Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for determining a combination of electronic coupons (e-coupons) for redemption by a retailer in a networked environment are disclosed. In the method, a check is made to determine if a selection of e-coupons complies with redeeming conditions for a purchase. If so, a further check is made to determine if two or more of the selected e-coupons are mutually exclusive. The selection of e-coupons complying with the redeeming conditions and being non-mutually exclusive is displayed. Preferably, the method includes suggesting to a user of an optimal or near optimal selection of e-coupons. The e-coupons may reside at a user's site, a third party's site, or a site of the retailer in the networked environment. The networked environment may be the Internet, an Intranet, an Extranet, a local area network, an ATM network, a wide area network and a wireless network.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for enabling an e-commerce website to persist electronic items, such as electronic coupons, gift certificates etc., across multiple browsing sessions. Users are offered electronic items over a communications network during a browsing session. In case the user wishes to save the items for a later browsing session, he/she is prompted for an email address. Details pertaining to the selected items are mapped against the email address. Thereafter, e-mail is sent to the user, containing a URL with the email address of the user embedded in it. Alternatively, entire details corresponding to the items selected during a session are embedded in the URL and in this case they need not be mapped against the email address.

Abstract: The invention describes a method and system for conducting online marketing research keeping in consideration the specified budget for the experiment. The invention describes a methodology for effective data collection and optimised utilization of budget through the use of efficient sampling and grouping of users.

Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product implementing the method for generating promotional scheme parameters for issuing redeemable electronic coupons, wherein the method comprises automatically obtaining market demand data from defined sources of online auctions, conducting online auctions using defined parameters for specified goods and/or services to obtain market demand data, and storing and analyzing the market demand data obtained from the online auctions or the conducted auctions to estimate demand and calculate promotion scheme parameters for issue of redeemable electronic coupons.

Abstract: The invention describes a method and system for conducting online marketing research keeping in consideration the specified budget for the experiment. The invention describes a methodology for effective data collection and optimised utilization of budget through the use of efficient sampling and grouping of users.

Abstract: Selecting one or more marketing messages for optimal display at marketing locations in a marketing environment is performed on the basis of information relating to a user to whom the messages are to be displayed, the marketing messages, and the marketing locations. Dynamic selection and display of marketing messages in this manner can be advantageously performed for online environments for which relevant information is readily accessed and used as a basis for selection and display of marketing messages.

Abstract: A workflow management method for a workflow system comprises registering events recognized by one or more workflows in a workflow event registry, registering new dependency information in an event dependency registry, and registering corrective actions in an event handling directives module. Further, upon receipt of an event, the method comprises identifying workflows that have a dependency associated with the received event, forwarding the event to dependent workflows which recognize the event, determining, with reference to the event handling directives module, corrective actions for dependent workflows which do not recognize the event, and instructing, by way of recognized events, the dependent workflows which do not recognize the event to perform the corrective actions.

Abstract: The invention describes a method and system for conducting online marketing research keeping in consideration the specified budget for the experiment. The invention describes a methodology for effective data collection and optimised utilisation of budget through the use of efficient sampling and grouping of users.

Abstract: An electronic coupon, an electronic commerce system, and a method for the honoring of electronic coupons utilizing computing equipment are disclosed. In the method, an issuing party issues an electronic coupon to a customer. The customer presents the coupon for redemption to a redemption party. The redemption party transmits the coupon to an authentication party for authentication. If authentic, the authentication party charges the redemption party a fee and passes that fee to the issuing party. The redemption party honors the coupon for the customer and seeking reimbursement of the fee from the issuing party. The electronic coupon has a plurality of data fields, including: a coupon identifier, x, a first one-way hash function field, f(x), and a secure signature field.

Abstract: An extensibility mechanism for networked services is disclosed. The service provider can specify the contract for each extension permitted, as part of the web service description. A potential client of the web service can use this description to create customized implementations of the necessary extensions, each conforming to the corresponding contract. Therefore, a service provider offers a plurality of software services. Each service includes a plurality of operations and a plurality of extension points. Each said extension point attaches to an operation, and each operation has zero or more associated extension points. A plurality of requester implementations are stored for respective extension points. When an operation request is received from a requester, a service provider determines if the requested operation has extension points, and if so, invokes a stored implementation of the operation for the respective requester.

Abstract: Constraints associated with hardware upon which the application is to be deployed are determined, and parameters associated with the determined constraints are recorded for later use. Parameters may be static or dynamic in nature. Conflicts between determined constraints having incompatible parameters are resolved using a “consistent union” approach.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for providing improved understandability of received speech characterized in that it includes input interface adapted to capture received speech signals connected to a speech recognition means for identifying the contents of the received speech connected to one input of a data processor adapted to perform improvement in understandability, a user profile storage connected to another input of said data processor for providing user specific improvement data, and an output generator connected to the output of said data processor to produce personalized output based on an individual's needs. The instant invention also provides a configured computer program product for carrying out the above method.

Abstract: Internet services that rely on the transfer of real-time information have proliferated in recent years. Given the amount of information generated on the Internet, a user may request to be notified whenever particular information becomes available, such as the current highest bid in an on-line auction. The user enrols to receive one or more messages and sends a list of desired messages through a client process running on the user's computer system. When the user is ready to receive messages, the client process connects to a notification server and provides its receiving address identifier. It then disconnects from the notification server and waits for messages. A message monitor detects the occurrence of events that trigger notifications, and informs the notification server of the event. The notification server determines the appropriate recipient for the notification, and sends it using a server-initiated end-to-end message transfer mechanism to the clients' receiving address identifiers.

Abstract: The invention describes a method and system for conducting online marketing research keeping in consideration the specified budget for the experiment. The invention describes a methodology for effective data collection and optimised utilisation of budget through the use of efficient sampling and grouping of users.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for enabling an e-commerce website to persist electronic items, such as electronic coupons, gift certificates etc., across multiple browsing sessions. Users are offered electronic items over a communications network during a browsing session. In case the user wishes to save the items for a later browsing session, he/she is prompted for an email address. Details pertaining to the selected items are mapped against the email address. Thereafter, e-mail is sent to the user, containing a URL with the email address of the user embedded in it. Alternatively, entire details corresponding to the items selected during a session are embedded in the URL and in this case they need not be mapped against the email address.

Abstract: Selecting one or more marketing messages for optimal display at marketing locations in a marketing environment is performed on the basis of information relating to a user to whom the messages are to be displayed, the marketing messages, and the marketing locations. Dynamic selection and display of marketing messages in this manner can be advantageously performed for online environments for which relevant information is readily accessed and used as a basis for selection and display of marketing messages.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method, system and computer program product for automating the design of online marketing research activity, its deployment and the analysis and reporting of the obtained data, which comprises identifying the desired marketing research objectives, determining the marketing information required to meet said marketing research objectives, selecting the most appropriate research approach design, deciding the target group and costs for effectively deploying said marketing research approach design, deploying said marketing research approach design including dynamically modifying said research approach design and/or target group of participants, collecting and analyzing data, and reporting the findings.

Abstract: A promotional scheme involving the design, distribution and redemption of electronic coupons involves defining the structure of a promotional offer to be made to customers, in which the offer has associated parameters, one or more of which are unspecified or variable. The offer is targeted to customers, and one or more of the unspecified or variable offer parameters associated are finalised, either before or after distribution.

Abstract: An electronic coupon, an electronic commerce system, and a method for the honoring of electronic coupons utilizing computing equipment are disclosed. In the method, an issuing party issues an electronic coupon to a customer. The customer presents the coupon for redemption to a redemption party. The redemption party transmits the coupon to an authentication party for authentication. If authentic, the authentication party charges the redemption party a fee and passes that fee to the issuing party. The redemption party honors the coupon for the customer and seeking reimbursement of the fee from the issuing party. The electronic coupon has a plurality of data fields, including: a coupon identifier, x, a first one-way hash function field, f(x), and a secure signature field.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus, and a computer program product for determining a combination of electronic coupons (e-coupons) for redemption by a retailer in a networked environment are disclosed. In the method, a check is made to determine if a selection of e-coupons complies with redeeming conditions for a purchase. If so, a further check is made to determine if two or more of the selected e-coupons are mutually exclusive. The selection of e-coupons complying with the redeeming conditions and being non-mutually exclusive is displayed. Preferably, the method includes suggesting to a user of an optimal or near optimal selection of e-coupons. The e-coupons may reside at a user's site, a third party's site, or a site of the retailer in the networked environment. The networked environment may be the Internet, an Intranet, an Extranet, a local area network, an ATM network, a wide area network and a wireless network.