Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for generating customized advertising content by combining one or more content items with advertising content. The content items may comprise various forms of media content, including, video, audio, etc. Users may utilize an interface to accesses advertising content and content items. In one embodiment, the user may utilize the interface to integrate one or more content items with advertising content to generate customized advertising content. The interface may be used to further modify the customized advertising content. A computing device may monitor on more user's consumption of customized advertising content for various purposes.

Abstract: A content server system provides a client device with content including an audio advertisement with personalized background music. The content server selects a vocal advertisement received from an advertiser for presentation to a user of a client device. The content server obtains content data describing audio content provided to the client device as part of the stream of audio content. The content server obtains content data describing audio content provided to the client device as part of the stream of audio content. The content server identifies candidate background music items and selects background music from the candidate background music items based on the obtained content data. The client device is provided with the selected background music and the selected vocal advertisement. The client device plays an audio advertisement comprising the background music played concurrently with the vocal advertisement.

Abstract: A system includes a computing device that includes a memory configured to store instructions. The system also includes a processor to execute the instructions to perform operations that include sending information to a publisher that represents one or more immutable stylistic features for enhancing text messages. Operations also include sending information to the publisher that represents one or more conditions regarding the use of the one or more immutable stylistic features in text messages that include mutable content. Operations also include receiving feedback information in response to the stylistic features being used in one or more text messages that include mutable content.

Abstract: An online system presents advertisements and content items to its users in a feed of content items (e.g., a newsfeed). The online system enforces one or more advertisement policies regulating insertion of advertisements into the feed and determines a predicted likelihood that enforcing the advertising policies will prevent insertion of additional advertisements into the feed of content items when a request to present content via the feed is received from a user of the online system. Advertising policies describe conditions preventing insertion of additional advertisements into the feed (e.g., positions in the feed that may not be occupied by advertisements, a minimum distance separating advertisements in the feed, etc.). Based on the predicted likelihood, the online system determines whether to request one or more additional advertisements for insertion into the feed from an advertisement service.

Abstract: Enhanced shared media experiences allow viewer's personal devices to receive targeted content. Targeting advertisements and other content to personal devices is cheaper and more effective than broadcast delivery. Advertisers may still target their advertisements during popular programming with purchasing expensive broadcast advertising slots.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for de-duplicating and serving a combined content feed are provided. The combined content includes items of two or more classes, such as sponsored and unsponsored, wherein some or all unsponsored content items may be sponsored. A feed service obtains sponsored and unsponsored items suitable for a user to whom the combined content feed is to be served. The service determines whether an item is duplicated among the multiple classes. If so, a distance between the duplicates is calculated (within the feed). If the distance is less than a first threshold, one of them is discarded and may or may not be replaced. A decision regarding which to eject may depend upon which version (e.g., sponsored or unsponsored) is positioned earlier in the feed, whether the duplicates are also less than a second threshold apart (which is lower than the first threshold), and/or other factors.

Abstract: A method for displaying advertisements on browsers (especially, tab browsers) that are effective and occupies smaller spaces of the screen is disclosed. When a user clicks a link on the screen and a new tab is displayed, the clicked link is replaced with another advertisement link, or another advertisement link is inserted near the clicked link, getting more attention from the user.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for managing charitable funds in the ecosystem of corporations, philanthropists, volunteers and non-profits that do social good. Participants may sponsor and cause to issue a finite number of alternative currency units, with varying conditions on use. These units are transferred to volunteers who are supporting a non-profit organization corresponding to the volunteer hours spent by each. The earned units may be gifted by each volunteer to any non-profit organization. Alternatively, the units may be directly granted to a non-profit by corporations and philanthropists corresponding to the units earned by each volunteer. The non-profits voluntarily accept the units and spend it to generate social good. These new methods to pledge, sponsor, issue, buy, sell, earn, store, gift and spend the alternative currency units create a vibrant, community that multiplies the social good generated.

Abstract: Techniques and systems for beacon triggered processes are disclosed. A described technique includes causing a beacon device to broadcast a beacon message, the beacon device being within the vicinity of an establishment; detecting a presence of a user of a mobile device based on receiving from the mobile device a first message that is responsive to the beacon message; retrieving a transaction record based on a user or mobile device identifier in the first message; generating and transmitting a second message based on the transaction record to facilitate a completion of a transaction associated with the transaction record at the establishment; the second message being configured to provide notification of an arrival of the user and dispatch an employee to meet the user and handle the transaction; and generating and transmitting a third message based on the transaction record to facilitate the completion of the transaction at the mobile device.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method of electronic notification of an availability of a service resource. A signal is received from a sensor indicating that a customer has entered a region proximate to a store. The customer is determined to be a candidate for a service. A service resource is determined to be available at or near the store for performing the service. A notification is sent to a display of the availability of the service resource.

Abstract: An apparatus, method, and computer readable medium related to monitoring computer users to acquire information regarding use of application programs and device features as well as the context of such use. Computer users are monitored and data is collected to indicate the computer users' activities including the use of any particular application program. Profiles of each computer user may be created where the profiles are an aggregate of the collected information or a portion thereof. The Profiles may correlated to determine relationships between user behaviors. Various analytics regarding the relationship information may be employed to improve customer-oriented information such as ratings, recommendations, customer support, marketing, communications, and product features design.

Abstract: A method for determining a hotel rate can include providing a predetermined number of hotel rooms for a predetermined number of nights, and providing a base rate for each of the predetermined rooms. The predetermined number of rooms is multiplied by the predetermined number of nights to yield a room night product, on which a discount is based. The discount is applied to the base rate to determine the hotel rate. Another method of determining a hotel rate can include selecting at least one hotel room for date(s) occurring within a particular week period (week 1) subject to a first base rate, and additional date(s) occurring within another particular week period (week 2) that is subject to a different base rate. The first and second base rates are added together, and the discount is applied to the sum to determine the hotel rate.

Abstract: Example embodiments of the present invention include a communication management system, which stores, for each one of one or more values of quality parameter of content data, an additional charge fee to be added to a basic charge fee for providing a service to transmit content data having the value of quality parameter, receives a request for changing the quality parameter of content data from a currently set value to a value selected by a user at a communication terminal, obtains an additional charge fee associated with the selected value of quality parameter from the memory, and calculates an updated charge fee for transmitting content data having the selected value of quality parameter based on the obtained additional charge fee, and transmits the updated charge fee to the communication terminal for display to the user.

Abstract: A wireless communication and control method used to control functions of a chair and/or to facilitate commerce between an occupant of a chair and the operator of a facility. The system includes at least two devices in wireless communications. One being a chair based device capable of receiving and/or sending wireless signals, and may contain any or all of the following, a method for controlling functions of the chair, a method for accepting input from an occupant of the chair, a method for accepting payment, a method for receiving and displaying inputs from a remote operator or device. The second being a device capable of receiving and/or sending wireless signals, and may contain methods for accepting user input, displaying information conveyed by the operator of the first device, storing data, relaying data from the first device to any number of third devices.

Abstract: A method for improved management of a purchase order comprises searching online for at least one product or group of products similar to each other to be ordered from a generic supplier and obtaining a confirmation of availability. The step of searching for the product to be ordered from the generic supplier can be extended to search for the product or the group of products or alternative products available at at least one alternative supplier. The product or group of products or the alternative products found at the alternative supplier are inserted into a shopping cart of the alternative supplier and compared with the product or the group of products of the generic supplier. The extension of the search is started automatically by a search and compare software application authorized by the user and provided by the alternative supplier.

Abstract: There are provided systems and methods for utilizing a vehicle to determine an identity of a user. A user may establish a vehicle as associated with the user, such as a vehicle owned by the user or used by the user. The vehicle may include a vehicle device that may be configured to establish connections with other devices using short range and network communications. In various embodiments, the other devices may be devices at merchant locations. Thus, a merchant at the merchant location may be informed about settings, preferences, and/or parameters for use of the vehicle established by the user. The merchant may receive these parameters even if another user is utilizing the vehicle, thus, establishing rules for use of the vehicle by the other user. In other embodiments, the other devices may be devices in other vehicles, allowing the users to communicate and set waypoints during trips.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for generating a uniform resource identifier (“URI”) based on information relating to a transaction between two or more parties, and verifying the authenticity of the information embedded in the URI before generating a user interface to be displayed to one of the parties to the transaction. For example, the URI may include information relating to the terms of the transaction to which the parties have agreed. A system associated with a facilitator of the transaction may verify the authenticity of the terms embedded in the URI before dynamically generating a user interface that enables the transaction to proceed.

Abstract: A system for managing geospatial deployment is described and includes an input for receiving design data indicative of a design that is to be deployed; a fragmenter configured to fragment said design data into work items, each of said work items including one or more geospatially tagged tasks; an aggregator; an allocator; a scheduler; and a work order generator configured to generate geospatially tagged work orders according to said implementation schedule, each of said work orders being indicative of one or more of said jobs and of one of said parties so identified as fit to implement said respective one or more jobs and each of the work orders being suitable for transmitting to the party identified in the respective work order.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a presentation offering an item for sale by a seller is provided on a computing device. An offer for purchase of the item including an offer amount and a buyer shipping address can be received. A notification identifying the item and the offer can be generated. The notification can include an option to respond to the offer with a request for an additional fee. An option to request a quote for the additional fee can be presented and a selection of the option to request a quote for the additional fee can be detected. A quote for the additional fee can be generated. A quote notification that includes the quote for the additional fee can be generated. The quote notification can include a first option to select the quote for the additional fee and a second option to provide a user quote for the additional fee.

Abstract: Various embodiments each include at least one of systems, devices, methods, and software for mobile device location-enabled service provisioning. One embodiment, in the form of a method, includes receiving, via a network from a mobile device, data including a customer account identifier and an identifier of at least one beacon device. The method then determines, based on the received data, a location of a customer of the customer account identifier relative to each beacon device for which a beacon device identifier is included in the received data. The method then identifies any activities to be initiated with regard to the customer based on a stored customer profile associated with the customer account identifier, the determined location, and at least one activity rule. The method may then execute instructions associated with each identified activity.

Abstract: Various examples of methods and systems for recognition of in-store customers are described. In one implementation, a method may receive first information related to identification of a first customer prior to the first customer visiting a store. The method may also receive second information related to identification of a second customer when the second customer visits the store. The method may further determine whether the second customer is the first customer based on the first information and the second information. The method may additionally provide the first information related to identification of the first customer to one or more computing devices in response to a positive determination that the second customer is the first customer.

Abstract: Techniques for mapping size information associated with a client to target brands, garments, sizes, shapes, and styles for which there is no standardized correlation. The size information associated with a client may be generated by modeling client garments, accessing computer aided drawing (CAD) files associated with client garments, or by analyzing a history of garment purchases associated with the client. Information for target garments may be generated in a similar fashion. A system may then create a standardized scale with a set of sizes for a target, and map a client base size to that standardized size scale. Similar matching and mapping may also be done with shape and style considerations. A recommendation based on the mapping may then be communicated to the client.

Abstract: A coordinating information providing system and a read information management system provide system to select a commodity to purchase. The coordinating information providing system includes a purchaser terminal structure, a management server that manages information of a commodity as well as information of a purchaser and an information provider and that provides the purchaser terminal with the information of the commodity, an information provider terminal operated by an information provider who provides the management server with coordinates information of a commodity, an information management administrator terminal operated by an information management administrator who administrates the management server, and a network system with interconnecting the terminals and the server allows them to communicate interlinked.

Abstract: A machine may generate and provide a message that updates itself when opened. Such a message may include a link that, when operated during display of the message by a user's device, causes the machine to generate an image that depicts updated information in the form of one or more updated parameters. For example, the machine may operate within a travel search engine and may generate and provide a message that includes a previously found search result and also includes a link to an image that, once generated, depicts an updated parameter for the search result. As part of displaying the message, the user's device may operate the link, which causes the machine to generate the image and provide the image to the device. The device receives the image and displays the message, which includes the search result and now also includes the image of the updated parameter.

Abstract: A property tagging system permits stakeholders (owners, neighbors, gamers, merchants, realtors) to comment, rate and tag features of properties in accordance with customizable filters. The annotations, labels, etc., can be presented and targeted within mobile interfaces for user ease and engagement.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, computer program product, and system for identifying matching products relative to a reference product. A reference product is identified from a received product query and a query is generated based on the reference product. A generated query comprises of an ontology, at least one word appearing in a title of the reference product, and a set of key words appearing in social media data associated with the reference product. A database is searched using the generated query to find matching product sets and the results are returned and filtered. Results are filtered by calculating a relationship score between the reference product and one or more matching products in the set of matching products, and/or by filtering a subset of the set of matching products based on a customer profile. The filtered subset of results are communicated to a recipient.

Abstract: Various examples of methods and systems for providing shopping suggestions to in-store customers are described. In one implementation, a method may analyze store information specific to a store and customer information associated with a customer. The method may also identify one or more items as recommendation for the customer based on the analyzing. The method may further indicate the one or more items on a map of the store.

Abstract: A mobile computerized apparatus or method configured to coordinate towing facilities and roadside assistance providers and their available capacity to tow and provide roadside assistance and match users with those towing facilities and roadside assistance providers is disclosed. The apparatus or method may be configured to consider the following factors in matching the towing facilities/roadside assistance providers and users: (a) availability of nearby towing facilities; (b) telematics information from the vehicle to assist with the diagnosis/repairs; (c) preset preferences of the user; (d) insurance information (such as the type of the vehicle the user has and the user's home address); and (e) the capabilities of the towing facility.

Abstract: A behavior supporting apparatus according to the invention includes a biological-information detecting unit configured to detect biological information of a user, a desire estimating unit configured to estimate a desire of the user on the basis of the detected biological information, and a behavior presenting unit configured to present behavior with which the user can enjoy at least one of a service and an article corresponding to the estimated desire of the user.

Abstract: An electronic-shopping method and apparatus are provided. The electronic-shopping method includes obtaining information about at least two alternative commodities selected by a first user; sending, through a network, the information about the at least two alternative commodities to user equipment used by a second user, such that the second user performs selection from the at least two alternative commodities, where the second user is different from the first user and is designated by the first user; obtaining selection information of the second user on the at least two alternative commodities; and determining a to-be-purchased commodity from the at least two alternative commodities according to the selection information. Alternative commodities selected by a first user are sent to a second user for selection, which provides a socialized shopping solution in an electronic-shopping process.

Abstract: A pay-at-the-table device is augmented to include an imaging sub-system having one or more image-capture components. A front-facing image sensor records video, or takes still photos. A wide view image sensor/lens captures a view of an entire table (or some portion thereof). When table images are captured by the imaging system, image post-processing is used to ensure that any details that can identify the individual patrons are masked or otherwise obscured; in this way, only generic demographic data (e.g., number of patrons, gender, approximate age, etc.) is captured, and all such data is maintained anonymously and without reference to any payment or other information that might provide the restaurant with the patron's true identity. The image-capture components may also include image sensors enable events (e.g., drinks needing refills, entrée arrival, etc.) to be monitored. An infrared image sensor captures thermal data, which can identify the temperature of the prepared food.

Abstract: Techniques and systems for beacon triggered device to device content transfer are disclosed. A described technique includes presenting, at an interactive beacon device, content including an interactive store catalog; receiving, at the interactive beacon device, user input responsive to the content; generating, at the interactive beacon device, a beacon message that can include transaction information based on the user input and the content, the transaction information including a service or product identifier corresponding to a product or service selected from the interactive store catalog; and transmitting, from the interactive beacon device, the beacon message over a short-range communication link to a mobile device. The beacon message can be configured to cause an application on the mobile device to advance a transaction associated with the transaction information.

Abstract: Methods and systems for increasing potential advertising revenue by incorporating shopping cart links into social media posts. The method may include receiving an input indicating a user request to add a shopping cart link to a social networking post associated with a user making the user request, the social networking post to be posted to one or more social networks, determining a cost for placing the shopping cart link in the social networking post, providing the determined cost to the user, receiving confirmation from the user to add the shopping cart link to the social networking post, and adding the shopping cart link to the social networking post. Any costs paid by the user to post the shopping cart link may be recovered from commissions or other similar payments received for each user that browses or purchases an item in the shopping cart link.

Abstract: A method, device, and system for generating and accessing consumer commercial requests. A commercial request is generated by a consumer using a non-visual encoded commercial request device. Each consumer has a unique consumer identification barcode that is scanned, authenticated, and collected by the device. Following successful consumer authentication, target barcodes are scanned that represent various goods or services. The target barcodes are collected by the device. Upon completion of the scanning, the device generates a commercial request that is sent to a server. Vendors can request access to their respective commercial requests, and the server sends associated orders to the vendors. A speaker is connected as output to the non-visual encoded commercial request device, and the speaker provides feedback on the commercial request progress to the consumer.

Abstract: Various examples of methods and systems for in-store fulfillment prioritization based on customer location are described. In one implementation, a method may receive a first order from a first customer for in-store pickup of a first item by the first customer at a store. The first item may include a product or a service. The method may also determine a location of the first customer. The method may further prioritize fulfillment of a plurality of orders for in-store pickup based at least in part on the location of the first customer. The plurality of orders may include the first order and at least a second order for in-store pickup of a second item. The method may additionally execute a human resources logistics algorithm to predict the number of store associates required in order to service the plural orders in view of changes to the orders.

Abstract: Items are added to a transaction on a user mobile device. In-store items may be added by scanning and on-line only items may be added to the transaction. Payment for the transaction may be invoked on the mobile device and processed in a single transaction. A verification code may be transmitted to the mobile device, scanned by an employee device, which uses the code to obtain a listing of the items of the transaction. The employee device sends verification to the server, which, in response, sends an electronic receipt to the mobile device. Recommendations for online products, including possible substitutions are provided. Where a desired quantity of an in-store item exceeds available inventory, an online order for the excess quantity may be added to the transaction.

Abstract: A non-limiting example content distribution system comprises a content server that is connected communicably with a game apparatus via a network. If it is decided to reservation-purchase of a content according to an operation of a user, the content server distributes a reservation content to a game apparatus. The reservation content is a content that a part of a normal content that can be executed by the game apparatus is changed to be inexecutable (unable to start). If reaching a date and time of a sale start of the content or an executable date and time, the game apparatus is downloaded with a modifying program for the reservation content according to an operation of the user to modify the reservation content. Therefore, the reservation content can be changed to a normal content.

Abstract: Described herein are systems, methods, and apparatus for managing operations, for instance making orders and fulfilling orders, using one or more computing devices. In accordance with an example embodiment, an operations management system can include a self-order system, a self-payment system, and an order-fulfillment system. The self-order system, the self-payment system, and the order-fulfillment system can communicate with each other via a communication system that connects the systems, such as a wireless network for example. Using the operation management system, orders can be placed and fulfilled efficiently and with minimal personal interaction.

Abstract: A method allows a sender to buy goods or services for a third party immediately on an established account of the sender even before the sender pays for the expense occurred. The system works particularly well for purchases of mobile telephone airtime for others. In addition, the method works equally well for purchases of small amounts. The method utilizes SIMS protocol to send purchase orders in the form of text messages. The method takes advantage of existing technologies and contractual relationships that SIMS aggregators have with carriers. The method allows brokers to buy large quantities of goods and services such as mobile telephone airtime at discounted wholesale prices and then resell them in smaller quantities at higher retail prices.

Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to a method for fulfilling orders from an inventory comprising serialized products. For example, a computer system may receive an order and derive from the order a plurality of products, a unit quantity for each of the plurality of products, and a serial identifier referencing a first product unit of at least one of the plurality of products. At least one of the plurality of products may be a non-reserved product. Also, the computer system may determine a first bin selected from a plurality of non-reserved product bins that is associated with product units of the non-reserved product and generate a pick instruction specifying the first bin and the unit quantity of the non-reserved product specified by the order. The computer system may also instruct a robot to retrieve the first product unit from one of the plurality of robot accessible bins.

Abstract: Participant data for a participant is acquired. A feature vector is defined. Attributes of the participant are determined from the participant data. A participant feature vector for the participant is generated using the defined feature vector and the determined attributes of the participant. The participant is mapped to a portrait using the participant feature vector. A product is mapped to the portrait. The product is mapped to the participant based on the mapping of the participant to the portrait and the mapping of the product to the portrait.

Abstract: A method and system for facilitating vehicle rental are provided. Rental request parameters are received from a first party, including a rental start time, a rental pick-up location, a rental end time and a rental drop-off location. A vehicle available for rent between the rental start time and the rental end time is acquired, and delivery of the vehicle to the rental pick-up location is initiated. A transaction with the user may be performed upon delivery. Retrieval of the vehicle from the rental drop-off location is initiated following the rental end time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an Internet auction system for mediating and managing the purchase and sale of product by receiving bid information from a plurality of customer terminals via a communication network. The system includes: a product registration and management module for receiving information on a product to be auctioned off from a seller terminal and storing the received information; a product bid management module, as a product bid module, for receiving bid information from the customer terminals and storing the received bid information, wherein the bid information includes a bidding price; and a preferential successful bid management module for allowing a customer who has more possession time than other customers to preferentially receive a successful bid of the product.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a market-based control framework to coordinate a group of autonomous thermostatically controlled loads (TCL) to achieve system-level objectives with pricing incentives is disclosed. In one example of the disclosed technology, a method of providing power to a load via a power grid by submitting bids to a coordinator includes determining an energy response relating price data for one or more energy prices to quantity data for power to be consumed by the load, sending a bid for power for a finite time period based on the energy response to the coordinator, and receiving a clearing price based on: the bid, on bids received from a plurality of additional loads, and a feeder power constraint. In some examples, the energy response is based at least in part on an equivalent thermal parameter model and a control policy indicating one or more power states for the load.

Abstract: A method and machine to provide a flexible pricing approach for one or more sellers and multiple buyers with a demand and time dependent real-time bid acceptance engine to work together to increase sales at optimal prices for both buyer and seller. Bids are accepted, by a machine comprising computing and comparative means as well as communication, fraud detection and manipulation parameters, at three potential moments in the process, at bid placement, between bid placement and auction end and at auction end. The acceptance threshold for bids is dependent on both time, demand and market volatility, but can be any combination of 2 or more. An auction will run between auction start and auction end and will only be prematurely terminated once supplies are depleted.

Abstract: An Optimization Server reduces M×N iteration space using various techniques to enhance computer performance by improving computer runtime and memory usage. The Optimization Server determines an aggregate combination of bids that results in high proceeds on individual assets of a portfolio subject to minimum and maximum constraints imposed by a bidder across a plurality of individual asset bids. The Optimization Server stores in a memory a portfolio array including M number of elements. Each portfolio array element corresponds to a bid array of bids on the plurality of individual assets of the portfolio. Each bid array includes N number of elements and each bid array element corresponds to a bid amount on one of the plurality of individual assets in the portfolio. The bid array also includes a corresponding minimum constraint and a corresponding maximum constraint across all of the individual as set-level bids placed on the portfolio.

Abstract: Access is obtained to a database of bill presentment data in an electronic bill presentment system connecting a plurality of customers with a plurality of billers. At least some of the billers are payment card issuers. At least one presentment record for at least one of the customers is extracted from the database of bill presentment data. Based on the at least one presentment record for the at least one of the customers, at least one of credit worthiness of the at least one of the customers and payment history of the at least one of the customers is determined.

Abstract: A system and method are provided that process customer interface data in conjunction with resetting a loan, the system comprises a processor coupled to a memory portion. The processor performs processing including (A) interfacing with a customer device; (B) retrieving prior customer data; (C) retrieving current loan data; (D) retrieving offered loan data; (E) generating first prospect loan data based on (a) offered loan data, (b) prior customer data, and (c) current loan data, and outputting first prospect loan data to the customer; (F) collecting current customer data regarding interfacing with the customer; and (G) generating second prospect loan data based on (a) offered loan data, (b) prior customer data, (c) current loan data, and (d) current customer data, and outputting adjusted prospect loan data to the customer, the adjusted prospect loan data output so as to render on the customer device in the form of graphics.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method supporting aggregation for clients are disclosed. A particular example embodiment includes selecting listings for clients based on profiles; causing display of the listings at the clients; receiving, from at least some of the clients, authorization to aggregate resources; aggregating the authorized resources; and providing the aggregated resources to another party.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for managing electronic messages of an electronic trading system in which orders are extracted from the electronic messages involve executing actions associated with respect to the orders and matching orders to counter orders. Matching orders may be based on a priority determined using a market quality index of the order and an associated market participant.