Abstract: Disclosed methods enable an open loop system processing of private label and co-branded account transactions. Implementations in the open loop system employ communications directly between a merchant and an issuer offering promotional financing for a promotional item being purchased from the merchant. Other implementations in the open loop system enable different transaction amounts in an authorization request message and its corresponding authorization response as are respectively sent and received by a merchant, where the different can be for a promotion offered to an accountholder for conducting a transaction on an account with the merchant.

Abstract: Processing transactions involving private label portable consumer devices is presented. For a transaction involving a portable consumer device in a payment processing network, an authorization request from a merchant is received by a transaction handler. The transaction handler, in communication with the issuer, denies or approves the transaction. For approved transactions, the merchant sends a settlement request to the transaction handler. If the transaction is identified as involving a private label portable consumer device, the transaction handler applies a custom settlement arrangement rate to the payment sought, generally reducing the payment amount. The applied payment amount is received from the issuer and forwarded to the merchant. If the applied payment amount is less than the actual amount owed to the merchant, the merchant sends a request to the issuer of the private label payment device to settle the transaction in accordance with a custom settlement agreement.

Abstract: A method of processing images includes the steps of retrieving a source image file including pixel date, creating a destination image file buffer, mapping the pixel data from the source image file to the destination image file buffer, and outputting pixel, data from the destination image file buffer as a destination image file. The step of mapping pixel data from the source image file to the destination image file buffer can include the step of interpolating the source image pixel data to produce pixel date for the destination image file buffer. Border pixel data can be added to the source image file to improve the efficiency interpolation step. The source image file can be a panoramic projection image file, and can include pixel data from a plurality of images. An apparatus for processing images in accordance with the method is also provided.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for effecting the concentration of a polar analyte in an alternating electric field. In the method, a relative translation of the polar analyte and an alternating electric field along a translation path is effected. A portion of the polar analyte is then trapped and concentrated in a concentration zone formed by the intersection of the translation path and the alternating electric field. Also disclosed are various devices for carrying out the forgoing method.