Voting Or Election Arrangement Patents (Class 705/12)
  • Patent number: 10243967
    Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for detecting fraudulent promotion of a software application, the method including acquiring comment information associated with a software application, the comment information including one or more comments; calculating an average similarity or average information entropy of the comment information, wherein the average similarity is calculated based on a similarity between the one or more comments and wherein the average information entropy is calculated based on an information gain between the one or more comments; defining a determination threshold range for a category associated with the software application, wherein the determination threshold range is defined by a plurality of probability statistical distribution parameters based on average similarities or average information entropies of other applications associated with the category; and identifying the software application as fraudulent if the average similarity or average information entropy of the comment information
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 26, 2019
    Assignee: ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LIMITED
    Inventor: Yuxiang Hu
  • Patent number: 10229173
    Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods are provided for analyzing and responding to a query from a user. Consistent with certain embodiments, systems and methods are provided for receiving a query from the user and dividing the query into query segments based on a set of grammar rules. Further, systems and methods are provided for selecting a first segment from the query segments, receiving at least one tuple stored in association with the user, selecting a second segment from the at least one tuple. Additionally, systems and methods are provided for receiving information related to the first and second segments, and generating a response to the query based on the received information. In addition, systems and methods are provided for transmitting information to a display device for presenting the response to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2019
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Ian MacGillivray, Engin Cinar Sahin, Emma Sarah Persky, Max Bogue, Angela Ni-Hwey Chang, Konrad Piotr Delong
  • Patent number: 10217086
    Abstract: A system for managing business to business communications may include an event generation unit configured to create a first event based on receiving a purchase order from a client. The system may also include an event detection unit in communication with the event generation unit, the event detection unit configured to detect the first event. The system may also include an action unit in communication with the event generation unit. The action unit may be configured to determine a first action to perform based on the detection of the first event, and perform the first action. The event generation unit may be further configured to create a second event based on the performance of the first action.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2019
    Assignee: GOLBAL HEALTHCARE EXCHANGE, LLC
    Inventors: Steve Cochran, Hatem El-Sebaaly, Greg Wilson, Paul Knuth, Chad Maloney
  • Patent number: 10187372
    Abstract: A mobile voting system and method are provided. The mobile voting system may include a mobile messaging aggregator configured to receive voter verification requests from one or more mobile carriers, and a mobile voter verification server configured to verify a voter's identity in response to a voter verification request and generate a link to a mobile ballot once the voter's identity has been verified. The mobile messaging aggregator may cause the link to the mobile ballot to be transmitted to a mobile device of the voter, which when selected by the voter, allows the voter to cast a vote.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2018
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: Global Mobile, LLC
    Inventors: Lee Ballinger Durham, III, Scott Hughes
  • Patent number: 10181167
    Abstract: A system for predicting and prescribing actions for impacting policymaking outcomes may include at least one processor configured to access first information scraped from the Internet to identify, for a particular pending policy, information about a plurality of policymakers slated to make a determination on the pending policy. The processor may parse the scraped first information to determine an initial prediction relating to an outcome of the pending policy. The processor may access second information to identify an action likely to change at least one of the initial prediction and the propensity of at least one policymaker, to thereby generate a subsequent prediction corresponding to an increase in a likelihood of achieving the desired outcome. The processor may display to the system user a recommendation to take the action in order to increase the likelihood of achieving the desired outcome.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: FiscalNote, Inc.
    Inventors: Vladimir Eidelman, Brian Grom, Daniel Argyle, Jervis Pinto, John Zoshak
  • Patent number: 10152517
    Abstract: The systems and methods described create a mathematical representation of each of the media objects for which user ratings are known. The mathematical representations take into account the subjective rating value assigned by a user to the respective media object and the user that assigned the rating value. The media object with the mathematical representation closest to that of the seed media object is then selected as the most similar media object to the seed media object. In an embodiment, the mathematical representation is a vector representation in which each user is a different dimension and each user's rating value is the magnitude of the vector in that dimension. Similarity between two songs is determined by identifying the closest vectors to that of the seed song. Closeness may be determined by subtracting or by calculating the dot product of each of the vectors with that of the seed media object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Excalibur IP, LLC
    Inventors: Malcolm Slaney, William White
  • Patent number: 10125294
    Abstract: In an adhesive sheet, temperature dependence of a relative dielectric constant that is determined by a test for evaluating temperature dependence is equal to or less than 30%, and a 180° peel strength determined by a test for evaluating adhesiveness is equal to or greater than 0.20 N/mm. The adhesive sheet can inhibit the occurrence of malfunctioning of a capacitance-type touch panel in an environment of a wide temperature range from a low temperature to a high temperature, and can be included in a laminate for a touch panel and a capacitance-type touch panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2018
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Corporation
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Mitamura, Michihiro Shibata, Shinya Ogikubo
  • Patent number: 10121135
    Abstract: Presently disclosed are systems and methods for integrating an e-commerce platform with point-of-sale technology. In an embodiment, an e-commerce platform receives fashion-article-registration messages that each include an article identifier and a set of article-characteristic data that correspond to the respective wearable fashion article. The e-commerce platform uses the article-characterization data to determine an appraised quantity of platform credit for the corresponding fashion article, and stores that appraised quantity of platform credit in association with the corresponding article identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 12, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2018
    Assignee: RELABLD LLC
    Inventor: Sina Foroohar
  • Patent number: 10115109
    Abstract: A system to determine a first reputation value for a first user associated with a transaction with a second user first determines a weighted value based on one or more user transaction attributes. The user transaction attributes may be associated with at least one of the first user and the second user. Next the system calculates the first reputation value for the first user as a function of a first current reputation value of the first user and the weighted value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2018
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventor: Neelakantan Sundaresan
  • Patent number: 10091225
    Abstract: A device includes a processor configured to accumulate a plurality of logs in the memory, by repeating a capturing process and a logging process, the logging process including extracting a source identifier of a source computer, a destination identifier of a destination computer, and an attribute parameter which is set in an attribute item regarding an operation for the destination computer by the source computer, execute a detection process of detecting a target computer and another infected computer, the detection process including extracting a first destination identifier and a first attribute parameter, from a first log having an identifier of the infected computer in the source identifier, and extracting a second source identifier and a second destination identifier, from a second log having the first attribute parameter in the attribute parameter, and output the first destination identifier, the second source identifier, and the second destination identifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: FUJITSU LIMITED
    Inventors: Yuki Fujishima, Masanobu Morinaga, Mebae Yamaoka
  • Patent number: 10027647
    Abstract: A voter verification system and method are provided. The voter verification system may include a mobile messaging aggregator configured to receive voter verification requests from one or more mobile carriers, and a mobile voter verification server configured to verify a voter's identity in response to a voter verification request and generate a voter verified code once the voter's identity has been verified. The mobile messaging aggregator may cause a link to the voter verified code to be transmitted to a mobile device of the voter, which when selected by the voter, allows the voter to cast a vote.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Global Mobile, LLC
    Inventors: Lee Ballinger Durham, III, Scott Hughes
  • Patent number: 10015552
    Abstract: An electronic voting method, system and apparatus is disclosed. A vote message is received at a network node, the vote message comprising a sender identifier, event identifier and a timestamp. The sender identifier, event identifier and timestamp are read, and it is determined from the timestamp that an event window was open and whether the window was a first or subsequent window. In the event that the window is the first window, the vote and sender identifier are stored at a database. In the event that the window is a second or subsequent window, the sender identifier is compared to sender identifiers stored at a previous window and if a match is found the vote is marked as validated and the vote stored at the database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2018
    Assignee: Your View Ltd.
    Inventor: Bob Antell
  • Patent number: 9981192
    Abstract: Tools, strategies, and techniques are provided for connecting an audience comprising artists of many different kinds with a wider audience of other users to engage in competitions, provide commentary, review communications, and perform other activities around works of art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: MUSIXSTER, LLC
    Inventors: Alessandro Originale Di Criscio, Francesco Claude Originale Di Criscio
  • Patent number: 9870666
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program for tabulating votes and creating an audit trail is provided. A ballot processing device may include a paper feed mechanism, a computer, a ballot processing application loaded on the computer, and a digital scanning device linked to the computer. The ballot processing application may process the digital image to establish a series of processing results definning one or more voting results for the paper ballot, and also an audit trail. The ballot processing application may process the digital image to define the voting results based on criteria established by election officials, including ambiguous mark criteria. The audit trail enables election officials to verify that particular paper ballots have been processed correctly in accordance with these criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2018
    Assignee: Dominion Voting Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: John Poulos, James Hoover, Nick Ikonomakis, Goran Obradovic
  • Patent number: 9824394
    Abstract: A payment processing system for mobile point-of-sale transactions from a mobile point-of-sale (POS) terminal including a payment card reader having a card interface configured to read data from a payment card, the payment processing system configured to process a request from a merchant to provide financing for a purchase by a buyer (e.g., a second merchant). The payment processing system is further configured to calculate financing terms including an approved purchase amount and repayment terms for the approved purchase amount, to transmit the financing terms to the merchant for presentation to the buyer via the mobile POS terminal, to receive an acceptance of the financing terms from the buyer, to transmit the approved purchase amount to the merchant, and to receive payment from the buyer according to the repayment terms.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: SQUARE, INC.
    Inventors: Brian Boates, Adam Jeremy Fern, Andrew Kimball, John Bryan Scott
  • Patent number: 9824520
    Abstract: An electronic voting method and system implemented in a portable device (1) that improves voting transparency and speed, encouraging participation in the voting process, comprised of registering an identifier code of the portable device (1) used by the voter to vote, associating said identifier to the voter's identity; selecting a Code A by the voter from a first plurality of random codes (20a) received in the portable device (1) and a Code B from a second plurality of random codes (20b) received in the portable device (1); casting the vote in a voting interface (30a) associating it with the random code B selected by the voter, where said association is called voting set (10b); issuing the identifier of the portable device in an identifier interface (40a) associating it with random code A selected by the voter, where said association is called identifier set (10a); sending via a network (5) to the at least one server (6) the voting information that is comprised of at least two separate batches of information,
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Inventor: Cesar Ramon Juan Correa Parker
  • Patent number: 9774649
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a system and method for providing a content distribution network. In an embodiment, the system and method helps organizations share content as a content source, and manage multiple feeds of content from various other content sources, keeping specific information private while integrating shared updates. For example, the content may be local business information kept by numerous different organizations for their own locality. By sharing this location information through a shared content distribution network, the organizations are able to update the location information of their users and obtain a higher quality of data. In an embodiment, an organization may prioritize the content in a private feed in order to override crowd sourced external data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Sergejs Marins, Grant Ritchie
  • Patent number: 9727653
    Abstract: Methods and systems for learning models of the preferences of members drawn from some population or group, utilizing arbitrary paired preferences of those members, in any commonly used ranking model are disclosed. These methods and systems utilize techniques for learning Mallows models, and mixtures thereof, from pairwise preference data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Tian Lu, Craig Edgar Boutilier
  • Patent number: 9710988
    Abstract: A system, method and computer program for tabulating votes and creating an audit trail is provided. A ballot processing device may include a paper feed mechanism, a computer, a ballot processing application loaded on the computer, and a digital scanning device linked to the computer. The ballot processing application may process the digital image to establish a series of processing results defining one or more voting results for the paper ballot, and also an audit trail. The ballot processing application may process the digital image to define the voting results based on criteria established by election officials, including ambiguous mark criteria. The audit trail enables election officials to verify that particular paper ballots have been processed correctly in accordance with these criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Dominion Voting Systems Inc.
    Inventors: John Poulos, James Hoover, Nick Ikonomakis, Goran Obradovic
  • Patent number: 9669299
    Abstract: Tools, strategies, and techniques are provided for connecting an audience comprising artists of many different kinds with a wider audience of other users to engage in competitions, provide commentary, review communications, and perform other activities around works of art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Musixster, LLC
    Inventors: Alessandro Originale Di Criscio, Francesco Claude Originale Di Criscio
  • Patent number: 9659258
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a training model based on feedback are provided. The method for generating a training model based on feedback, includes calculating an eigenvector of a sample among a plurality of samples; obtaining scores granted by a user for one or more of the plurality of samples in a round, obtaining scores granted by the user for a first number of samples; obtaining scores granted by the user for a second number of samples in response to detecting, based on the eigenvector, an inconsistency between the scores granted by the user for the first number of samples; and generating a training model based on the scores granted by the user for the first and second numbers of samples. A corresponding apparatus is also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2017
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Liangliang Cao, Ning Duan, Qian Lin, Chen Wang, Junchi Yan, Xin Zhang
  • Patent number: 9619520
    Abstract: A method and system for evaluating and sharing user-generated media files have been disclosed. The method and system is embodied in a contest/festival that entices visitors to return to the site to vote on their favorite videos by providing a plurality of phases in which the best performing media files are promoted based on voting scores. According to one embodiment, a computer implemented method comprises generating scores for each media file in four phases and calculating the total score for each of the four phases. The scores are calculated based on the number of views and votes from users for each media file. The votes are generated using questions, percentage of video viewed, comments, social distribution, and recommendations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: papalove productions, LLC
    Inventor: Konstantin A Rubchinsky
  • Patent number: 9607288
    Abstract: A method and system for streamlining a voting process performed by a web application is provided. As the web application may require that a voting action is effectuated after the user is registered to vote and also has supplied valid credentials, a voting application may be configured to intercept a request from a user to effectuate voting process directed to the web application, access credentials of the user stored by the web-based social networking application, and provide these credentials to the web application, such that the web application can process the request to effectuate voting process by registering the user to vote and storing the vote information for the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventors: Hemal Doshi, Nausher Ahmed Cholavaram, Deval Dudhia, Om Prakash Kannusami, Balakrishna Shanka
  • Patent number: 9582767
    Abstract: Media item recommendations, such as music track recommendations, may be made using one or more models generated using data collected from a plurality of media stream sources, such as, for example, Internet radio stations. In an initial, bootstrapping phase, data about media items and media stream playlists of media stream sources may be used to generate a model, which comprises latent factor vectors, or learned profiles, of media items, e.g., tracks, artists, etc. Such a bootstrapping phase may be performed without user data, such as user playlists and/or user feedback, to generate a model that may be used to make media item recommendations. As user data becomes available, e.g., as users of a recommendation service provide user data, the user data may be used to supplement and/or update the model and/or to create user profiles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2017
    Assignee: EXCALIBUR IP, LLC
    Inventors: Oren Somekh, Yehuda Koren, Natalie Aizenberg
  • Patent number: 9483754
    Abstract: A method for generating an interactive stacking plan of a building is disclosed. A building data file with one or more external tenant records in a first format is received on a server computer system. Data values of one or more of the external tenant record fields are imported into master tenant records, each of which is defined by a plurality of master tenant record attributes. Stacking plan graphical elements are generated for each of the master tenant records with a size proportional to a leased space. A user-activatable link that generates an independent display of at least one of the master tenant record attributes is included in the stacking plan graphical element. The stacking plan graphical elements are arranged in the interactive stacking plan according to the floor identifier attributes of the corresponding master tenant records. The interactive stacking plan is then transmitted to the client computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2016
    Assignee: Stevenson Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter L. Stevenson, Nathaniel S. Olson, Jim Nista
  • Patent number: 9479327
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for generating a key. The apparatus includes: an input analyzer configured to identify a plurality of symbols from user identity (ID) information, and to derive at least one permutation from the plurality of symbols; and a key generator configured to obtain a plurality of pre-calculated keys including a plurality of first pre-calculated keys and at least one second pre-calculated key, and to generate, from the plurality of pre-calculated keys, a cryptographic key corresponding to the user ID information, the plurality of first pre-calculated keys respectively corresponding to the plurality of symbols, the at least one second pre-calculated key respectively corresponding to the at least one permutation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2016
    Assignee: SAMSUNG SDS CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Hyo-Jin Yoon
  • Patent number: 9430131
    Abstract: A system, methods, and user interface for organizing an unstructured collection of electronic objects in a list or group format are disclosed for more effectively locating and retrieving needed items from a large number of candidates. The electronic objects include various types of data objects, including files or folders or contacts. The methods include assigning importance measures to items in the collection based on various attributes associated with the objects. The attributes include metadata and attributes obtained from content analyzes of the objects, including a specific term, a term with a specific semantic attribute, a class of the object, and other attributes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 30, 2016
    Inventor: Guangsheng Zhang
  • Patent number: 9401059
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable media are provided for conducting an election. In one exemplary embodiment, there is provided a method for ensuring integrity of an electronic ballot. The method can include creating electronic ballots for voters based on votes received from the voters; digitally signing the electronic ballots; storing the signed electronic ballots; retrieving the signed electronic ballots from storage; verifying the digital signatures on the retrieved electronic ballots; and presenting the voters with validation pages derived from the retrieved electronic ballots, the validation pages including a user interface element for the voters to confirm that the retrieved electronic ballots accurately reflect their vote.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: E-GOVERNMENT CONSULTING GROUP, INC.
    Inventors: Alisa Backert, Christopher Charles Backert, Christopher Charles Dahl
  • Patent number: 9317541
    Abstract: A traditional data processing system is configured to process input data either in batch or in real-time. On one hand, a batch data processing system is limiting because the batch data processing often cannot take into account any data received during the batch data processing. On the other hand, a real-time data processing system is limiting because the real-time system often cannot scale. The real-time data processing system is often limited to dealing with primitive data types and/or a small amount of data. Therefore, it is desirable to address the limitations of the batch data processing system and the real-time data processing system by combining the benefits of the batch data processing system and the real-time data processing system into a single data processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2016
    Assignee: Factual Inc.
    Inventors: Boris Shimanovsky, Ahad Rana, Chun Kok
  • Patent number: 9286376
    Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for processing a multidimensional string query. Using the apparatus and method, a search of a multidimensional multi-attribute string may be rapidly processed on the basis of a multidimensional n-gram index.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2012
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sanghyun Yoo, Kyoung-Gu Woo, Young-Seok Kim
  • Patent number: 9269259
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments illustrate methods and systems for processing crowd-sensed data. The method includes receiving the crowd-sensed data from a mobile device associated with a user. The crowd-sensed data corresponds to metadata of an event pertaining to an aberration in at least one of a public service, a public infrastructure, a private service, or a private infrastructure. Thereafter, the event may be prioritized based at least on a type of the event, a measure of impact of the event, or a measure of urgency to resolve the event. Further, a notification of the event may be transmitted to an organization responsible to at least resolve the event, based on the prioritizing, wherein the notification comprises at least the metadata.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 23, 2016
    Assignee: Xerox Corporation
    Inventors: Anirban Mondal, Tridib Mukherjee, Avinash Sharma, Saraschandra Karanam
  • Patent number: 9196105
    Abstract: A method includes receiving a voter list and one or more different types of ballot images. The method includes receiving a side file which associates the ballot images with the voters of the voter list, and using a control program to access the side file and select one of the ballot images which corresponds to a selected voter of the voter list. A print job is formed which includes the selected ballot image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2015
    Inventors: Robert Kevin Runbeck, Valentino F. Guyett, John W. Latsko
  • Patent number: 9165417
    Abstract: The method includes using a voting computer to represent the user selected voting options gathered by a voting application running in the voting computer, using an element that has a machine readable format such as a barcode, recording then the element in a physical media using a printing device connected to the voting computer, so that it is suitable to be delivered by the user using a physical channel such as a postal service to the electoral officers. Once the delivered physical media is received by the intended destination (e.g., election officials), the method introduces the step of reading the element information contained in the physical media using a reading device connected to a retrieving computer. Finally, the method introduces a process for generating a physical ballot in the retrieving computer using the information delivered by the voter and a printing device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2015
    Assignee: SCYTL SECURE ELECTRONIC VOTING, S.A.
    Inventors: Pere Vallès Fontanals, Pablo Sarrias Bandrés, Jordi PuiggalíAllepuz, Sandra Guasch Castelló
  • Patent number: 9092923
    Abstract: A system for remotely monitoring a plurality of ballot tabulation devices is provided. The ballot tabulation devices are located at a plurality of polling locations, each of which is operable to process a plurality of marked paper ballots and maintain health status information for the device. The system includes a central server located remotely from the ballot tabulation devices that is operable to periodically receive the health status information for each device and generate an alert that identifies any irregularities associated with each device based on the received health status information. Preferably, the health status information is encoded in a machine-readable code that is displayed on a display screen of the ballot tabulation device, and a reading device is used to read the machine-readable code from the display screen and transmit the health status information to the central server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: ELECTION SYSTEMS & SOFTWARE, LLC
    Inventors: Steve Bolton, Kenneth Carbullido
  • Patent number: 9092922
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and programs allow for the secure compilation of vote data from electronic voting machines at a voting location. Systems, methods, and programs provide the secure electronic transmission of the vote data to a central location for tabulation. provide a vote data consolidation function that can collect and consolidate vote data from a plurality of types or generations voting machines. Systems, methods, and programs provide a vote data transmission function that can communicate with a server in a central tabulation headquarters to securely transmit vote data that has been consolidated from a plurality of voting machines. Systems, methods, and programs provide a voter initialization function, wherein, after establishing a voter's identity, a voter authorization card may be initialized for the voter to gain access to a voting machine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 28, 2015
    Assignee: SMARTMATIC INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Antonio Mugica, Eduardo Correia, Roger Pinate
  • Patent number: 9082245
    Abstract: A method for electronic voting includes providing an electronic data storage device, the device containing a bar code or magnetic strip, providing an automated system for activation of the device, providing an associated user with a unique identifier, wherein the unique identifier is used to activate the device, activating the device utilizing an automated system, verifying the unique identifier, providing election options to the associated user, wherein the election options consist of voting for a political party for all races and voting for individual races, electronically entering voting selections, confirming voting selections, uploading the voting selections to a central database, providing a confirmation number to the associated user once the voting selections have be uploaded, scanning the bar code, connecting the scan of the bar code to the central database, downloading the voting selections from the central database to a voting ballot, scanning the ballot, and recording the voting selections.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2015
    Assignee: Vecsys, LLC
    Inventor: Rodney L. Griggs
  • Patent number: 9070135
    Abstract: A method for assigning an attribute to an agent for use in an agent-based model, including receiving or selecting a first numerical value for assigning an attribute of an agent in an agent-based model. The method further includes receiving or selecting a random numerical value, blending the first and random numerical values, resulting in an intermediate value, and blending the intermediate result with the first numerical value, or the random numerical value, or with a second numerical value, resulting in an end value. The method further includes utilizing the end value to assign the attribute of the agent in the agent-based model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2015
    Assignee: THINKVINE CORPORATION
    Inventors: Theresa S. Sullivan, Sean P. Tunning
  • Publication number: 20150120401
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, determining that a voting user interface (VUI) is to be provided with search results, the VUI enabling a user to submit one or more votes in a voting-based campaign; receiving social content, the social content having been distributed using one or more social networking services; receiving search results that are responsive to a search query; and transmitting instructions to display the search results and the VUI, the VUI comprising the social content.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Tilke Mary Judd, Jyrki A. Alakuijala, Alexandru Ovidiu Dovlecel, Zaheed Sabur, Abraham Moolenaar, Peter W. Dickman, Marvin Chow, Ardan Arac
  • Publication number: 20150120400
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, receiving a search query from a user; determining that a voting user interface (VUI) is to be provided based on the search query, the VUI enabling the user to submit one or more votes in a vote-based campaign; receiving search results that are responsive to the search query; and transmitting instructions to display the search results and the VUI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 30, 2013
    Publication date: April 30, 2015
    Applicant: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Tilke Mary Judd, Jyrki A. Alakuijala, Alexandru Ovidiu Dovlecel, Abraham Moolenaar, Peter W. Dickman, Zaheed Sabur, Ardan Arac, Marvin Chow, Eduardo Jodas Samper
  • Publication number: 20150112772
    Abstract: Systems, processes, user interfaces, and computer readable media are described for scoring political entities on one or more political issues. In one example, the scoring is based on text data and political contribution data associated with the political entity. For example, a process may access or determine text data and financial contribution data associated with a political entity and then score the political entity to provide a measure of the political entity's ideology or position on one or more issues. Various graphical elements and interactive user interfaces can be generated based on various information derived therefrom. Users may search various political entities to view political entity scores, text data, financial data, issues, and the like, as well as enter their own political scores and/or issues to assist in identifying political entities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 23, 2015
    Inventors: Adam BONICA, Steve HILTON, Kevin TWOHY
  • Publication number: 20150106170
    Abstract: Systems, processes, user interfaces, and computer readable media are described for scoring political entities on one or more political issues. In one example, the scoring is based on text data and political contribution data associated with the political entity. For example, a process may access or determine text data and financial contribution data associated with a political entity and then score the political entity to provide a measure of the political entity's ideology or position on one or more issues. Various graphical elements and interactive user interfaces can be generated based on various information derived therefrom. Users may search various political entities to view political entity scores, text data, financial data, issues, and the like, as well as enter their own political scores and/or issues to assist in identifying political entities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Adam BONICA
  • Publication number: 20150106168
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for configuring electronic voting. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventor: Roy Grossberg
  • Publication number: 20150106169
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, are provided for ballot generation. Related systems, methods, and articles of manufacture are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2014
    Publication date: April 16, 2015
    Inventors: Roy Grossberg, Thomas Hartwell, Warren Scott
  • Patent number: 9009062
    Abstract: In some embodiments, the instant invention provides a programmed system having a computer programmed with software instructions that include at least: code to receive an electronic Tender voting request to conduct a Tender voting; where the Tender voting is limited to a plurality of employees who has owned shares of an issuer at a record date via at least one of: i) at least one 401K plan, and ii) at least one employee stock ownership plan (ESOP); where the Tender voting is selected from the group of Tender voting types consisting of: i) a Tender offer, ii) an All-or-None Tender offer, and iii) a Dutch Tender auction; code to identify the plurality of employees; code to generate a plurality of programmed visual computer screens to allow the plurality of employees to submit Tender votes; and code to dynamically output a report identifying a progress of the Tender voting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 14, 2015
    Assignee: Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph Mannino, Edwin Crespo
  • Publication number: 20150100392
    Abstract: A system and method for voting is disclosed. The system and method allows voters to vote for write-in candidates, and then updates the ballot so that the written-in candidates appear as listed candidates alongside the other listed candidates on the ballot. The disclosed system and method reduces the inherent disadvantage of write-in candidates in current voting systems and methods.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 9, 2013
    Publication date: April 9, 2015
    Applicant: TopwHats Inc.
    Inventor: Ephraim Feig
  • Patent number: 9003516
    Abstract: A smart card, system, and method for securely authorizing a user or user device using the smart card is provided. The smart card is configured to provide, upon initialization or a request for authentication, a public key to the user input device such that the PIN or password entered by the user is encrypted before transmission to the smart card via a smart card reader. The smart card then decrypts the PIN or password to authorize the user. Preferably, the smart card is configured to provide both a public key and a nonce to the user input device, which then encrypts a concatenation or other combination of the nonce and the user-input PIN or password before transmission to the smart card. The smart card reader thus never receives a copy of the PIN or password in the clear, allowing the smart card to be used with untrusted smart card readers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Michael Kenneth Brown, Neil Patrick Adams, Herbert Anthony Little
  • Patent number: 9003056
    Abstract: The present invention provides a peer-to-peer (P2P) network for providing real time media recommendations. The P2P network includes a central server interconnecting a number of peer devices. In operation, a proxy function of the central server receives media recommendations from one or more peer devices that are active and online as media presentations identified by the media recommendations are played by the peer devices. The one or more peer devices are included in a group of peer devices associated with a first peer device. The proxy function provides the media recommendations to the first peer device. An augmentation function of the central server monitors a recommendation level of the first peer device. If the recommendation level falls below a minimum recommendation level, the augmentation function augments the media recommendations provided to the first peer device to increase the recommendation level to or above the minimum recommendation level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Napo Enterprises, LLC
    Inventor: Hugh Svendsen
  • Patent number: 8996617
    Abstract: The present invention relates to voting systems, and more particularly to social network based voting systems. Aspects of the present invention relate to systems, methods and processes, computing devices, computer-implemented methods, computer programs stored on a computer-readable medium, and network communications used for the creation and use of dynamic fractional proxy in social network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Inventor: Jeffrey F. Miller
  • Publication number: 20150081401
    Abstract: A system for sharing resources, a content provider and a method for indicating content complies with a recognized standard is provided herein. In one embodiment, the method includes: (1) receiving content from a member of a community of users, (2) receiving a designation input from the member that indicates the content aligns with a recognized standard associated with the community and the content; and (3) providing, for the community, the content with the recognized standard designated by the input.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2013
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: TeacherTube, LLC
    Inventors: Mac Adam Smith, Loyd Jason Smith
  • Publication number: 20150081402
    Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus is provided for computerized management of a method of corporate, business or sports management by a remote party comprising relating a current database of an entity. For instance, in sports management substantially real time management is possible. Data of a player together with a historical database related to that player and decisions can be transmitted. This is communicated between a central database processing resource and at least one remote party. A remote party is permitted to access the database and access designated data from the database, and input and output data. Voting and other management of the player, team, or business is possible in substantially real time or near real time by the remote party. A remote user can vote on financial compensation for a player, a coach or a team and/or for a bonus for a player, team or game. Similarly hiring and firing decisions can be made.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2014
    Publication date: March 19, 2015
    Applicant: CONSTITUTIONAL PROPERTY, LLC
    Inventor: J. Seth Blumberg