Abstract: A method, computer program product, and point of sale system provide access to discounts and other benefits during shopping. The method includes receiving an input of a user identifier (ID) or a Women, Infants and Children (WIC) ID and identifying that the associated user is a recipient of specific benefits. The method also includes displaying a graphical interface that provides a subsidized list and an out-of-pocket list to visually communicate benefits available under a subsidy program to the user. The method further includes displaying an option to claim or refuse a benefit with respect to each individual product in the subsidized list. In response to receiving a user input to refuse to claim the benefit for a selected individual product, the method provides for moving the selected individual product from the subsidized list to the out-of-pocket list and displaying the selected individual product within the out-of-pocket list.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for providing access to government benefits is disclosed. The method comprises positioning a short-range transmitter in a predetermined product area in a store, and storing one or more marketing messages in the short-range transmitter, wherein the one or more marketing messages are associated with one or more specific products located in the predetermined product area. The one or more marketing messages are transmitted to a wireless computer, and a user is identified as a participant in a government benefits scheme. Available under a subsidy program are communicated to a user and upon purchase of an item, an analysis of benefits available under a subsidy program is provided.

Abstract: A media archive comprising a plurality of media resources associated with events that occurred during a time interval are processed to synchronize the media resources. Sequences of patterns are identified in each media resource of the media archive. Elements of the sequences associated with different media resources are correlated such that a set of correlated elements is associated with the same event that occurred in the given time interval. The synchronization information of the processed media resources is represented in a flexible and extensible data format. The synchronization information is used for optimized synchronous search capability, for enhanced synchronous playback of the archive resources, and for unified access to, and modification of, the archive resources.

Abstract: A method, a system and a computer program product for defining manageable component objects to an application utilizing data roots. A manageable component engine creates a bridge manageable component model utilizing the data roots. Data roots, or root data, are retrieved and stored in a manageable component persistent index of an application. The manageable component persistent index is processed for one or more root objects during an initialization of a manageable component engine. The manageable component engine queries one or more data sources, and accesses data required for creating a manageable component object instance. One or more manageable component objects are registered in a manageable component repository. The manageable component bridge model is created and displayed via a graphical user interface.

Abstract: Aspects to ensure maintenance of individual government benefits in a retail environment include identifying of an individual shopper with an associated level of available benefits during a shopping session. Purchases relative to predetermined criteria, including the associated level of available benefits, are tracked. Scheduling a next appointment during the shopping session for the individual shopper with an agency providing the government benefits based on the tracking occurs, wherein a potential lapse in benefits is avoided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for processing coupons by a self checkout system, where the self checkout system includes at least one self checkout station coupled to a server. In a first aspect, a self checkout system includes a server for managing the self checkout system and at least one self checkout station coupled to the server, where the self checkout station includes a scanner for scanning at least one item for purchase by a customer, a coupon reader for receiving a coupon from the customer, and a coupon manager. The coupon manager attempts to validate the coupon against the at least one item scanned by the customer, and if the coupon fails to validate, the coupon manager stores the coupon in a coupon pool at the server such that the stored coupon can be utilized at a subsequent sales transaction.

Abstract: Systems and methods allow collaboration based on media archive based systems. Collaboration events are processed within media archive based systems. End user collaborations are improved and the overall content of the original media archive is enhanced. The collaborative content is modified via the addition of user notes and targeted user notes and further collaborations are encouraged via the disclosed event notification system coupled with the user federations and collaboration network of federated users. User notes can comprise one or more media resources, media archive, or other form of computer readable data. Collaboration networks of users are formed to propagate information describing interactions with media archives to users with potential interests in the information. The increase of collaborative content improves the overall body of knowledge on a subject and is therefore provides improved knowledge transfer solutions.

Abstract: Systems and methods allow collaboration based on media archive based systems. Collaboration events are processed within media archive based systems. End user collaborations are improved and the overall content of the original media archive is enhanced. The collaborative content is modified via the addition of user notes and targeted user notes. User notes can comprise one or more media resources, media archive, or other form of computer readable data. Media resources of user notes are synchronized with the media resources of the media archive. Users can request playback of portions of the media archive. The requested portions of the media archive are presented to the requestor along with user notes associated with positions within the requested portion. Portions of the media archive can be redacted and withheld from presentation to a set of users.

Abstract: Systems and methods allow collaboration based on media archive based systems. Collaboration events are processed within media archive based systems. End user collaborations are improved and the overall content of the original media archive is enhanced. The collaborative content is modified via the addition of user notes and targeted user notes and further collaborations are encouraged via the disclosed event notification system coupled with the user federations and collaboration network of federated users. User notes can comprise one or more media resources, media archive, or other form of computer readable data. Media resources of user notes are synchronized with the media resources of the media archive. The increase of collaborative content improves the overall body of knowledge on a subject and therefore provides improved knowledge transfer solutions.

Abstract: A media archive comprising a plurality of media resources associated with events that occurred during a time interval are processed to synchronize the media resources. Sequences of patterns are identified in each media resource of the media archive. Elements of the sequences associated with different media resources are correlated such that a set of correlated elements is associated with the same event that occurred in the given time interval. The synchronization information of the processed media resources is represented in a flexible and extensible data format. The synchronization information is used for correction of errors occurring in the media resources of a media archive, for enhanced synchronous playback of the archive resources, and for unified access to, and modification of, the archive resources.

Abstract: A media archive comprising a plurality of media resources associated with events that occurred during a time interval are processed to synchronize the media resources. Sequences of patterns are identified in each media resource of the media archive. Elements of the sequences associated with different media resources are correlated such that a set of correlated elements is associated with the same event that occurred in the given time interval. The synchronization information of the processed media resources is represented in a flexible and extensible data format. The synchronization information is used for correction of errors occurring in the media resources of a media archive, for enhancing processes identifying information in media resources, for example by transcription of audio resources or by optical character recognition of images.

Abstract: A media archive comprising a plurality of media resources associated with events that occurred during a time interval are processed to synchronize the media resources. Sequences of patterns are identified in each media resource of the media archive. Elements of the sequences associated with different media resources are correlated such that a set of correlated elements is associated with the same event that occurred in the given time interval. The synchronization information of the processed media resources is represented in a flexible and extensible data format. The synchronization information is used for optimized synchronous search capability, for enhanced synchronous playback of the archive resources, and for unified access to, and modification of, the archive resources.

Abstract: Loss prevention at a point of sale (‘POS’) with POS apparatus including a microphone, a speech to text converter, a POS transaction module, a POS transaction log, and a POS security module, also including storing, by the POS transaction module in the transaction log for commercial transactions at the POS, information describing each transaction, including capturing for each transaction, into the transaction log through the microphone and the speech to text converter as text, speech utterances of transaction participants; identifying by the POS security module a risk of loss in dependence upon the information stored in the transaction log including the captured speech utterances; and notifying by the POS security module the store manager of the identified risk of loss.

Abstract: Operating an electronic advertising device, the electronic advertising device disposed within camera range of consumer products exhibited for sale, the electronic advertising device including a computer processor, computer memory, a display, and a digital camera; the camera characterized by a camera range; the electronic advertising device operatively coupled to data storage containing digital reference images of at least some of the consumer products exhibited for sale, data storage containing rules for displaying advertising content for the consumer products exhibited for sale, and data storage containing the advertising content for the consumer products exhibited for sale; including: identifying, by the electronic advertising device through the camera and the digital reference images, consumer products within camera range of the electronic advertising device; and displaying, by the electronic advertising device in accordance with the rules, advertising content for the identified consumer products.

Abstract: A method, a system and a computer program product for defining manageable component objects to an application utilizing data roots. A manageable component engine creates a bridge manageable component model utilizing the data roots. Data roots, or root data, are retrieved and stored in a manageable component persistent index of an application. The manageable component persistent index is processed for one or more root objects during an initialization of a manageable component engine. The manageable component engine queries one or more data sources, and accesses data required for creating a manageable component object instance. One or more manageable component objects are registered in a manageable component repository. The manageable component bridge model is created and displayed via a graphical user interface.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for providing access to government benefits is disclosed. The method comprises positioning a short-range transmitter in a predetermined product area in a store, and storing one or more marketing messages in the short-range transmitter, wherein the one or more marketing messages are associated with one or more specific products located in the predetermined product area. The one or more marketing messages are transmitted to a wireless computer, and a user is identified as a participant in a government benefits scheme. Available under a subsidy program are communicated to a user and upon purchase of an item, an analysis of benefits available under a subsidy program is provided.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a system for processing coupons by a self checkout system, where the self checkout system includes at least one self checkout station coupled to a server. In a first aspect, a self checkout system includes a server for managing the self checkout system and at least one self checkout station coupled to the server, where the self checkout station includes a scanner for scanning at least one item for purchase by a customer, a coupon reader for receiving a coupon from the customer, and a coupon manager. The coupon manager attempts to validate the coupon against the at least one item scanned by the customer, and if the coupon fails to validate, the coupon manager stores the coupon in a coupon pool at the server such that the stored coupon can be utilized at a subsequent sales transaction.

Abstract: Stackable communication network repeater hub capable of performing segmentation while retaining full stack management. Each hub in a stack can control the stack so that if a hub or group of hubs is segmented, one of the hubs is automatically allocated as the master hub. The master hub supplies a synchronizing signal, interprets network commands, and provides control signals for executing the commands.