Abstract: A system and method for preventing multiple charges for a transaction in a payment system is presented. A payment system receives a payment operation request from the order system, and determines whether the payment operation is a duplication of a previous payment operation request. If so, the payment system retrieves stored financial transaction results and provides the financial transaction results to the order system. When the payment operation request is not a duplicate, the payment system contacts a payment provider to receive financial transaction results, which is passed to the order system and stored in a persistent data store.

Abstract: A block for an order is received during processing of the order, wherein a reason for the block for the order is associated with the block for the order. A set of actions is identified based on the reason for the block for the order in response to receiving the block for the order. The set of actions is executed with respect to the order in response to identifying the set of actions based on the reason for the block for the order, wherein the set of actions comprises a stage at which processing for the order ceases, restarts, and executes recovery actions, as specified.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for enhancing customer's satisfaction with his/her shopping experience. Facial motion measurements defined in a model for facial expression recognition are utilized. Features from a magnitude of the facial motion measurements defined in the model are identified. A Bayes classifier is utilized to capture dependences among the features used to recommend a better sales approach to the sales professional, or, alternatively, assign a better sales professional to approach the customer thereby enhancing the customer's shopping experience by reducing the possibility of an unpleasant shopping experience.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein that facilitate monitoring one or more activities performed by a user on one or more devices, determining one or more topics of interest based on the monitored activities, preference information, and information within a user network, retrieving information from one or more network sites relating to the one or more topics of interest, and providing the retrieved information to the user.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein that facilitate monitoring one or more activities performed by a user on one or more devices, determining one or more topics of interest based on the monitored activities, preference information, and information within a user network, retrieving information from one or more network sites relating to the one or more topics of interest, and providing the retrieved information to the user.

Abstract: A system and method for preventing multiple charges for a transaction in a payment system is presented. A payment system receives a payment operation request from the order system, and determines whether the payment operation is a duplication of a previous payment operation request. If so, the payment system retrieves stored financial transaction results and provides the financial transaction results to the order system. When the payment operation request is not a duplicate, the payment system contacts a payment provider to receive financial transaction results, which is passed to the order system and stored in a persistent data store.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein that facilitate monitoring one or more activities performed by a user on one or more devices, determining one or more topics of interest based on the monitored activities, preference information, and information within a user network, retrieving information from one or more network sites relating to the one or more topics of interest, and providing the retrieved information to the user.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein that facilitate monitoring one or more activities performed by a user on one or more devices, determining one or more topics of interest based on the monitored activities, preference information, and information within a user network, retrieving information from one or more network sites relating to the one or more topics of interest, and providing the retrieved information to the user.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for adjusting time duration of a content playlist corresponding to travel time. A computer receives a command to initiate a content playlist, wherein the content playlist includes a first of one or more content items. The computer receives travel information, wherein the travel information includes at least a destination and a method of travel. The computer determines an initial travel time. The computer determines an adjusted content playlist that corresponds to the initial travel time by utilizing the determined initial travel time. The computer sends a signal to present the adjusted content playlist. In another embodiment, a content item includes metadata comprising chapters corresponding to sections of the content item and playlists of chapters of the content item of various time durations.

Abstract: A method, system or computer usable program product for porting driver preferences between vehicles including initiating a first communication session between a computer in the first vehicle and an external device, receiving a driver profile from the first vehicle in the external device, wherein the driver profile was used to configure warnings and other driver settings in the first vehicle, initiating a second communication session between the external device and a computer in a second vehicle, transferring the driver profile from the external device to a second memory in the second vehicle, and using the driver profile to configure warning and other driver settings in the second vehicle.

Abstract: An approach is provided to selectively incorporate traveler feedback into a trip planning database. In the approach, a planned trip segment is retrieved with the planned trip segment including a planned start time, a planned start location, a planned mode of transportation, a planned destination location, and a predicted end time. Subsequently, actual trip segment data items are received. A validation routine checks whether the planned trip segment was actually traveled by comparing the retrieved planning trip segment with the actual trip segment data items. If the trip is successfully validated, then the trip planning database is updated using feedback received from the user. However, if validation was unsuccessful, then the trip planning database not updated with the user's travel feedback.

Abstract: A method, system or computer usable program product for porting driver preferences between vehicles including initiating a first communication session between a computer in the first vehicle and an external device, receiving a driver profile from the first vehicle in the external device, wherein the driver profile was used to configure warnings and other driver settings in the first vehicle, initiating a second communication session between the external device and a computer in a second vehicle, transferring the driver profile from the external device to a second memory in the second vehicle, and using the driver profile to configure warning and other driver settings in the second vehicle.

Abstract: A method of using constrained payments to enforce complex payment policies in electronic commerce (e-commerce) systems. An order capture component generates at least a first relationship object that corresponds to a first payment constraint rule. If an order item is placed in a shopping cart, and if the order item is associated with one or more payment constraint rules, and if one or more pre-conditions corresponding to the one or more payment constraint rules are satisfied, then the order capture component implements the one or more payment constraint rules. If one or more post-conditions corresponding to the one or more payment constraint rules are satisfied, then the order capture component submits a purchasing order from the shopping cart that includes the order item, such that the order item is constrained by the one or more payment constraint rules.

Abstract: A block for an order is received during processing of the order, wherein a reason for the block for the order is associated with the block for the order. A set of actions is identified based on the reason for the block for the order in response to receiving the block for the order. The set of actions is executed with respect to the order in response to identifying the set of actions based on the reason for the block for the order, wherein the set of actions comprises a stage at which processing for the order ceases, restarts, and executes recovery actions, as specified.

Abstract: A block for an order is received during processing of the order, wherein a reason for the block for the order is associated with the block for the order. A set of actions is identified based on the reason for the block for the order in response to receiving the block for the order. The set of actions is executed with respect to the order in response to identifying the set of actions based on the reason for the block for the order, wherein the set of actions comprises a stage at which processing for the order ceases, restarts, and executes recovery actions, as specified.

Abstract: The current invention discloses a solution for using a surface based computing device for verification of an identification document, such as a driver's license. A surface based computing device can be a device capable of scanning an identification document, comparing the scanned document against a set of conditions for a valid document, and reporting comparison results. A secured resource can be granted based at least in part upon identity verifications conducted by the surface based computing device. The surface based computing device can include a MICROSOFT SURFACE device or any other computing device able to scan an identification document and to process scanned results. In one embodiment, the surface based computing device can be used in conjunction with a human agent for added security.

Abstract: A system and method for state-based execution and recovery in a payment system is presented. A payment system uses a state machine to track completed sub-tasks using a state progress identifier and completion state data. When a failure occurs, stored completion state data and the state progress identifier indicate the last successfully completed sub-task. As such, when the payment system resumes payment operation execution after a failure, the state machine retrieves the stored completion state data and state progress identifier, and resumes execution based upon the retrieved information. As a result, the payment system continues payment operation execution at a point as to not duplicate the payment operation's previously completed sub-tasks.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for enhancing customer satisfaction with his/her shopping experience and improving the chances of a sale. The personality and mood characteristics of a customer is obtained by analyzing various features of the customer, such as the customer's facial image, the customer's gait, the customer's location of his/her gaze as well as analyzing other personalized information, such as who the customer is shopping with and information contained in the customer's profile (if one exists). By assessing the customer's personality and mood characteristics, a better sales approach may be recommended to the sales professional, or, alternatively, a better sales professional may be assigned to approach the customer thereby enhancing the customer's shopping experience by reducing the possibility of an unpleasant shopping experience as well as increasing the chances of a consummated sale.

Abstract: A method of using constrained payments to enforce complex payment policies in electronic commerce (e-commerce) systems. An order capture component generates at least a first relationship object that corresponds to a first payment constraint rule. If an order item is placed in a shopping cart, and if the order item is associated with one or more payment constraint rules, and if one or more pre-conditions corresponding to the one or more payment constraint rules are satisfied, then the order capture component implements the one or more payment constraint rules. If one or more post-conditions corresponding to the one or more payment constraint rules are satisfied, then the order capture component submits a purchasing order from the shopping cart that includes the order item, such that the order item is constrained by the one or more payment constraint rules.

Abstract: A system and method for optimal selection of payment authorization in a complex commerce system is presented. A commerce system uses an algorithm to select an optimum payment authorization for a particular payment deposit. The algorithm allows the commerce system to support multiple types of authorizations while minimizing the number of payment transactions if possible. The algorithm also handles payment instrument priority, sufficient authorization amount availability, and a selection of a favorable set of payment authorizations for which to apply the payment deposit. Once the algorithm selects an optimum payment authorization for a particular payment deposit, the commerce system applies the payment deposit towards the optimum payment authorization in order to receive funds from an external payment provider.