for a price structure of an existing stationery product which shares all of the same attributes as the new stationery product. If a match is not found, then the least significant attribute is removed from the set of search criteria and another search is performed. This process continues until an existing pricing structure of a stationery product which shares the most significant attributes of the new stationery product is identified.

Abstract: A system and method are described for managing a contacts database within an online stationery service.

Abstract: A system and method are described for digitally processing a stationery order and for selecting an optimum fulfillment site for fulfilling the stationery order. For example, a method according to one embodiment of the invention comprises: providing an end user with a set of selectable stationery templates, the stationery personalization engine receiving an indication that an end user has selected a particular one of the stationery templates; collecting personalization data from the user, the personalization data including personalized messages, one or more stationery formatting options selected by the user, and names and addresses of stationery recipients; applying the personalization data to the stationery templates to generate a personalized stationery design; identifying a set of eligible fulfillment sites for printing the stationery design based on a first set of variables; and identifying an optimal fulfillment site from the set of eligible fulfillment sites based on a second set of variables.

Abstract: A system implemented by an online stationery/card service is described allowing a user to personalize and send non-electronic stationery/cards, the system comprising: a Web-based GUI for designing stationery/cards and envelopes for the stationery/cards comprising: an envelope design region for designing an envelope to be used for mailing the stationery/cards selected by the end user, the envelope design region comprising: a return address region comprising one or more text boxes for entering a return address of the end user; an address region comprising one or more text boxes for entering the address of a recipient, wherein the address region includes a first link to generate a list of contacts in the user's contacts database and a second link to generate one or more options for contacting the recipient when the user does not know the address of the recipient.

Abstract: A graphical user interface, system and method are described for managing a contacts database within an online stationery service. For example, one embodiment of the invention comprises a graphical user interface comprising: a first region for displaying the listing of contacts received from the stationery service contacts manager, the contacts within the listing of contacts selectable via a user input device; a second region comprising a series of data field for entering a new contact via a user input device; a third region displaying a list of contacts to whom the online stationery service will mail stationery directly on behalf of the end user, the contacts within the third region selected from the first region or entered in the second region; and a print module to generate a print job to print the personalized stationery and envelopes containing the address information for the user-selected contacts.

Abstract: A system and method are described for managing a contacts database within an online stationery service.

Abstract: A system, method and graphical user interface (GUI) are described for managing a contacts and calendar database within an online stationery/card service.

Abstract: A computer implemented system and method are described in which stationery/card calendar events are automatically generated in a user's calendar database based on the contacts data stored within a contacts database, the stationery/card calendar events including milestones associated with each of the contacts. At least some of the calendar events are generated based on a relationship between the user and each of the contacts. In response to the user selecting one of the calendar events, the end user is provided with a set of selectable stationery templates related to a selected event from the calendar database. In response to user selection, personalized stationery is generated with the selected template, address information is identified from the contacts database for contacts to receive the personalized stationery, and a print job is generated to print the personalized stationery/cards and envelopes containing the address information for the user-selected contacts.

Abstract: A system and method are described for creating personalized stationery online. For example, a computer-implemented method according to one embodiment comprises: defining variable types including formatting options to be used in stationery templates; specifying variables to be used for a particular stationery template, each of the variables being assigned a particular variable type; creating a global template for a product category of stationery; extracting metadata from a file or other content provided by a stationery designer; and creating a product template using information contained in the global template and the metadata extracted from the file.