Abstract: The invention relates to a method of operating a microenvironment located within a common area of a shopping mall adapted to promote the particular goods and/or services offered for sale by one or more participating retail merchants leasing space adjacent to or near the microenvironment. One or more activities can be conducted in the microenvironment including allowing the participating merchant's potential customers to use, try and/or sample the particular products and/or services offered for sale by the merchants, as a means of promoting those goods and/or services, and attracting customers generally to the shopping mall.

Abstract: The invention relates to an off-road vehicle course associated with a commercial complex, such as a traditional shopping center including retail shopping malls, wherein customers can drive sample off-road vehicles in the off-road conditions that the vehicles are designed for as a means of entertainment. The course can wind through the parking lot and/or common walkway area, and be provided with protective walls on either side, as well as be made below the surface level of the walkway area, and provided with pedestrian bridges, which can improve safety to onlookers. The present invention contemplates using an off-road vehicle course as a means of providing recreational entertainment to attract patrons to that commercial complex, as well as allowing patrons to drive their own cars on the course for a fee.

Abstract: A system for automatically scheduling an appointment for performing a task includes a task time generation module configured to calculate a total time for performing the task in accordance with task parameters provided by a user. The system includes an availability determination module in communication with the task time generation module. The availability determination module is configured to generate a list of entities available for performing the task in accordance with the total time for performing the task, schedules of each entity, and a date/time window specified by the user. The system includes an appointment module in communication with the availability determination module. The appointment module is configured to schedule the appointment for performing the task within the date/time window in accordance with a user selection of at least one entity from the list of available entities.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drive-in movie theater and/or events center preferably located on top of one or more parking garages located at a shopping mall or other similar complex. The drive-in theater preferably has a short range radio broadcast system that can send radio signals to cars on the parking garage, wherein movie-goers can listen to the movie sound tracks on their own car stereos/radios. When needed, the present system contemplates having more than one transmitter, each operating at the same or different frequency, so that the effective service range of each transmitter can be made within limited guidelines set by the FCC. The drive-in theater can be combined with an events center and connected to a shopping mall where access to restaurants and retail establishments can be provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to an off-road vehicle course associated with a commercial complex, such as vehicle dealership or group of dealerships, wherein consumers can test drive the off-road vehicles that they are interested in buying before making their purchase decisions, in the off-road conditions that the vehicles are designed for. The present invention also contemplates a business method wherein the dealership or dealerships can promote the off-road vehicle course as a means of attracting customers to the dealership or dealerships. The present invention also contemplates using an off-road vehicle course as a means of providing recreational entertainment to attract patrons to a commercial complex, such as a shopping center.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method that can be used by mall developers to attract the right kind of retail merchants, and that retail merchants can use to promote the particular goods and services that they sell. The method involves developing and operating a microenvironment within a shopping mall or commercial complex having a theme that relates to the particular goods and/or services offered for sale by the participating merchants. The microenvironment can be provided with one or more activities as a source of entertainment to attract customers to the mall or complex, and to promote the particular products and services offered for sale by the participating merchants.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drive-in movie theater and/or events center preferably located on top of one or more parking garages located at a shopping mall or other similar complex. The drive-in theater preferably has a short range radio broadcast system that can send radio signals to cars on the parking garage, wherein movie-goers can listen to the movie sound tracks on their own car stereos/radios. When needed, the present system contemplates having more than one transmitter, each operating at the same or different frequency, so that the effective service range of each transmitter can be made within limited guidelines set by the FCC. The drive-in theater can be combined with an events center and connected to a shopping mall where access to restaurants and retail establishments can be provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a drive-in movie theater and/or events center preferably located on top of one or more parking garages located at a shopping mall or other similar complex. The drive-in theater preferably has a short range radio broadcast system that can send radio signals to cars on the parking garage, wherein movie-goers can listen to the movie sound tracks on their own car stereos/radios. When needed, the present system contemplates having more than one transmitter, each operating at a different frequency, so that the effective service range of each transmitter can be made within limited guidelines set by the FCC. The drive-in theater can be combined with an events center and connected to a shopping mall where access to restaurants and retail establishments can be provided.