Abstract: A pill feeder accepts a quantity of pills and organizes the pills into a single file where each pill is output in a controlled orientation at a controlled rate. The pill feeder includes a rotating disk, a rotating rim, a lift gate, a separator gate, and an exit path. The rotating disk receives and moves pills in a rotation direction about a surface of the rotating disk at a first angular velocity. The rotating rim that moves pills received from the rotating disk in the same rotation direction as the rotating disk. The lift gate raises a height above the surface of the rotating rim that permits passage of a single layer of the plurality of pills. A transition to an exit chute of the pill feeder provides a plurality of slopes to control the orientation of pills transitioning from the rim to the exit chute.

Abstract: A pill feeder accepts a quantity of pills and organizes the pills into a single file where each pill is output in a controlled orientation at a controlled rate. The pill feeder includes a rotating disk, a rotating rim, a lift gate, a separator gate, and an exit path. The rotating disk receives and moves pills in a rotation direction about a surface of the rotating disk at a first angular velocity. The rotating rim that moves pills received from the rotating disk in the same rotation direction as the rotating disk. The lift gate raises a height above the surface of the rotating rim that permits passage of a single layer of the plurality of pills. A transition to an exit chute of the pill feeder provides a plurality of slopes to control the orientation of pills transitioning from the rim to the exit chute.

Abstract: A pill feeder accepts a quantity of pills and organizes the pills into a single file where each pill is output in a controlled orientation at a controlled rate. The pill feeder includes a rotating disk, a rotating rim, a lift gate, a separator gate, and an exit path. The rotating disk receives and moves pills in a rotation direction about a surface of the rotating disk at a first angular velocity. The rotating rim that moves pills received from the rotating disk in the same rotation direction as the rotating disk. The lift gate raises a height above the surface of the rotating rim that permits passage of a single layer of the plurality of pills. A transition to an exit chute of the pill feeder provides a plurality of slopes to control the orientation of pills transitioning from the rim to the exit chute.

Abstract: Methods and systems for capturing value from a payment decline or error include receiving a token over a computer network identifying a merchant and a declined or failed transaction initiated by a consumer, receiving confirmation over the computer network that the consumer has accepted an offer for information about why the transaction failed or was declined, requesting transaction data from a payment gateway utilizing the token identifying the merchant and the transaction, receiving transaction data from the payment gateway for the declined or failed transaction, selecting a response to be delivered to the consumer based on the transaction data, and providing the response to the consumer.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for optimizing process flow of an online order. The method includes the steps of providing a client device displaying a user interface, presenting a consumer with an information page in the user interface requesting a set of information, including the phone number of the consumer; receiving first level information from the consumer, including the consumer's phone number, and determining whether the phone number is eligible for third-party local exchange carrier billing. When the phone number is eligible for third-party local exchange carrier billing, the consumer is presented with a credit card billing page. If no credit card information is received, the consumer is then presented with a phone billing page. When the phone number is not eligible for third-party local exchange carrier billing, the consumer is presented with a credit card billing page.

Abstract: Methods and systems for capturing value from a payment decline or error include receiving a token over a computer network identifying a merchant and a declined or failed transaction initiated by a consumer, receiving confirmation over the computer network that the consumer has accepted an offer for information about why the transaction failed or was declined, requesting transaction data from a payment gateway utilizing the token identifying the merchant and the transaction, receiving transaction data from the payment gateway for the declined or failed transaction, selecting a response to be delivered to the consumer based on the transaction data, and providing the response to the consumer.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for conducting an auction of an item associated with an event. The method includes the steps of receiving registration information from charitable organizations, donor organizations, and bidders through a network, storing the registration information on a server, matching one or more of the charitable organizations to one or more of the donor organizations and to an event based on the registration information stored on the server, conducting an auction of an item associated with the event concurrently with the event by receiving bids submitted by the bidders through the network, and securely collecting a payment for the winning bid through the network and automatically transferring at least a portion of the payment to one or more of the charitable organizations. Bidding in the auction is open during the event and closes after the event ends, and the value of the item is directly affected by occurrences during the event.

Abstract: There have thus been provided new and improved methods and systems for producing machine-generated handwriting having realistic human appearance. In various embodiments, the handwriting may include characteristics of particular classes and/or characteristics of particular individuals. The handwriting includes an appropriate degree of randomness so as to be realistic in appearance. The handwriting may be printed on a conventional printer, for example to generate a communication for a recipient.

Abstract: There are provided methods and systems for manufacturing consumer products such as clothing. In accordance with the invention, customer measurements and preferences are collected by a unique, small-footprint or private custom clothing shop. These measurements and preferences are stored and used in association with the manufacturer of custom clothing. Ordered clothing is manufactured through the provision of patterns, instructions and materials to skilled, pre-qualified sewing associates. In one embodiment of the invention, the consumer products are “broken” into discrete, separately-manufacturable pieces, each piece for assembly by a separate, geographically remote, skilled labor with final assembly of the various pieces is performed at a centralized location. Customized clothing can thus be manufactured by a highly skilled, cost effective and geographically disperse labor force, using electronically stored data and electronic communications to both coordinate manufacturing and ensure high-quality results.

Abstract: A system for providing an open-ended subscription to commodity items normally available on a term basis includes a central agent that serves as the front-end for commodity suppliers. This central agent maintains databases containing information associated with a group of commodity items and their sales. Using these databases, the central agent produces subscription records to provide open-ended subscription services to its customers, while supporting the term-based subscriptions of the commodity suppliers.

Abstract: A reason code and token facilitate linking of a primary and secondary merchant to allow the secondary merchant to make an offer to a customer of the first merchant. The website linking system has a reason code, a token, a schema defining information to be passed from a first website, and a validator. The token is constructed to indicate a particular customer of the first website. The reason code correlates to a specified parameter to be used when making an offer to the customer indicated by the token, and the validator and the token are constructed to indicate the schema is a valid schema to the first website. The linked merchant transaction method involves receiving a reason code from a primary merchant for a customer in response to a transaction between the primary merchant and the customer; providing an offering to the customer based upon the reason code; receiving an acceptance from the customer; and in response to the acceptance, receiving customer identifying information from the primary merchant.

Abstract: There are provided new and improved methods and systems for producing machine-generated handwriting having realistic human appearance. In various embodiments, the handwriting may include characteristics of particular classes and/or characteristics of particular individuals. The handwriting includes an appropriate degree of randomness so as to be realistic in appearance. In a particular embodiment of the invention, at least one sample of a particular individual's handwriting is scanned and analyzed to determine the characteristics thereof. The handwriting characteristics include a degree of randomness representative of the scanned handwriting sample(s). The handwriting may be printed on a conventional printer, for example to generate a communication for a recipient.

Abstract: A method and system for targeting magazine advertising to particular magazine subscribers. Marketing interest in advertising on particular topical subject areas is collected. Magazine subscription portfolios for households and/or consumers are reviewed to determine if the magazine titles indicate an interest common to one of the marketing interests. If the magazine subscriptions indicate that a marketer and subscriber share a common interest, then the marketer may develop a customized, sequential advertising program targeting the subscriber. Particular magazine subscriptions and issues are identified and the advertisements are inserted into the issues for delivery to and viewing by the subscriber.

Abstract: A system and method have been developed to accelerate the delivery of the first issue(s) of a publication as required to fill a new subscription order. The system and method collect the information on a new subscription order and based on the date when an order is received, determine the availability at the printing houses of a current issue of the magazine subscribed to and instructs the printing house with an available current issue to accelerate the delivery of the current issue to the subscriber. The system and method further tracks the delivery of issues in response to a new subscription order to ensure that delivery of currently available issues is continued until the new subscription enters the regular fulfillment schedule. This ensures early and continuous delivery to fulfill the new subscription order. The system and method can also track the number of issues delivered under the accelerated delivery system and adjust the number of issues to be delivered for the full term of the subscription order.

Abstract: A system and a method, operable on a computer, accelerates delivery of at least one issue of a new publication subscription. Subscription information is received from a subscriber for a new subscription to a publication. A printing house is selected to provide a first issue of the new subscription to the subscriber. The subscription information and a request to effectuate delivery of the first issue of the new subscription to the subscriber is communicated electronically to the printing house. The subscription information is communicated to a fulfillment center for fulfillment of the remaining issues of the subscription.

Abstract: A method and system for providing free subscriptions to magazines, based on a universal questionnaire. Questions of the universal questionnaire are presented to consumers, and, based on the consumer response to these questions, a supplier order for a free subscription to a magazine is generated and sent to a supplier of the magazine.

Abstract: A method and system for organizing magazine subscription information. The method including collecting subscription information from one or more fulfillment houses and organizing or associating the subscription information by household. In one embodiment, the subscription information organized by household is made available to a consumer of a particular household so that the consumer may make changes to all subscription information associated with the household. In one embodiment, the consumer associates a credit card or other account with the household subscription information; the account is charged as payment for the household subscriptions.

Abstract: A method and system for providing free subscriptions to magazines, based on a universal questionnaire. Questions of the universal questionnaire are presented to consumers, and, based on the consumer response to these questions, a supplier order for a free subscription to a magazine is generated and sent to a supplier of the magazine.

Abstract: A method and system for organizing magazine subscription information. The method including collecting subscription information from one or more fulfillment houses and organizing or associating the subscription information by household. In one embodiment, the subscription information organized by household is made available to a consumer of a particular household so that the consumer may make changes to all subscription information associated with the household. In one embodiment, the consumer associates a credit card or other account with the household subscription information; the account is charged as payment for the household subscriptions.

Abstract: A method and system for providing free subscriptions to magazines, based on a questionnaire applicable to a number of magazines. Questions of the questionnaire are presented to consumers, and, based on the consumer response to these questions, a supplier order for a free subscription to a magazine is generated and sent to a supplier of the magazine.