Patents Issued in December 20, 2016
  • Patent number: 9524474
    Abstract: A method for carrying out a learning function is described, which is used to provide at least one correction value to compensate for at least one nominal value deviation of at least one component of a motor vehicle. At least one characteristic is ascertained in the case of at least one defined operating state of the motor vehicle with the aid of the learning function and used to determine the at least one correction value. The method includes prompting a driver of the motor vehicle to operate the motor vehicle in the at least one defined operating state. A system for implementing a corresponding method is also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
    Inventors: Benoit Budiscak, Ronald Remy
  • Patent number: 9524475
    Abstract: The described herein related to a method executable by a processor of a computing environment, where the processor is communicatively coupled to a database of the computing environment. The method includes identifying a feature set from a plurality of incident tickets available on the database and selecting a first subset of the feature set as a learning set. The method further includes generating information from the learning set, where the information indicates unique changes to the computing environment corresponding to a failure. The method further includes selecting a second subset of the feature set as a classification set, validating the information via the classification set to determine whether the learning set is rendering correct values; and sourcing the failure using the validated information based on determining that the learning set is rendering correct values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Lukasz G. Cmielowski, Andrzej J. Wrobel
  • Patent number: 9524476
    Abstract: Methods and systems for automatically identifying and selecting preferred size classification and regression trees are disclosed. The invention is used to identify a specific decision tree or group of preferred size trees that are consistent across train and test samples in node-specific details that are often important to decision makers. Specifically, for a tree to be identified as preferred by this system, the train and test samples must both agree on key measures for every terminal node of the tree. In addition to this node-by-node criterion, an additional tree selection method may be imposed. Accordingly, the train and test samples rank order the nodes on a relevant measure in the same way. Both consistency criteria may be applied in a fuzzy manner in which agreement must be close but need not be exact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: HEALTH CARE PRODUCTIVITY, INC.
    Inventors: Dan Steinberg, Nicholas Scott Cardell
  • Patent number: 9524477
    Abstract: Methods and arrangements are provided for utilizing a secondary application to render invitational content. Primary content rendered by a web browser can be embedded with a command requesting that a secondary application be executed. The secondary application can be executed in a secured sand box environment and configured to render invitational content in a second window above the primary content. The secondary application can be known and trusted by the operating system to gather sensitive data used to select appropriate invitational content. Further, data can be included in the command requesting that the secondary application be executed. The invitational content can be associated with secondary views that can be rendered without affecting the primary content. The secondary application can collect data to render the secondary view, such as the exact point selected, which is used to render graphical transition effects leading to the secondary view.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: William Bedford Turner, Thomas Alsina, Sean B. Kelly
  • Patent number: 9524478
    Abstract: The invention concerns managing information, such as managing evidence that is relevant to multiple legal proceedings. After the item has been received and stored in common database (30) it is automatically duplicated (14) to databases of the pre determined (12) related cases (60,70) and (80). The related cases (60, 70, 80) are able to store information that is specific to the relevant case. Aspects of the invention include a computer system, method, software and user computer generated interfaces for managing evidentiary information items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Inventor: Ian Chivers
  • Patent number: 9524479
    Abstract: A system, method and non-transitory storage medium to manage and process golf game data, golf player data, handicap data, golf team data, and golf course data so as to organize and manage team-based groups or golf leagues of extended duration where asynchronous golf game play during some periods and synchronous game play during other periods on real golf courses and potentially different golf courses is possible. Extensive grouping, scoring, and ranking of golf teams as well as qualification-based tournaments are provided so as to create previously unseen effects of creating a strong community of interest in golfing and increasing the enjoyment and frequency of golf play.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: GKPS LLC
    Inventors: Gilbert A. Kerr, Paul G. Shorthose
  • Patent number: 9524480
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a hygiene behaviour support system for enhancing a person's hand hygiene after a toilet visit. Visual LED indicators are provided on a water tap, soap dispenser, paper dispenser and disinfectant dispender to attract the attention of the user to the respective item. Sensors on the items activate the dispensers and register completion of each task, in order to activate the next indicator on the next item, thereby sequentially guiding the user through a complete hygiene procedure. The disinfectant dispenser is connected with the closing mechanism of the door, so that only after the disinfectant is sensed to have been dispensed, the door will open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: BERENDSEN A/S
    Inventor: Jarl Christensen
  • Patent number: 9524481
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system for analyzing performance in an online professional network. During operation, the system receives time series data for user actions, wherein for each user action, the time series data comprises a series of numbers associated with consecutive time intervals, wherein a given number indicates a number of times the user action occurred during the time interval. The system also receives time series data for performance metrics, wherein for each performance metric, the time series data comprises a series of numbers associated with consecutive time intervals, wherein a given number indicates the number of times the performance metric occurred during the time interval. The system then performs a time series analysis on the received time series data for user actions and performance metrics to determine relationships between the user actions and the performance metrics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation
    Inventors: Sathyanarayan Anand, Guangde Chen, Xin Fu
  • Patent number: 9524482
    Abstract: A three dimensional virtual retail space representing a physical space for designing a retail store space layout is provided. A three dimensional virtual object representing at least one physical object for the retail space is provided. Input can be received from a virtual reality input interface for interacting with the virtual object in the virtual retail space. Based on the input, the virtual object can be placed in the virtual retail space. An updated video signal can be sent to a head mounted display that provides a three dimensional representation of the virtual object in the virtual space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: ORACLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Yopp, Charles Pilon
  • Patent number: 9524483
    Abstract: A system for converting contaminated water, such as produced water, frack flow back water, and other contaminated water from industrial sources into fresh, non-contaminated, or potable water includes a registration and verification unit for registering intake water loads and verifying their content; a receiving system for temporarily isolating each load; an equalization basin for creating an homogenized water source; an electro-coagulation unit in which one or more of the voltage, current, pulse frequency and application time are variable and controlled by one or more of a conductivity sensor; a pH sensor; a level sensor; an ultrafiltration unit for removing organics; a nanofiltration unit; a reverse osmosis unit, and an electrodyalisis unit. The processed concentrate remaining after the water is converted is dewatered via a forward osmosis unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Advanced Aqua Group
    Inventors: Larry K. Henson, Edward C. Szvetecz
  • Patent number: 9524484
    Abstract: A method for handling water and oil automatically monitors and schedules the trucking of waste water between a disposal site and multiple well sites. In some examples, the method automatically detects the presence of a tanker truck at a well site and/or at the disposal site and records the truck's arrival and departure times. In some examples, the method monitors the changing level of waste fluid collected in a waste fluid storage tank at the well site and thereby determines the volume of waste fluid transferred from the tank to the truck. In some examples, the method also estimates the volume of waste fluid transferred from the well bore into the tank while the truck is withdrawing fluid from the tank. In some examples, the method automatically generates and posts online billing information and regulatory reports associated with waste water trucking, waste water disposal and oil reclaiming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Inventors: Frederic M. Newman, James B. Story, Meredith K. Peeler, Jesse J. Lee, Steven K. Stout, Kevin A. Vaughn, II
  • Patent number: 9524485
    Abstract: Pattern information may be associated with an item in an inventory to facilitate identification of the item from among other items in the inventory. The pattern information may represent a feature extrinsic to the physical appearance of the item and may be assigned to the item deterministically, randomly, or pseudo-randomly. An indicator of the pattern information, such as a tag or sticker, may be applied to the item or to its packaging to provide a visual aid to distinguish the item from other items in the same inventory or the item may be enclosed in additional packaging comprising an indicator of the assigned pattern information. Pattern information assigned to the item may comprise a single color, shape, pattern, or other attribute and may include other secondary pattern information. Different amounts of pattern information may be associated with different items or with the same item when co-located with other different items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Jonathan J. Shakes, Donald L. Kaufman, Eric Young, Nicholas M. Hanssens, Jennifer L. Cooper, Adam R. Baker
  • Patent number: 9524486
    Abstract: A system to detect and maintain retail store promotional price tags (PPTs) includes a heuristic PPT description extractor module, a heuristic rule deriver module, a store shelf image acquisition system, a barcode locator and recognizer module, and a heuristic PPT classifier module. The heuristic PPT description extractor module extracts heuristic descriptions of PPTs. The heuristic rule deriver module derives a set of heuristic parameters for the PPTs. The barcode locator and recognizer module analyzes images acquired by the store shelf image acquisition system to localize and recognize barcodes. The heuristic PPT description classifier module extracts heuristic attributes from the images acquired by the store shelf image acquisition system using the set of PPT parameters supplied by the heuristic rule deriver module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Wencheng Wu, Dennis L. Venable, Thomas F. Wade, Peter Paul, Adrien P. Cote
  • Patent number: 9524487
    Abstract: A system and methods for automatically detecting temporal music trends by observing music consumption by users of online services, for example, social networks, and user sharing habits. In some embodiments, the system and methods gather music consumption patterns (e.g., downloading, listening, sharing or the like) of users, including music identifiers for a track, album, or playlist in a user's music library and time stamps that indicate consumption times corresponding to the music identifiers. A temporal trends detection engine determines music of interest to users by analyzing music consumption patterns of users, user interests and tastes in music, and social affinity between users. A recommendations engine automatically generates and transmits recommendations of music determined by the temporal trends detection engine to be of interest to users.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Jay Yagnik, Douglas Eck
  • Patent number: 9524488
    Abstract: Information is shared between processing entities that each have a corresponding private data area by placing data corresponding to information for a first one of the private data areas for a first one of the processing entities directly into a second one of the private data areas for a second one of the processing entities without placing the data in an intervening shared data area and without directly invoking a system administrator-like entity. In addition, these private data areas can be pre-populated with a plurality of directories that each have a one-to-one correspondence to a particular predetermined information recipient and then providing a link to a given one of the recipients as corresponds to a given one of the directories when information is placed in that directory to provide the corresponding predetermined information recipient with at least read access to the information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignees: BlackBerry Limited, 2236008 ONTARIO INC.
    Inventors: Geordon Thomas Ferguson, Daniel Jonas Major, Danny Thomas Dodge, Sivakumar Nagarajan
  • Patent number: 9524489
    Abstract: A computing system includes: a status module configured to determine a process profile for capturing a pause point in processing a task; a content module, coupled to the status module, configured to identify a process content for capturing the pause point; an upload module, coupled to the content module, configured to store the process profile and the process content; and a trigger synthesis module, coupled to the upload module, configured to generate a resumption-trigger with a control unit when storing the process profile and the process content for resuming the task from the pause point and for displaying on a device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Mario A Garcia Verduzco, James M. A. Begole, Stacie Hibino
  • Patent number: 9524490
    Abstract: User reports concerning inappropriate content are received by a social networking system and are put into a content report management process that routes the reports into other handling processes based upon the reporting user's identification of the report type. Reports concerning content that is related to the reporting user are routed into a social resolution process that resolves the complaint through self-help and social resolution. Other reports are handled by a content review process that resolves complaints through automated methods as well as manual review by human agents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Yigal Dan Rubinstein, Mitu Singh, Qing Guo, Arturo Bejar, Arda Cebeci
  • Patent number: 9524491
    Abstract: A conference collaboration system has a server connected to a network and configured to generate a page view requested by a client device over the network and provide dynamic content associated with the requested page view for display on the device; and a database configured to store the dynamic content, update the dynamic content in response to commands from the server, and provide the dynamic content to the server in response to requests from the server, wherein the dynamic content is associated with a plurality of services, each shown in a page view, and the dynamic content and the services are associated with a conference. The server can determine an authorization level of a user interacting with the client device and provide a page view and dynamic content in response to the authorization level, and the dynamic content is updated or created in response to or for actions during the conference.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Unisys Corporation
    Inventors: Sajal Desai, Ross Bower, Phuc Trinh, Jedidiah Weller
  • Patent number: 9524492
    Abstract: Implementing messaging client-based reminders includes monitoring, via a computer processor, a communication exchange for a communication session and determining an occurrence of an alarm event from contents of the communication exchange in response to the monitoring. Upon determining the occurrence of the alarm event, a reminder is generated and a timer is set indicating a time value corresponding to a time expression in the communication exchange. Upon expiration of the timer, the reminder is transmitted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Soobaek Jang
  • Patent number: 9524493
    Abstract: Chronologically navigating among time-based entries stored by a physical computing device having a processor configured to execute a time-based application includes displaying, with the computing device, a time-based entry with at least one of a forward control and a backward control; in response to a user selecting the forward control, displaying with the computing device a subsequent time-based entry, the subsequent time-based entry including a shared property with the displayed time-based entry; and in response to the user selecting the backward control, displaying with the computing device a previous time-based entry, the previous time-based entry including a shared property with the displayed time-based entry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Thomas Richard Haynes, Lin Sun
  • Patent number: 9524494
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and graphical user interfaces are provided for navigating a calendar application executing on a computer system. Aspects of scrolling by day and scrolling by week are combined into a hybrid approach that includes advantages of both. For example, the week can be displayed with the current day first (e.g. in the left most column), thereby providing a more relevant view to a user. Then, when a user selects to move forward or backward, the next or previous full week (i.e. starting with a designated day, such as Sunday or Monday) can be displayed. And, when a user forward through the current day (or other selected day), the week view can stop with the selected day displayed first, to give a user a view of the next set of days following the selected day.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: APPLE INC.
    Inventors: Brian Croll, Viktor Miladinov
  • Patent number: 9524495
    Abstract: A system includes a remotely-located server implementing a metric server adapter, a metrics application, and a communication application. The metric server adapter includes governing logic that manages at least one evaluation service and a plurality of predefined instructions for managing metric data. The metrics application is a production application that operates in coordination with the metric server adapter. Receipt or retrieval of at least one price data set triggers the metrics application to obtain metric data that includes market reference price data, evaluate attributes of each responsive item in the metric data to dynamically discover a difference in the attribute data, and dynamically define transaction-specific instructions for adapting the metric data for a respective item in the price data set. One or more adjustment values transform the market reference price data, and one or more evaluation metrics are communicated to the buyer-agent computing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: BuyMetrics, Inc.
    Inventor: Valerie Hansen
  • Patent number: 9524496
    Abstract: In one example embodiment, a system and method is shown that includes receiving financial data generated by a widget residing on a web page, the financial data including at least one of donation, or purchase data. The system and method may further include transmitting a display update to update the widget, the updating based upon the financial data. Some example embodiments may include, selecting a widget using an input device to generate data including at least one of donation or purchase data. Moreover, the system and method may include transmitting the at least one of donation or purchase data. Further, the system and method may include storing the at least one of donation or purchase data to a cookie.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Inventors: Hugo Olliphant, Ernest Mak, Muralidhar Ravuri, Mark J. Boyd, Musaab At-Taras
  • Patent number: 9524497
    Abstract: A system and method for registering a mobile computing device for a data service on a wireless network is described. The method comprises receiving a request from a user to initiate a program on the mobile computing device which requires a network connection for a data service. The method comprises checking if a wireless account for the data service has been activated for the mobile computing device, and, if a wireless account for the data service has not been activated, transmitting to a network node a serial number of the mobile computing device and a key which is based on an encryption of the serial number. The method further comprises receiving a message indicating a wireless network connection is granted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Brian Gerald Kuhn, Craig S. Skinner
  • Patent number: 9524498
    Abstract: An electronic parking meter mechanism is provided. The electronic meter mechanism includes an inner housing, an electronic display screen and a wireless communication subsystem configured to wirelessly communicate with a parking management system. The electronic meter mechanism includes a first processor configured to control the electronic display screen, and a second processor configured to control communication of data by the wireless communication subsystem.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Duncan Parking Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Gavin Jones, Balu Subramanya, Mike Nickolaus
  • Patent number: 9524499
    Abstract: An electronic device includes one or more processors configured to execute the instructions to: during a first communication session, sending first information regarding a transaction to a user device that is participating in the first transaction, interrupting the first communication session, pausing for a time to allow the user device to process the first information and to generate second information in furtherance of the transaction, establishing a second communication session with the user device, receiving the second information from the user device during the second communication session, and further processing the transaction using the second information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: PayPal, Inc.
    Inventor: John Hastings Granbery
  • Patent number: 9524500
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for sending transfer requests, receiving approvals, and carrying out transfers in a digital wallet application. A mobile payment engine receives a request from a client application associated with a first digital card to apply assets from at least one additional digital card to the first digital card, receives receiving approval to transfer assets from the at least one additional digital card to the first digital card, and transfers the assets to the first digital card. Transfers can be made between digital cards in the same client's digital wallet application and transfers can be made between multiple client device accounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Swapnil R. Dave, Devrim Varoglu
  • Patent number: 9524501
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods, systems, and apparatuses for matching e-commerce and physical point-of-sale transaction data. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving, by a computer, first transaction data comprising a payment token or second transaction data comprising a primary account identifier, wherein the payment token is derived from the primary account identifier, and providing, by the computer, a universal account identifier after receiving the payment token or the account identifier, wherein the universal account identifier is a substitute for the payment token and the primary account identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: VISA INTERNATIONAL SERVICE ASSOCIATION
    Inventor: Lance Weber
  • Patent number: 9524502
    Abstract: Providing for management of a dynamic mobile coupon (DMC) at a mobile device is described herein. Particularly, dynamic characteristics associated with the DMC, such as a redeemable value, can be utilized to browse, sort, search, recall, or redeem the DMC utilizing a user interface of the mobile device. In other aspects, a DMC management application can interact with server components to backup and store DMC data, synchronize dynamic information (e.g., a dynamic redeemable value), access or manage a user profile, interface with other mobile devices to accomplish sharing, trading, exchanging, selling the DMC, and so on. Accordingly, provided is an efficient and personable way to manage mobile coupons in a mobile operating environment and provide increased value and utility for a user of such coupons.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: QUALCOMM Incorporated
    Inventors: Rajeev D. Rajan, Kamran Moallemi, Michal James Koenig, Oliver Michaelis, Paul E. Jacobs, Jose Ricardo Dos Santos
  • Patent number: 9524503
    Abstract: A game exposing method and system is provided. The game exposing method includes displaying a game web site in a first folder of a file manager application of a user terminal; and displaying a game provided from the game web site in a second folder of the file manager application. Accordingly, it is possible to easily access the game portal web site and the game pages to play the games while operating in the file manager application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: NHN Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Dong-soo Lee
  • Patent number: 9524504
    Abstract: A method for generating microsegments includes retrieving a first set of information including activities attributable to a first plurality of entities and first entity identifiers; retrieving a second set of information including characteristics attributable to the first plurality of entities and second entity identifiers; combining the first and second sets of information using the first and second entity identifiers to obtain a combined set of information, the combined set of information not including personally identifiable information; generating a plurality of microsegments based on selected activities and/or characteristics criteria from the combined set of information; receiving a third set of information including characteristics attributable to a second plurality of entities; and matching characteristics in respective microsegments to characteristics of entities in the second plurality of entities to identify an audience of entities that have a propensity to carry out certain activities based on the
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: MASTERCARD INTERNATIONAL INCORPORATED
    Inventors: Curtis Villars, Todd Lowenberg
  • Patent number: 9524505
    Abstract: Providing an end-to-end citizen engagement, in one aspect, may comprise obtaining data of multiple disintegrated sources from one or more of communication and social computing channels via one or more adapters. Data refactoring and management, integration and process orchestration of the data according to a data model as data attributes of the data model may be provided. One or more analytics may be performed based on the data attributes stored according to the data model and input specified to the one or more analytics. One or more results computed by performing the one or more analytics may be provided. One or more application logics supporting one or more front-end applications may be produced. One or more front-end applications for automated sensing of user activities and sensor-based personal assistant capability may be provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Tian-Jy Chao, Younghun Kim, Stephen E. Levy, Ming Li, Milind R. Naphade, Sambit Sahu
  • Patent number: 9524506
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for maintaining businesses rules in a configuration system are disclosed. The presently disclosed system allows systems to be configured using a plurality of rules that are syndicated by a plurality of different manufacturers. Each manufacturer syndicates a portion of the overall system attributes and/or configuration rule set for use by others. Configuration users, such as the sales channel, may then create additional rules and/or configure products with the most recent version of the component attributes and configuration rules, and no single entity is burdened with maintaining the entire attribute and/or rule set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: BIGMACHINES, INC.
    Inventors: Timothy William Handorf, Christopher Haussler, Martin Daniel Duffy
  • Patent number: 9524507
    Abstract: There are provided systems and methods for communication device input interfaces for use in determining a true cost of an item with associated purchases. A user may utilize a communication device, such as a mobile phone or wearable computing device, to input information identifying an item. The input may be an image, audio, or text input. The input may be communicated to a server that determines associated purchases required or recommended with the item identified by the user. For example, the user may be recommended to purchase additional items for the installation of the item or for repairs to a home, work, or vehicle when using the item. The user may also be required to purchase shipping, labor, or other additional costs. The additional purchases may be determined from user and merchant information. A total cost for the item and the additional purchases may be determined for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: PAYPAL, INC.
    Inventor: Kamal Zamer
  • Patent number: 9524508
    Abstract: A method and processes for a secure real-time processing of purchase validation award requests is described. The method includes processes to submit purchase information on a real-time basis and to check on the status of the processing of the submitted purchase validation award system request also on a real-time basis. The method uses a computer information network to perform the required processes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Young America, LLC
    Inventors: David Andrew McIntyre, Grant Lee Stewart, Donovan Keith Loucks
  • Patent number: 9524509
    Abstract: Briefly, embodiments of methods or systems for client side browser notification are disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventor: Satish Mehta
  • Patent number: 9524510
    Abstract: Techniques and mechanisms described herein facilitate adaptive fuzzy fallback stratified sampling. According to various embodiments, an actual or estimated minimum vertex cover of a feature dependency graph representing a dataset may be determined. The dataset may include a plurality of feature vectors and a plurality of features. Each feature vector may include a plurality of feature values that correspond with the features. The feature dependency graph may represent a plurality of conditional dependencies between the features. The minimum vertex cover may designate a subset of the features for strata selection. The feature vectors may be partitioned into a plurality of strata based on the designated subset of features. Each stratum may include one or more of the feature vectors. Each feature vector may be assigned to a corresponding stratum based on the values of the designated subset of features for the feature vector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Turn Inc.
    Inventors: Ali Jalali, Santanu Kolay, Peter Foldes, Ali Dasdan
  • Patent number: 9524511
    Abstract: A method and a system for analyzing traffic on a website are disclosed, the website being arranged on a server. The method comprises the steps of allowing a plurality of visitors to visit the website; for each visit, registering a sequence of pages viewed by the visitor and/or actions performed by the visitor during the visit; for each visit, monitoring navigations and/or actions performed by the visitor during the visit while accumulating value points in accordance with content viewed by the visitor and actions performed by the visitor, and in accordance with predefined value point settings associated with content of the website, thereby obtaining an accumulated value point score for the visit; and defining a set of visits from the plurality of visits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: SITECORE A/S
    Inventors: Michael Seifert, Jeppe Grue
  • Patent number: 9524512
    Abstract: An advertisement delivery management apparatus according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a prediction information storage unit, an acquisition unit and an allocation unit. The prediction information storage unit stores information including user attributes of a plurality of delivery target users predicted as future advertisement delivery destinations. The acquisition unit acquires a plurality of order requests designating user attributes and the numbers of deliveries. The allocation unit allocates the delivery target users to the plurality of order requests, on the basis of the user attributes and the numbers of deliveries designated by the plurality of order requests, such that the number of predetermined user attributes of the delivery target users who have not been allocated to the order requests is the maximum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kazuhiko Shimura, Akira Tajima, Koji Tsukamoto, Hiroyuki Kato, Takenobu Dei
  • Patent number: 9524513
    Abstract: A system and method of advertising for use on an internet and/or digital networking capable device, wherein the system allows advertisers to use a loading space generated during the initiation of a process on the device to post any media and/or advertising content during the time between when a program or web page is requested and when it actually loads.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: OBELUS MEDIA INC.
    Inventors: David Grundfast, Jesse Lopez, Raymond Giles
  • Patent number: 9524514
    Abstract: A vehicle computing system enables one or more processors to control a plurality of vehicle features. The vehicle computing system may control a plurality of vehicle features while determining and selecting occupant preferences for those features. The vehicle computing system may receive input including occupant selections of an application requesting user control. The vehicle computing system may receive context variables at the time of occupant selections. The vehicle computing system may store in memory the occupant selections of the vehicle feature settings and/or controls with the associated context variables. The vehicle computing system may determine an occupant preference to an input request using an associative rule filter based on the occupant selections stored in memory. The vehicle computing system may assign a predetermined amount of time after the application input is requested to allow control of the vehicle feature based on an associative rule filter output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Perry Robinson MacNeille, Yimin Liu, Oleg Yurievitch Gusikhin, Gary Steven Strumolo
  • Patent number: 9524515
    Abstract: The resent invention relates to a system for gathering and assembling information based on data received from one or several mobile terminals, the system comprising: one or several mobile terminals, and a central processing unit. The data at least relates to a position, environmental information and a tool used by a user of the mobile terminal for carrying out an activity and the central processing unit is configured to: process said data, assemble a unique information based on said data, said unique information comprising optimized data for carrying out said activity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Fishbrain AB
    Inventors: Jens Persson, Marcus Fransson, Johan Attby
  • Patent number: 9524516
    Abstract: Techniques for performing dynamic cost per unit resource usage in a virtual data center are described. In one example embodiment, an initial unit resource usage price is received for the virtual data center for a first cycle. Further, capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operating expenditure (OPEX) information of the virtual data center of the first cycle is obtained. Furthermore, a target return on investment (ROI) for the virtual data center for a second cycle is received. A unit resource usage price is then computed for the second cycle using the received initial unit resource usage price for the first cycle and the CAPEX and OPEX information of the first cycle. The unit resource usage price is then dynamically calibrated for the second cycle using the computed unit resource usage price and the target ROI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: VMware, Inc.
    Inventors: Akshay Prabhakar Mirajkar, Kumar Gaurav, Hemanth Kumar Pannem, Akhil Sadashiv Hingane
  • Patent number: 9524517
    Abstract: A publicly-accessible self-service terminal is provided for enabling a self-service terminal user to purchase on-demand postage stamp labels in advance. The publicly-accessible self-service terminal includes a user interface arranged to receive a request from a postage stamp buyer to purchase on-demand postage stamp labels in advance, a payment acceptor arranged to receive payment from the postage stamp buyer for purchase of on-demand postage stamp labels in advance, a roll paper printer arranged to dispense a panel portion of the roll of pre-printed self-adhesive to the postage stamp buyer, and a controller arranged to control the roll paper printer to dispense the panel portion to the postage stamp buyer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Iconex LLC
    Inventors: Charlie McGivney, Jerry Butler, Mary Ann Wehr
  • Patent number: 9524518
    Abstract: A system and method for receiving data representing a product label associated with a product and extracting product information from the data. An updated product profile including the product information may be generated if a confidence score associated with the product information is greater than or equal to a threshold value. The updated product profile may be used to populate an e-commerce website wherein a customer may purchase the product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Derek Cole Singer, Sunil Ramesh, Sebastian Lehmann, Andrea C. Steves, Nathan John Condie
  • Patent number: 9524519
    Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for providing a buy option to social networking communications. The method includes communicating with a social networking site that posts images from posting entities to receiving entities. The image can have data that points to a product database. The data is processed to determine whether there is a sale-related intent such as a product in a product database. The data is used to access a database of products for sale from the merchant. When the sale-related intent applies, the system transmits the image through the social networking site with a buy button associated with the transmission such that a recipient can easily purchase a product.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Monticello Enterprises LLC
    Inventors: Thomas M. Isaacson, Ryan C. Durham
  • Patent number: 9524520
    Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for training a classification model to predict categories. In one implementation, a method identifies category mappings generated for dominant queries associated with a query log. The method identifies mappings between a first set of queries and categories shown for the first set of queries, and identifies mappings between a second set of queries and clicked products for the second set of queries. A classification model is trained based on the mappings generated for dominant queries, the mappings between queries and the shown categories, and the mappings between queries and the clicked products.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: Namrata PramodKumar Tholiya, Abhishek Gattani
  • Patent number: 9524521
    Abstract: A method and a system are disclosed for generating a recommendation of a retail location on a network-based system. For example, a system may obtain a retail location definition associated with a geographic location. The geographic location may represent the retail location. The system then builds a scan event model from product scan messages received from a plurality of scanning devices located within the geographic location. The scan event model may include one or more scan events each being associated with a product definition and the retail location definition. Next, a recommendation query from the search device is received by the system. The recommendation query may include a product identifier and a query location. The system may generate a recommendation of the retail location based on determining that the product identifier and the query location match the one or more scan events of the scan event model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventor: Nate L Lyman
  • Patent number: 9524522
    Abstract: A hybrid recommendation system uses offline testing and online testing to generate and optimize recommendation functions. The functions generate recommendations which may be presented online for product purchases. Indices are created from the recommendations. Lookups may be performed on the indices to select recommendations for a particular user. The selected recommendations may be filtered before presenting to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: ACCENTURE GLOBAL SERVICES LIMITED
    Inventors: Stephen Denis Kirkby, Theam Yong Chew, Christos Boukis, Georgios Passalis
  • Patent number: 9524523
    Abstract: A fail-safe mechanical switch is provided in a television broadcast environment which bypasses an advertisement insertion server in the event that a failure in the ad insertion server is detected. The broadcast stream from a satellite receiver where the stream originates thus continues uninterrupted to a remultiplexer for further distribution of the broadcast stream. The fail-safe switch cooperates with a processor which is capable of detecting a variety of failure events in the ad insertion server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: VIGOR SYSTEMS INC.
    Inventor: Magnus Sorlander