Abstract: A method for securing a transaction by an electronic card paired with at least one mobile terminal, wherein a banking organization in charge of managing transactions involving the card has previously recorded an identifier of the mobile terminal among data relating to the owner of the card. The securing method includes: transmission, by the mobile terminal, of at least one first signal including a message containing the identifier; receipt, by at least one transaction device near the mobile terminal, of the first signal; transmission, by the transaction device, of a second signal including at least the message to at least one remote banking organization; assignment, by a control server of the banking organization, to a transaction involving the electronic card, by a control server of the banking organization, of information representing proximity between the electronic card and the mobile terminal, according to the second signal received by the banking organization.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for supporting electronic transactions, including transactions that are provided with per-user, per-device and per-domain security across domains of multiple service providers.

Abstract: The invention provides a user terminal and a payment system. The user terminal comprises an input device, a multi-channel selection switch, an application module, a processor, a password processing module, and a security IC chip containing information on user's ID and/or banking card therein, wherein the multi-channel selection switch is coupled with the input device, the password processing module and the processor, the password processing module is coupled with the processor, and the security IC chip is coupled with the password processing module; the application module controls the multi-channel selection switch via the processor so as to place the user terminal in a password input mode or in a normal input mode. The invention ensures the safety in entering the user's password in hardware configuration so that even when software system of the user terminal is not safe in itself, the safety of input password can be ensured.

Abstract: To facilitate conducting a secure transaction via wireless communication between a portable electronic device (such as a smartphone) and another electronic device (such as a point-of-sale terminal), the portable electronic device may, after a final command is received from the other electronic device, determine a unique transaction identifier for the secure transaction. In particular, the final command may be specific to an applet, stored in a secure element in the portable electronic device, which conducts the secure transaction. The secure element may generate the unique transaction identifier based on financial-account information associated with the applet, which is communicated to the other electronic device. Next, the secure element may provide, to a processor in the portable electronic device, an end message for the secure transaction with the unique transaction identifier.

Abstract: Provided is a mobile terminal that has a function of changing a payment credit card at the time of near field communication (NFC) payment in a low battery state, and a method of performing the NFC payment using the mobile terminal. In the mobile terminal according to the present invention, unlike in a mobile terminal in the related art in which payment is simply performed with a default credit card, if the NFC payment is requested in the low battery state where the mobile terminal is powered off, a payment application based on a light operating system, which is executed on an embedded Linux, is displayed, and the NFC payment with a credit card selected from the payment application based on the corresponding light operating system is performed. Therefore, a credit card payment can be effectively performed in a low battery state as well.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products are provided for storing and managing program data. A service provider ID having both generic and specific components is sent from a terminal to a mobile device. The mobile device determines whether the service provider ID sent from the terminal matches a service provider ID stored on the mobile device. If there is a match, the mobile device transmits, to the terminal, program data stored on the mobile device associated with the matched service provider ID. If no match is determined, the mobile device determines whether the generic component of the service provider ID sent from the terminal matches the generic component of a service provider ID stored on the mobile device. If there is a generic match, the mobile device transmits, to the terminal, program data stored on the mobile device associated with the generically matched service provider ID.

Abstract: A method and system may provide a secure credit card payment service which allows a merchant to store credit cards without storing credit card data on merchant servers. The customer provides a credit card by specifying customer data such a nickname for the credit card, a billing address, a billing phone number, a credit card company that issued the credit card, etc., as well as credit card data such as a credit card number, a credit card expiration date, a credit card service code, etc. The customer data may be received and stored at a merchant server, while the credit card data may be received and stored at a separate token server, which generates a token to represent the credit card data. The token may be stored at the merchant server and used to access the credit card data from the token server.

Abstract: Data can be protected in mobile and payment environments through various tokenization operations. A mobile device can tokenize communication data based on device information and session information associated with the mobile device. A payment terminal can tokenize payment information received at the payment terminal during a transaction based on transaction information associated with the transaction. Payment data tokenized first a first set of token tables and according to a first set of tokenization parameters by a first payment entity can be detokenized or re-tokenized with a second set of token tables and according to a second set of tokenization parameters. Payment information can be tokenized and sent to a mobile device as a token card based on one or more selected use rules, and a user can request a transaction based on the token card. The transaction can be authorized if the transaction satisfies the selected use rules.

Abstract: Embodiments for tracking multi-layer secured transactions include systems for providing a dedicated secure transaction channel to a user and sending pre-authorization code to the user via the transaction channel. The systems allow the user to encrypt transaction data and receive the encrypted transaction data from the user via the transaction channel. The systems further unlock the encrypted data and match the sent pre-authorization code to the received pre-authorization code. The systems send a post verification notification to the user comprising the one or more transactions via the transaction channel and receive a post verification confirmation from user in response to the post verification notification.

Abstract: An advertised incentive system receives advertised incentive configuration information provided by a merchant. The advertised incentive configuration information defines the content of advertised incentive banners. The advertised incentive banners are provided as needed to merchants to display on the merchant's website. Advertised incentive registration information is received from an account holder after the account holder interacts with the advertised incentive banner. Transaction information is received that contains a qualified purchase made by the account holder. The advertised incentive registration and the qualified purchase are matched. A statement credit is issued against the account holder's account and a debit is issued against the merchant's account in the amount of the statement credit.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention relate to a customer authentication system for authenticating a customer making a request related to a customer account. The customer authentication system may include multiple application level data receiving and processing mechanisms for receiving customer requests and collecting customer data. The customer authentication system may additionally include a central authentication system for receiving the customer requests and customer data from the multiple application level data receiving and processing mechanisms, the central authentication system determining, based on authentication policy, whether the collected customer data is sufficient to authenticate each customer in order to fulfill the customer request. The central authentication system may return its conclusions and instructions to the multiple application level data receiving and processing mechanisms.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for interactive device operation are disclosed. In one example, a method for user device operation includes retrieving from a user device memory a user device identifying data, dialing a remote computing device having an interactive voice response (IVR) system, and transmitting the user device identifying data to the remote computing device. The method includes outputting one or more voice messages from the interactive voice response system to a user of the user device, the one or more voice messages associated with a usage of the user device. The method further includes transmitting a user action to the remote computing device made responsive to the one or more voice messages.

Abstract: A recall management system allows generating, tracking, and verifying product recalls. The system provides notifications of a product recall to affected and unaffected businesses in the supply chain, as well as notification of the public and government agencies that may be affected. Verification of received notifications and the quantity of product removed from supply in response to the recall allows for closure of recall activity. Recalls may be extended over time as additional products needing to be recalled from the particular supplier of the recalled product are identified. Product returns over time are added to the total product recovered and scorecards updated in real-time as the return information is tabulated. Affected businesses and government agencies have visibility to both recall message receipt and product recovered as a part of total product recalled.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing services to customers in response to customer requests received through one or more channels are disclosed. The present invention provides for a central fulfillment hub in which all requests from banking customers may be processed by applying a library of policies to systematically resolve the customer requests or engage resources necessary to resolve such requests. Resources, data, and other information compartmentalized in individual business unit systems may be dynamically retrieved as necessary to fulfill the customer request and such retrieval is completed prior to any processing of the customer request for resolution. The disclosed fulfillment system, thus, may open a request, prefetch the necessary information, take steps to resolve the request, and close the request accordingly in a dynamic and efficient manner on a request-by-request basis.

Abstract: A mobile computerized apparatus for use with a roadside assistance program to assist in identifying a service provider, such as a tow truck, is disclosed. The apparatus transmits relevant information to a remote server. The server in turn provides information about a plurality of service providers available to service the vehicle.

Abstract: An item can be authenticated based on a first, second, third, and fourth identifier, wherein the identifiers are incorporated into various parts of product packaging. In some embodiments, the first, second, and fourth identifiers can be a QR code, a bar code, a serial number, any RFID tag, or a combination thereof, and the third identifier can be an image type, for example, a type of animal, and image location, for example, a quadrant. The identifiers can be scanned or inputted manually by a user. When the four identifiers are authenticated, the product is deemed to be authentic, whereas when the four identifiers are not authenticated, the product is deemed to be counterfeit. In some implementations, a user can authenticate the items using a smart phone, smart phone app, tablet, tablet app, website, web-based application, and/or the like.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to response subscriptions and provide a method, system and computer program product for centralized response tracking across social networks. In one embodiment of the invention, a social networking response tracking method can be provided. The method can include associating subscribers with a user or a group of users based upon a posting by the user or a user in the group of users within a centralized response tracking system, aggregating different postings from the user to correspondingly different forums disposed about a global computer communications network within the centralized response tracking system, and, notifying the subscribers of the aggregated postings from the centralized response tracking system.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided for tracking link sharing in a messaging environment of a data processing system. Message information is received that identifies a plurality of links to content included in one or more messages exchanged via the data processing system. A relationship measure is determined based on the message information. The relationship measure measures a likelihood that a first link is related to a second link in the plurality of links and points to a same source of content. An association data structure associating the first link with the second link is generated based on the relationship measure. User interactions with the first link and the second link are tracked based on the generated association data structure.

Abstract: The systems and methods may be used to recommend an item to a consumer. The methods may comprise determining, based on a collaborative filtering algorithm, a consumer relevance value associated with an item, and transmitting, based on the consumer relevance value, information associated with the item to a consumer. A collaborative filtering algorithm may receive as an input a transaction history associated with the consumer, a demographic of the consumer, a consumer profile, a type of transaction account, a transaction account associated with the consumer, a period of time that the consumer has held a transaction account, a size of wallet, and/or a share of wallet. The method may further comprise generating a ranked list of items based upon consumer relevance values, transmitting a ranked list of items to a consumer, and/or re-ranking a ranked list of items based upon a merchant goal.

Abstract: A system that transforms a customer order into a service order is provided. The system receives a customer order including customer order lines, where each customer order line includes a product action and a product offering that is based on a product specification. The system further defines a structured set of metadata including product specifications, customer-facing service specifications, relationships, and mappings. The system further defines a transformation sequence including customizable process logic, where the customizable process logic is structured within stages. The system further transforms the customer order lines into service order lines based on the metadata and the transformation sequence, where each service order line includes a service action and a customer-facing service based on a customer-facing service specification. The system further generates a service order including the service order lines.

Abstract: Techniques of dynamic pricing for physical stores are described. A server handling purchase transactions of multiple physical stores can aggregate sales data on goods and services and determine a pattern. The server can determine that sales of an item of goods or services at a particular physical store deviate from the pattern at a particular time. Upon determining that sales price of the item significantly correlates to the deviation, the server can determine a suggested price for correcting the deviation. As an experiment, the server can conduct an experiment of selling the item at the suggested price at the particular time for a given time period. The server can present results of the experiment to an operator of the physical store.

Abstract: Secure associate ordering and transaction methods and systems. An order for an alternative device different from a baseline device is received at an order processing platform. The alternative device is available for purchase by the associate at a cost differential between the alternative and baseline devices. The cost differential is based on a predetermined enterprise discount. A message including a secure link associated with the order is sent to the associate. Payment information associated with the cost differential is received by a secure payment (SP) platform from the associate via a secure website using the secure link. The payment information is submitted to a payment institution. The order processing platform receives a transaction confirmation from the SP platform when the payment information is accepted and adds at least features of the alternative device associated with the baseline device to a service account of the enterprise customer for the service provider.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, systems and articles of manufacture to monitor media are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a software development kit provider to provide a software development kit to enable an application developer to create an application developer to create a monitoring enabled application. The example apparatus further includes a monitoring data receiver to receive data collected from a media device executing the monitoring enabled application, the data collected via the monitoring enabled application, the collected data including a media identifier and at least one of a device identifier or a user identifier. The example apparatus further includes a data store to store the collected data, and a database proprietor interface to request demographic information from a database proprietor, the database proprietor interface to store the demographic information in association with the media identifier in the data store.

Abstract: The present disclosure includes systems and techniques relating to identifying value marketing activities. In some implementations, an apparatus, systems, or methods can include receiving conversion path information including data relating to user interactions with a content item associated with a marketing activity, determining a first attribution credit by applying a first attribution model to the received information, and a second attribution credit by applying a second attribution model to the received information, determining an attribution contrast ratio based on the first and second attribution credit, identifying an opportunity based on the determined attribution contrast ratio, and presenting a recommendation for the marketing activity based on the identified opportunity.

Abstract: A system and method in a virtual universe (VU) system for identifying spam avatars based upon the avatars' multimedia characteristics may have a table that stores multimedia characteristics of known spam avatars. It further may have an analysis unit that compares the multimedia characteristics of avatars against the multimedia characteristics of known spam avatars to determine if the avatar has known spam avatar characteristics. It may further have a scoring system to calculate a spam score based upon the similarities of the comparison and identifying the avatar as a spam avatar based upon the calculated spam score. It may further compare the calculated spam score with a spam score threshold wherein the avatar is identified as a spam avatar if the calculated spam score is equal to or greater than the calculated spam score. Multimedia characteristics include graphics, audio, movement, interactivity, voice, etc.

Abstract: Techniques for presenting a content item with a media item are described. The techniques include receiving user input indicating a placement preference for a content item to be presented with a media item. The placement preference indicates a presentation preference of the content item relative to presentation of the media item. The placement preference is used to influence selection of a media item with which the content item is to be presented.

Abstract: A method for recommending products. The method may include receiving an identification element associated with an image or a visual code captured by a user. The method may include identifying a first item associated with the identification element, whereby the first item is a product or a service. The method may include identifying at least one of a tag and a keyword associated with the first item. The method may include identifying social media interactions within a social media network that reference at least one of the first item, the tag, and the keyword, whereby the social media network is associated with the user. The method may further include identifying a second item referenced in the social media interactions, whereby the second item is a product or a service. The method may also include determining a score for the second item based on an algorithm.

Abstract: A method for recommending products. The method may include receiving an identification element associated with an image or a visual code captured by a user. The method may include identifying a first item associated with the identification element, whereby the first item is a product or a service. The method may include identifying at least one of a tag and a keyword associated with the first item. The method may include identifying social media interactions within a social media network that reference at least one of the first item, the tag, and the keyword, whereby the social media network is associated with the user. The method may further include identifying a second item referenced in the social media interactions, whereby the second item is a product or a service. The method may also include determining a score for the second item based on an algorithm.

Abstract: Various presence detection techniques are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system comprises a signal generator configured to generate a signal that includes a plurality of selected frequencies that are selected from among a set of candidate frequencies, wherein inclusion or exclusion of each candidate frequency in the signal encodes a bit of information and wherein the encoded information comprises a store identifier that identifies a retail store; and a transmitter configured to transmit the signal within the retail store; wherein presence of a device in the retail store is determined in response to reception of the signal at the device and extraction of the store identifier from the received signal by decoding the received signal.

Abstract: A system and method automatically report electronically recorded golf scores and other information to a golfer during or upon completion of a round of golf. A golfer operates a mobile terminal during play of a round of golf. The mobile terminal displays at least an electronic score card on its display. The mobile terminal may optionally display other information, such as advertisements, that may be of interest to the golfer. During play, the mobile terminal receives inputs from the golfer to record the golfer's scores. Other inputs may include selection of a displayed advertisement or purchase of a displayed product or service. Once the scores have been entered, the mobile terminal wirelessly transmits the scores and/or other information to a central server via a wireless subsystem. The scores and/or other information are then automatically communicated from the server to an email account and/or personal web portal account of the golfer.

Abstract: The present invention contemplates computer implemented methods, systems and computer program product for enabling user interaction with multimedia content in the context of a prize/game campaign. The invention contemplates incorporation of a scanned coded advertising image which has code on it and which activates the operation of an interactive advertising application on mobile device along with other elements of the invention.

Abstract: A system for deploying Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services is provided. A system that incorporates teachings of the present disclosure may include, for example, a Call Session Control Function (CSCF) having a controller element to receive a Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) message from an originating communication device requesting communications with a terminating communication device, and establish an Internet Protocol (IP) connection between the originating communication device and an advertisement media system to present at the originating communication device an advertisement message that replaces a ringback tone associated with the terminating communication device. Additional embodiments are disclosed.

Abstract: A management system can recommend and manage publishing content with publishers of business information. A representative can provide unique identifying information for a business that can be used to determine a category of similar businesses. Based on the identified category, a list of publishers can be identified to the representative as related to the business category. The representative can select one or more of the publishers to publish content about the business. Based on the representative selection, the system can request a set of content from the representative. After receiving the content from the representative, the system can translate the content to formats acceptable to each of the publishers. The content can then be provided to the publishers to publish. The published content can then be monitored for problems, and corrected if problems are discovered.

Abstract: A system and method for generating information relating to a vehicle's history. In one embodiment, the method includes the steps of identifying records in a database, identifying a target record, identifying a trigger record, determining if the target record indicates an ownership transfer based on the identified trigger record, and generating a price adjustment for the vehicle at least partially based on the ownership transfer. In accordance with another aspect, a vehicle history information system is provided including a database having vehicle history records, a vehicle history report module adapted to retrieve vehicle history records, an ownership module adapted to identify a target record, identify a trigger record, and determine whether the target record indicates an ownership transfer based on the identified trigger record, and a pricing module adapted to generate a price adjustment for the vehicle at least partially based on the ownership transfer.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide a service monitor that operates on a number of different mobile devices to track and monitor services that an application is using. The service monitor of some embodiments includes a service call wrapper to intercept a request made by the application to access the service and capture data relating to the service request. The service monitor then sends the captured data to a performance monitoring server in order to present, based on the captured data and other captured data from other mobile devices, a set of performance reports relating to the performance of the service as used by the same application across a number of mobile devices.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and machine-readable media for incentivizing user generated content creation are provided. One or more points of interest for including in a notification to a user may be identified based on a location of a client device associated with the user and/or user interest signals. The identified points of interest may be scored by comparing the user interest signals, and a most relevant point of interest may be identified from the scored points of interest. A notification type may be determined based on the most relevant point of interest and the corresponding user interest signal, and used to provide to the user a notification including the most relevant point of interest and the user interest signal. A subsequent notification asking the user to generate content for the most relevant point of interest may be sent, in a case it is determined that the user acts on the provided notification.

Abstract: A technique for effecting electronic commerce using a data network is described. The data network includes a plurality of subsystems which, together, form an integrated system for receiving customer orders for selected items via a data network, fulfilling the customer orders, and delivering the ordered products to the customers. Moreover, according to a specific embodiment, the integrated nature of the system architecture of the present invention allows the on-line merchant to provide a guarantee to the customer that the ordered items will be available to be delivered to the customer at the specified delivery date, time, and location.

Abstract: Techniques for managing a return request may be provided. For example, a user may want to return an item that the user received from an item provider via an electronic marketplace. The user can take a picture of the item and transmit the image to a computer that determines that the user would like to return the item. The computer may also determine that the item is returnable (e.g., was provided to the user within an allowable timeframe, satisfies a constraint for returning the item). The computer can initiate a return of the item. In some examples, the computer can also determine a convenient return location or the reason that the user is returning the item to the item provider.

Abstract: An e-commerce system and method for presenting product information to a viewer, where a video feed and product information associated with a product that relates to the content in the video feed can be displayed or presented to the viewer on one or more remote display devices.

Abstract: Offers are provided based on an aggregate need. Data is collected data from a plurality of different communication devices. The data collected from each respective communication device indicates a need for a product associated with the respective communication device. An aggregate need for the product is determined based on the collected data. A determination is also made whether the aggregate need for the product meets a threshold. Responsive to determining that the aggregate need for the product meets the threshold, an offer for fulfilling the need for the product is sent to each respective communication device from which the data was collected that indicated the need for the product.

Abstract: Techniques and systems provide transparency in hidden transaction details for an item. A process comprises crawling one or more electronic marketplaces to identify an item presented in an item offering, extracting offer details in the item offering, emulating an ordering process for acquiring the item to determine transaction details that are revealed after the ordering process is initiated, and presenting at least a portion of the transaction details with item and offer details. In some embodiments, the offer details include a list price for the item, and the transaction details include a true price for the item with a hidden cost included in the true price. The hidden cost may be compared to a threshold to determine if it is excessive. A seller identified with the item offering may be designated with a rating indicative of a reputation of the seller for providing excessive hidden costs with item offerings.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for social shopping on a network-based marketplace. The method receives, over a network at a social shopping platform, a request from a user in a first community of users. The social shopping platform includes multiple network-based marketplaces respectively associated with communities that include the first community of users that is associated with a first network-based marketplace. The method identifies the first network-based marketplace from the network-based marketplaces based on the request. The request is for an activity associated with the first network-based marketplace. The first network-based marketplace is used by the first community of users to transact items of a single domain that is of interest to the first community of users. The method updates a listing reputation score based on the activity associated with the first network-based marketplace and a user reputation score based on the listing reputation score.

Abstract: In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, a controller receives an indication of acceptance by a customer of an offer for a subsidy from a second vendor (e.g., a subsidizing vendor). The offer may define, for example, a reduction in the price charged for an item purchased from a first vendor and an obligation for the customer to fulfill in exchange for the subsidy. The customer is charged a second price for the items, which is less than the total price, and may even be zero.

Abstract: One variation of a method for quoting manufacture of a part during construction of a virtual model of the part within a computer-aided drafting engine includes: receiving a quote file specifying a current manufacturing schedule and a pricing structure for a manufacturing facility; at a first time, in response to insertion of a first three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, calculating a manufacturing quote for the part based on the first three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; displaying the manufacturing quote; at a second time succeeding the first time, in response to insertion of a second three-dimensional virtual geometry into the virtual model, updating the manufacturing quote based on the second three-dimensional virtual geometry and the quote file; and, at a third time succeeding the second time, submitting a form of the virtual model to the manufacturing facility for manufacture of the part.

Abstract: One form of the present invention contemplates a unique system for creating a customized bank card by a consumer/user based on instructions from a remote terminal. Other forms of the present invention contemplate unique apparatuses, systems, devices, hardware, software, methods, and combinations of these for creating customized bank cards.

Abstract: The invention synthesizes a social network, an electronic commerce (including a performance based advertisement and electronic payment), a mobile internet device and a machine learning algorithm(s). The synthesized social commerce further dynamically integrates stored information, real time information and real time information/data/image(s) from an object/array of objects. The machine learning algorithm(s) can include a software agent, a fuzzy logic algorithm, a predictive algorithm, an intelligence rendering algorithm and a self-learning (including relearning) algorithm.

Abstract: A system of electronic shopping with an electronic shopping cart includes a computer processor, a network interface configured to connect the processor to an electronic shopping site and to shop at the shopping site using the electronic shopping cart, an input device configured to receive search string input from a user, a display device configured to display search string preview results to the user as the user enters the search string input in the input device, and a non-transitory physical medium. The medium has instructions stored thereon that, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to receive from the input device a partial search string entered by the user, display on the display device relevant search string preview results from the shopping site based on the partial search string, and display on the display device contents of the shopping cart concurrently with the displayed search string preview results.

Abstract: To determine candidates for product purchase in electronic commerce more easily when a user purchases an attracting product through electronic commerce, the server (14A) includes a retrieval API (164A). The retrieval API (164A) receives and analyzes identifying information from a user terminal (12A) having a function of acquiring identifying information for identifying a product and thereby identifies one or more products from the identifying information. Then, the retrieval API (164A) reads one or more product sales information corresponding to the identified one or more products from a product database (168) that stores product sales information related to sales of products. The retrieval API (164A) then stores the read one or more product sales information as a retrieval history into a retrieval history database (170) and transmits the one or more product sales information to the user terminal (12A) to be displayed as candidate product information on the user terminal (12A).

Abstract: A system and method for multi-source transaction processing receives order requests from a client system operated by a user. The order requests may include order placements and order inquiries. For example, an order request may be a placement for a computer system and associated peripherals. The user may have particular fulfillment organization preferences, and different components of the computer system and associated peripherals may be fulfilled by different fulfillment partners. Accordingly, the orders order requests are processed by an order request servicing system to, for example, split the order request into multiple processed order requests and each of the processed order requests is associated with an order request management system and prepared for transmission to the associated order request management system. The order request management systems can utilize the processed order requests to fulfill the order request.

Abstract: A computer-implemented product palletizing system and a method of product palletizing which includes processor in communication with a memory element containing a computer code executable to coordinate the discrete activities of one or more pickers and conveyor product sorting assembly to allocate a plurality of products to a plurality of pallets.