Abstract: A secure pickup and delivery container includes a lockable door, a control unit, an access element, and an anchoring element, according to one embodiment. The control unit includes a processing element and a memory that can be programmed either on-site or remotely with access privilege information such as identity (e.g. of container, delivery person, etc.), location, date, time, frequency of access, and/or package-specific information. In one embodiment, access privilege information is programmed when an intended recipient of a delivery consummates a point of sale transaction, for example over the Internet or telephone. The access element can be a keypad, a biometric scanner, a card reader, a bar-code reader, and/or a wireless control element to read a programmable token such as a smart card. Delivery personnel can enter access request information into the access element, and if it favorably compares with the access privilege information, the control unit unlocks the door.

Abstract: A web site system that dynamically generates web pages for a user includes a monitoring system. The monitoring system stores a copy of the dynamically generated web page and displays the copy of the web page to a web site representative on request. This permits the representative to make a more accurate analysis of a user's problem or question, thereby improving customer support.

Abstract: A system comprises a first computer which has a unique processor identification. Additionally, a first application is operatively coupled to the first computer across a network. The first computer provides the unique processor identification to the first application with the first application identifying the first computer based on the unique processor identification.

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for a seamless and authenticated transfer of a user from a main web site to an affiliated web site. A main web site may, after a user registers at the main web site, advise the user about an available service offered at an affiliated web site via a linking page with a ticket, which contains information related to the user. When the user chooses to connect to the available service at the affiliated web site, the ticket is seamlessly sent to the affiliated web site and is used to automatically verify the user before the affiliated web site provides the available service to the user.

Abstract: An electronic commerce system provides for delivery of benefits in cross company marketing efforts to a user through the use of a value token, yet supports the privacy of the user. The system includes a club manager to register the user as a club member, to create the value token associating the club member with a benefit provided by an affiliate of the club manager, to cryptographically sign the value token to create a credential, and to communicate the credential to the affiliate for fulfillment of the benefit. The system also includes at least one affiliate of the club member to receive the credential including the value token from the club manager, the value token associating the user with entitlement to a benefit as a club member, to verify the authenticity of the credential, and to provide the benefit to the club member if the value token is valid. The benefits may include discounts on products and services, free goods and services, or other promotional items.

Abstract: The dynamic linking of supplier web sites to reseller web sites in the context of electronic commerce, for example, over the Internet. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method. A plurality of items to be purchased is selected on a supplier's web site. A list of reseller's web sites is dynamically generated from a database and displayed. One of the reseller's web sites is linked to, such that information is transmitted to this reseller's web site regarding the plurality of items to be purchase.

Abstract: Sketch and cartoon images are automatically generated from video or still images captured in real-time from a digital camera or obtained from a stored file. Steps of the method include calculating luma values for each pixel in a captured or retrieved image, applying noise reduction techniques to the captured or retrieved image to improve its quality, performing an adaptive luma chroma difference computation to find and mark edges of objects in a captured or retrieved image as lines forming objects in a sketch image, and applying noise reduction to the sketch image. The process may be repeated for each frame in a video sequence. Temporal smoothing is applied to the video sequence of frames. Generated sketch images may be colored to produce cartoon images.