Abstract: Disclosed are apparatuses, systems, and methods pertaining to the secure communication of payment information from portable consumer devices, such as credit cards, to online merchants using verification tokens.

Abstract: A request to perform a transaction is detected. Based on the request to perform the transaction, one or more factors related to a context in which the transaction is being requested are determined. Based on the one or more factors, one or more parameters for authenticating a user that requested performance of the transaction are determined. The user that requested performance of the transaction is authenticated based on the determined one or more parameters for authenticating the user that requested performance of the transaction. Based on to authenticating the user that requested performance of the transaction, performance of the requested transaction is allowed.

Abstract: There is provided a method of authenticating data, comprising the following elements. Firstly, a voice biometric system is trained to identify a user from a message spoken by the user. Then a spoken message is received from the user, the spoken message comprising word content to be authenticated. The word content is then authenticated by using the voice biometric system to identify the user, and thereby authenticating the word content in the spoken message as word content spoken by the identified user. Suitable apparatus and systems are also disclosed.

Abstract: A communication is received from a fare media which includes a token associated with a transit account and a risk score based on a usage history of the account which is indicative of a likelihood of default associated with the account. One or more positive or negative lists are received from a server. Positive lists include first account identifiers associated with accounts in good standing. Negative lists include account identifiers associated with accounts in poor standing. A determination whether the token is associated with an account represented by one of the first or one of the second account identifiers is made. A determination, based on the risk score or the determination of the association of the token is made whether to grant access to the transit system. Information related to the determination of whether to grant access is communicated to the server. Access is granted to the transit system.

Abstract: A method for detecting fraudulent use of a payment media using a transit server includes receiving, at a transit server, an input from a payment media as part of a payment transaction at a first transit fare vending machine. The input includes an account identifier associated with a payment account of the payment media. Authentication information is received and an authentication request is communicated to an issuer of the payment account. The authentication request includes the account identifier. Information indicative of improper use of the payment media is received from one or more of a second transit fare vending machine or the issuer of the payment account. A determination is made, based on the information, that the payment media is being used improperly. An improper use alert is communicated to an enforcement authority. The improper use alert includes identification information related to the payment transaction.

Abstract: A system and method of managing equipment is disclosed. The system incorporates a tagging device to attach identification tags to each piece of equipment. A scanning device is used to read the identification tags and relay this information to an equipment server. An input device is used to input information to the equipment server. The equipment server runs the equipment management program. The system flags a potential asset assigned to an asset creating individual. Equipment is designated an asset after use in an asset creating event.

Abstract: Instead of buying blanket licenses for all licensable components of its CE devices, a manufacturer enables users to activate licensable components on a device basis and then obtains the necessary licenses individually. Seldom used activation modes and seldom activated licensable components can be pruned from future devices, while widely activated licensable components can be automatically enabled by purchasing a blanket license for those components. Characteristics of license requests and the people making them can be used to focus marketing.

Abstract: One embodiment may include a non-transitory, computer-readable medium that store instructions configured to cause a processor to execute, via a server configured to communicate within a client-server network, a product compliance fulfillment portal. The product compliance fulfillment portal may include a product compliance evaluation (PCE) tool, a product baseline compliance specification (PBCS) tool, and a transactional compliance plan (TCP) tool. The PCE tool may be configured to add compliance requirements for a product in a territory, the PBCS tool may be configured to identify compliance requirements for the product in the territory and assign a compliance status in the territory, and the TCP tool may be configured to receive a customer order incoming via a computing client communicatively coupled to the server, the customer order including products and a desired territory as input and to derive a compliance plan specifying fulfillment instructions to fulfill the customer order.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products for providing compliant messaging services are disclosed. Methods according to some embodiments include receiving input data from a campaign sponsor, encrypting at least a portion of the input data, generating a message schedule that includes message content, recipient identification data and temporal data corresponding to a plurality of messages, and sending and/or receiving one of the plurality of messages to and/or from a corresponding recipient.

Abstract: A group targeting system may include an Internet protocol (IP) extraction unit to extract a group IP using a number of accesses per unit time with respect to an IP, and a characteristic determination unit to determine characteristics of a group that uses the group IP through the group IP. The system includes also a targeting unit to provide a targeted service or a targeted advertisement to the group according to the characteristics of the group.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for computing cloud services. A method commences upon invocation of instrumentation configured to monitor a plurality of applications running in a cloud environment. The instruments are configured to capture a first set of metrics and a second set of metrics of respective cloud service tenants. The captured metrics are compared and the comparisons are used to perform a ranking. The rankings of the compared metrics are then used to compare cloud service tenants (e.g., a respective first cloud service tenant is compared with respect to a second cloud service tenant). The ranking is based at least in part on the compared metrics. The rankings can be fairly compared by selecting the first set of metrics with respect to the second set of metrics where both sets of metrics pertain to a common domain, and/or a common application, and/or a common application feature.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide a social media analytics platform. An entity may be configured with respect to the platform and a number of social media accounts, and other data such as aliases or search terms associated with the entity. Data is collected at certain intervals from the various online sites, including social media sites, using the various disparate and proprietary interfaces and data models provided by the sites and the configurations for the social media accounts associated with an entity. Using this data obtained from these online sites one or more scores can be calculated or update based on the data, where the score(s) may serve to quantify a facet of the entity's social media exposure and may serve to be domain specific to the entity. The scores for each of the indices for an entity can thus serve to quantify facets of an entity's social media exposure.

Abstract: A computer method and system provide means for outputting data about organizations to a user. The system includes a database of business relationships between organizations. A user may search for first organizations according to search criteria. The method will select a set of first organizations that match the criteria. The user may select preferred values of second organizations connected to the first organizations. Using the preferred values, the method will reselect and rank the first organizations for display on the user's computing device.

Abstract: Energy demand in an entire community including multiple demanders is properly predicted and energy consumption thereof is properly controlled. Every day, some demanders are selected from the community and a request to adjust energy consumption for the following day is sent to the selected demanders. To decide a content of the request, energy demand for the following day is predicted. In this case, demanders which did not receive a request on past days are specified, and demand in the community for the following day is predicted based on the actual energy consumption by those demanders on the past days.

Abstract: Changes in the supply chain of one product may affect the price and availability of many other products. Likewise, a product may be composed of a number of smaller parts. Changes in the cost or availability of any of the parts that comprise a product may result in changes in cost or availability of the product as well as many other related products. A supply chain analysis engine is used to model a supply chain. The supply chain analysis engine may identify dependencies between products, sub products, and supply chains. The dependencies may be used to analyze the impact of a change in the supply chain on all relevant products.

Abstract: A system is disclosed that identifies early adopter users by creating a directed graph of item access information for an item category and performing a page rank type process on the item access information. This directed graph may be created in a reverse temporal order. The early adopter users can be identified as the users with nodes in the directed graph that have a threshold number or rate of incoming links directly or indirectly pointing towards the nodes. Using the early adopter users as a sample, systems herein can determine whether to recommend an item based on the popularity of the item with respect to the early adopter users. Further, systems herein can determine an inventory level to maintain for an item based on the popularity of the item with respect to the early adopter users.

Abstract: The invention relates to a computer-implemented system and method for enabling the use of rewards cash or points with a mobile device at a merchant's point of sale device, according to one example. The method may comprise the steps of: acquiring information about the location of a mobile device of an account holder; sending information to the mobile device identifying one or more nearby merchants at which the account holder is able to make a payment with the mobile device using a rewards currency associated with an account of the account holder; sending to the mobile device an available rewards currency amount that can be applied to a purchase; receiving a selected rewards currency amount that the account holder elects to apply to the purchase; and initiating a generation of an electronic payment signal by the mobile device for the total purchase amount.

Abstract: This specification describes technologies relating to inferring interactions with advertisers. In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in methods that include providing an online advertisement to a system, receiving data from the system indicating an interaction of the system with the online advertisement and data indicating a subsequent interaction of the system with an online resource of an advertiser associated with the online advertisement, and inferring that an advertisement conversion has occurred based on the received data. Other embodiments of this aspect include corresponding systems, apparatus, and computer program products.

Abstract: Push reporting is disclosed. A first payload comprising feature reporting information and meta information is received from a first device at a first time. A second payload comprising feature reporting information and meta information is received from a second device at a second time. At respective third and fourth times, respective third and fourth payloads are received from the first and second devices, respectively. The third and fourth payloads include additional feature reporting information and meta information. The processing of the information received from the first and second devices is coordinated. A request for information is received. Metrics are provided as output. The metrics are based at least in part on the processing of the information received from the first and second devices.

Abstract: A method and system for analysis and evaluation of branding of commercial products embedded in entertainment programming. The entertainment programming may be divided into blocks that are compared to several rule sets defining audio visual and other attributes of the commercial products to evaluate parameters such as recall of the product by viewers.

Abstract: In the examples provided herein, a controversy detection system includes a classifier engine to classify each of a plurality of comments about a publication as controversial or non-controversial. The system also includes a controversy detector engine to determine, based on the classification of the plurality of comments, whether the publication is controversial or non-controversial.

Abstract: A device, system, and method are directed towards facilitating monetization of mobile devices. A click action server determines click actions that are to be sent to a client device based on one or more factors. The click actions are sent to the client device as links. An action handler receives requests indicating a selected action, and facilitates the performance of the action.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for characterizing websites and viewers, for predicting GRPs (Gross Rating Points) for online advertising media campaigns, and for pricing media campaigns according to GRPs delivered as opposed to impressions delivered. To predict GRPs for a campaign, systems and methods are disclosed for first characterizing polarized websites and then characterizing polarized viewers. To accomplish this, a truth set of viewers with known characteristics is first established and then compared with historic and current media viewing activity to determine a degree of polarity for different Media Properties (MPs)—typically websites offering ads—with respect to gender and age bias. A broader base of polarized viewers is then characterized for age and gender bias, and their propensity to visit a polarized MP is rated. Based on observed and calculated parameters, a GRP total is then predicted and priced to a client/advertiser for an online ad campaign.

Abstract: A business monitoring system is described herein that brings together the previously separate worlds of social media and offline secret shopper and similar programs. With the business monitoring system, owners of brands are able to monitor the local voice of the customer to detect local and regional trends in sentiment and activity, build benchmarks and goals for local storefronts, evaluate in-store operations and customer service trends, and measure the local impact of marketing and advertising initiatives. The system collects and analyzes signals from online sources, producing reports, analytics, benchmarks, and alerts regarding offline activity at the local/store-front level. The system normalizes the signals from various sources, analyzes the signals at the individual location level, aggregates the data across various dimensions, builds benchmarks for comparison, and fires triggers notifying appropriate people upon detecting a meaningful variance.

Abstract: A Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) targeted advertisement delivery method that is operable in a processor coupled to a memory. The method includes monitoring all outgoing communications on a server in order to identify a VoIP telephony signal. Upon detection of a VoIP telephony signal indicating that a VoIP call setup is in progress, the method determines whether a caller identifier associated with the VoIP telephony signal identifies an associated caller as a candidate for a targeted advertisement delivery. If the caller is a candidate for a targeted advertisement delivery, identifying and retrieving a targeted advertisement for presentation to the caller during the call setup.

Abstract: An electronic commerce (e-commerce) system may send advertisement emails to customers that are registered with the e-commerce system. The advertisement emails may include mailto hyperlinks. Each mailto hyperlink may be associated with a product that is being offered for sale, and each mailto hyperlink describes an email message that may be generated when that hyperlink is selected. When a mailto hyperlink is selected, the generated email message may include one or more parameters related to the product associated with the hyperlink, such as an identifier of the product. The generated email message may then be transmitted to the e-commerce system. The e-commerce system may receive the message and, based on the parameters in the received message, execute a transaction to purchase the identified product on behalf of the customer.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus include computer programs encoded on a computer-readable storage medium for selecting content. A method includes: receiving an initial request for content that is to be presented along with search results responsive to a search request; identifying one or more eligible content items from the candidate content items that satisfy the initial request; receiving information describing the search results; re-processing the initial request using the information including one or more of adding other eligible content items, removing one or more previously eligible content items, adjusting a quality score or a bid associated with one or more eligible content items, or re-ranking the eligible content items; conducting an auction based on ranked eligible content items; and selecting one or more content items from among the eligible content items based on the results of the auction and transmitting the selected one or more content items.

Abstract: Application developers can request to have their applications registered for use with a content delivery platform. The operator of the content delivery platform establishes perimeters defining geographic areas, and maintains records reserving particular areas for delivery of content associated with particular sponsors. Registered applications running on mobile devices can request content from the content delivery platform. Based at least in part on the request, the content delivery platform can identify a target location, which may be the location of the mobile device, or some other location indicated in the request. A mobile device can be provided content based on the relationship of the target location to the geographic areas, so that a registered application running on a mobile device with a target location contained within a geographic area assigned to a particular sponsor will receive content related to that sponsor.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed which may allow a user having a mobile device to check in to a location using a packet sequence that includes information for identifying the location transmitted by one or more Bluetooth® Low Energy (BLE) beacons at or near the location. The user may be able to store packet sequences for various locations that may allow the user to automatically check into these locations using the store packet sequences.

Abstract: Various systems and methods for interaction with digital signage are described herein. A system for interacting with digital signage, includes an identification module to identify, at an onboard system in a vehicle, a first roadside digital signage, the first roadside digital signage having first content; a communication module to receive a first option to perform a first action related to the first content; and a presentation module to display the first option via the onboard system.

Abstract: A system is disclosing having a portable device, a computer, a network, and a display system. The portable device includes an input means for entering data and a wireless transceiver for transmitting the data and receiving messages. The computer includes an application and a display, the application includes a filter that checks the data against a list of words and indicates on the display if the data contains at least one of the words. The network is operatively connected to the portable device and the computer. The display system is connected to the computer and includes a display screen where the data is automatically displayed on the display screen for a predetermined period of time.

Abstract: The present invention is directed towards methods and systems for matching, by a demand side service, an advertisement with an impression from a plurality of impressions available across a plurality of impression opportunity providers. A demand side service executing on one or more servers may receive a request to bid for placement of an advertisement on one or more impression opportunities available across a plurality of impression opportunity providers. The demand side service may further determine an impression opportunity from the plurality of impression opportunities to bid on. In addition, the demand side service may communicate, via a network, one or more bids via an interface to an impression opportunity provider of the plurality of impression opportunity providers. The demand side service may complete a transaction to procure the impression opportunity from the impression opportunity provider responsive to a winning bid from the one or more bids.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for protecting consumer privacy in an online advertising environment. A request may be received from a browser for a webpage along with a unique browser identifier. The browser may be provided a first portion of the webpage that is locally available. The unique browser identifier may be provided to at least one advertising entity, wherein the advertising entity determines an advertisement based, at least in part, on the unique browser identifier. The advertisement may be received from the advertising entity, and provided to the browser as a second portion of the webpage.

Abstract: Techniques for offering an item that may be otherwise unavailable from an electronic marketplace may be provided. For example, based on receiving information about the item from a consumer, a template describing the item may be generated. Information based on the template may be transmitted to subscribed merchants and may allow one or more of the subscribed merchants to offer the item. If an offer is received, a data exchange between a corresponding merchant and the consumer may be facilitated. The data exchange may allow the merchant to offer the item to the consumer.

Abstract: Method to perform secure transactions with a digital device starts with microphone receiving signal generated by the digital device. Signal includes product information in inaudible portion of signal that identifies at least one product associated with a timeframe of signal. Trusted execution environment (TEE) generates start signal based on first sensor signal from first sensor that may be inertial sensor. Start signal is generated when first sensor signals indicate that user wishes to perform transactions with digital device. TEE verifies an origin of the product information to determine integrity of the origin and data. Display device displays purchasing information to a user that is based on the product information. TEE authenticates user based on second sensor signal from second sensor that may be biometrics sensor. TEE completes transaction to purchase at least one product by providing payment information associated with user. Other embodiments are also described.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for fabricating products on demand. In some embodiments, a manufacturable model, which may include information about a three-dimensional representation of a product to be fabricated, is received by a user of an electronic system and may be validated by the electronic system. A prototype of the product can be generated based at least in part on the manufacturable model, and the manufacturable model and/or the product can be made available for selection by other users of the system. The product may be fabricated based at least in part on the manufacturable model using, for example, a three-dimensional printer, and may be delivered to users of the electronic system.

Abstract: A valid configuration of a product is determined by a computer based on a complete product model. The initial product model includes variables with associated values, and rules, wherein the variables and rules define a configuration problem to be solved. Some variables of the initial product model are defined as scope variables. Based on the selected values for scope variables the initial product model is restricted by the computer to a simplified product model. The simplified product model is employed in order to set the values of the variables not being defined as scope variables in an iterative computer-implemented process.

Abstract: Opaque offerings of items conceal at least one attribute of the items from customers, typically a brand associated with the items. Such offerings usually include a generic description of the items and an opaque price that is typically lower than a standard offered price for the items. By identifying customers who may have an interest in such items, and tailoring opaque recommendations of such items to such customers, an online marketplace may increase the likelihood that such items will sell to customers while protecting an owner of a brand of such items from any negative implication or connotation that may be associated with offering such items at substandard prices.

Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for determining an amount of color additive to add to paint. Color measurement data is transmitted via a network is received at a server. A color formulation is identified based on the color measurement data. Historical color recommendation data is accessed from a data repository, where the data repository contains color data that is based on previous color recommendations. The color formulation is adjusted based on the historical color recommendation data, and the adjusted color formulation is transmitted from the server via the network.

Abstract: Systems and methods for intelligent gift registries are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method for using an intelligent gift registry may include: (1) receiving, from a gift receiver, an identification of at least one gift receiver interest; (2) receiving, from a gift giver, an identification of at least one gift giver interest; (3) at least one computer processor generating a gift giving suggestion list comprising at least one gift giving suggestion and based on the at least one gift receiver interest and the at least one gift giver interest; (4) providing, to the gift giver, the gift suggestion list; and (5) receiving, from one of the gift giver, a gift selection.

Abstract: Methods and systems for generating location-aware group recommendations are discussed. For example, a method can include operations for receiving a group recommendation request, accessing user profile data associated with members of the group, and generating a group recommendation. The group recommendation request can be received at a network-based system and include identification of a first and second user as well as information identifying a current location associated with the first and second users. Accessing the user profile information can include accessing user profile information for both the first and second users. The group recommendation can be generated based on the current location data and a combination of at least a portion of the user profile data from the first and second users.

Abstract: One embodiment provides a system for dynamically optimizing inventory picking paths within a physical store. The system performs operations including receiving merchandise requests from customers, providing the merchandise requests to merchandise pickers, and receiving, from the merchandise pickers, picking data identifying picking paths executed by the merchandise pickers when picking items within the physical store to fulfill the merchandise requests. The operations further include analyzing the merchandise requests and the picking data to identify an algorithm suitable for determining an optimized picking path, and, in response to receiving a new online merchandise request, applying the algorithm to determine an optimized picking path for fulfilling the new online merchandise request. The optimized picking path is provided to at least one of the merchandise pickers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are related generally to systems and methods for providing increased security at Automated Teller Machines (“ATMs”) through the use of “smart glass” barriers. The system provides for increased security at ATMs by decreasing the transparency in glass panels which partially or completely enclose an ATM. In the present invention, a change in electrical current is delivered to the glass panel. The change in electrical current functions to decrease the transparency of the transparent glass panel, at least partially restricting the view of the user at the automated teller machine. Thus, the user may securely complete the transaction. In embodiments of the invention, the interior and exterior sides of the glass panels may also function as a high definition projection screens, and may be used to present displays to the user and/or to others.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system for analyzing and reporting electronic transactions in a network environment includes an interface that may receive a transaction request at a first network device. A processor communicatively coupled to the interface may execute a task associated with the transaction request generate a transaction report associated with the transaction request and the task. The transaction report may include a request identifier, a request field comprising a task identifier and a uniform resource locator (URL) resource name, a time stamp field, a status code field, and a duration field. The interface may communicate the transaction report to a transaction module operable to aggregate the transaction report with one or more additional transaction reports associated with the transaction request using the unique identifier associated with the transaction request.

Abstract: Methods and systems to prevent adverse exchange limit effects are disclosed. An example method of message management includes tracking, at a gateway, a transaction count of trade messages communicated to an exchange via an exchange link. The example method includes defining a first transaction limit based on the transaction count, and calculating a second transaction limit as a function of the first transaction limit, wherein the second transaction limit is to correspond to a reserve capacity associated with the exchange link. The example method includes assigning a message priority to each of a plurality of trade messages to communicate to the exchange. The example method includes communicating trade messages of the plurality of trade messages having a first message priority to the exchange when the transaction count is greater than the second transaction limit, and delaying or rejecting trade messages of the plurality of trade messages having a second message priority.

Abstract: A computer system and related methods configured to store and deliver, upon request, information related to asset-backed security pools, and execute transactions between one or more parties relating to the same. The system generally comprises a computer and a network interface that includes a data storage system in communication with the computer, the data storage system storing information relating to the securities, and account information related to at least one or more parties. The computer operative to provide information related to security pools to at least one of the parties, enable the at least one party to select one or more security pools for inclusion in a specified pool, provide aggregate pool data and information related to the selected specified pool to at least one other party, receive pricing information from at least one other party, and execute a trade for the asset-backed security pools in the specified pool.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems, methods, and computer program products for assessing retirement planning based on a retirement score. The system is configured to create a social network group, receive a request for the user to join the social network group, receive financial information of the user. Based on the financial information of the user, determine the projected retirement score of the user. This system may additionally determine a projected group retirement score range for the social network group, determine that the projected retirement score of the user is within the projected group retirement score range for the social network group, create a group membership for the user to join the social network group based on determining the projected retirement score of the user is within the projected group retirement score range for the social network group.

Abstract: A method to dynamically aggregate insurance premiums is disclosed. An insurance policy is dynamically adjusted responsive to input data received at a dynamic provisioning system, the adjusting including a calculating of a new premium of the insurance policy. An amount of a payment of the new premium is identified based on preference data received at the dynamic provisioning system. An entity insured by the insurance policy is notified of the amount.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving from a telemetric apparatus carried by a first vehicle an identity of an operator of the first vehicle and kinematic data characterizing movement and first location of the first vehicle. At least one weather condition associated with the first location is received from a source of environmental data. At least one of terrain geometry of the first location, road speed limit at the first location, vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) data generated by an instrument proximate the first location, and vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) data generated by an instrument proximate the first location is received from a source of location-specific data. The data received by the first communication device is stored in a database. Data from the database is provided to at least one entity.

Abstract: Technologies are disclosed for linking data from multiple market participants to generate a consolidated audit trail.