Giving Input On A Product Or Service Or Expressing A Customer Desire In Exchange For An Incentive Or Reward Patents (Class 705/14.19)
  • Patent number: 11928930
    Abstract: A loyalty program management system associated with an enterprise location is provided. The loyalty program management system is programmed to: a) receive a plurality of input data associated with a plurality of patrons, wherein the plurality of input data represents actions of the plurality of patrons; b) determine a current location of a patron of the plurality of patrons, wherein the current location of the patron is not at the enterprise location; and c) transmit a message to a computer device associated with the patron including a prize to be awarded if the patron visits the enterprise location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: Aristocrat Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Angelo Palmisano, Jennifer Andrea Potokar
  • Patent number: 11907997
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described herein for providing purchase recommendations by analyzing social networks using machine learning. A machine learning model may be trained to select one or more of the first plurality of users. Purchase intention data that indicates an intention of a first user to acquire a type of asset may be received. Social networking data that comprises a plurality of associations between a second plurality of users may be received. Purchase history data indicating one or more purchases, of one or more assets associated with the type of asset, made by the second plurality of users may be received. The trained machine learning model may be provided the data. In return, the trained machine learning model may provide an indication of a second user. A notification may be sent to the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Capital One Services, LLC
    Inventors: Micah Price, Avid Ghamsari, Qiaochu Tang, Geoffrey Dagley, Staeven Duckworth
  • Patent number: 11882227
    Abstract: A method for cloud-platform authentication based on blockchain includes: in response to a cloud platform being created, generating a random character string and performing hash operation to the character string to obtain a first hash value; in response to creation of a user in the cloud platform, performing operation to obtain a unique user ID; acquiring information of a hardware-authentication key, generating a unique authentication ID according to the information, and binding the unique user ID and the unique authentication ID; in response to the user being created in the cloud platform, generating a first password and a second password, performing operation to obtain a second hash value; and in response to the hardware-authentication key being inserted into the cloud platform, comparing the acquired information with the hash chain table, the unique authentication ID and the unique user ID stored in the cloud platform for the authentication.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: INSPUR SUZHOU INTELLIGENT TECHNOLOGY CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Bin Fang
  • Patent number: 11853924
    Abstract: A system and method are provided for employing voice-activated user interfaces to determine user attention to particularly-presented advertising content by collecting user contact/consumer information, presenting content to the user/consumer, and proposing at least one question, inquiry or query to the user regarding the presented content, the at least one inquiry or query calling for a user/consumer response to be collected, at least one of (a) the user/consumer contact information and (b) the user/consumer response to the question, inquiry or query being collected by the system via a voice-activated user interface and evaluated to assess a level of engagement of the user/consumer with the advertising content. The disclosed systems and methods uniquely provide voice-activated user interface coupled with display of certain advertising content in a manner that promotes user/consumer attention to the advertising content and ease of interaction with the presentation system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Inventor: Frank S. Maggio
  • Patent number: 11829968
    Abstract: A method of automatically determining fulfillment of services performed by a first entity, the method including at a management server, determining one or more first entities having one or more service agreement obligations to one or more second entities, and extracting content data from one or more websites and/or servers hosting the one or more websites. The content data includes one or more separate and distinct event datasets, each event dataset being generated by a particular first entity of the one or more first entities. Determining, for each event dataset, whether the event dataset includes an indication of a particular second entity. Determining whether the particular first entity and particular second entity have service agreement specific information, and in response to determining that the particular first entity and particular second entity are indicated in the service agreement specific information, automatically determining that a service agreement obligation has been fulfilled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Assignee: NIL Management Systems, LLC
    Inventors: Richard Davies, Kendall Alley, James Grams, Kevin Gemas
  • Patent number: 11830039
    Abstract: In an embodiment, a system server receives, from a plurality of advertiser devices, a plurality of advertisements, at least one corresponding personal information value, and a corresponding price. The system server also receives from users ratings of advertisements. The system server calculates, for each of a plurality of personal information types, a corresponding price.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2023
    Inventor: Peter Newman Golder
  • Patent number: 11811548
    Abstract: A new approach is proposed to support appliance configuration identification and profiling management. An appliance scanning component running on an appliance is configured to scan, examine, and determine current configuration of the appliance including hardware components and/or software components installed on the appliance. The configuration of the appliance is then provided to an appliance profiling engine running on a server, wherein the appliance profiling engine hashes the configuration of the appliance into a unique identifier of the appliance and look up a model of the appliance from an appliance profiling database using the unique identifier as a key. If the configuration of the appliance is not found, the appliance profiling engine identifies discrepancies between the configuration of the appliance and other appliances in the appliance profiling database to determine if the appliance is a new model, a revision of an existing model, or is simply misconfigured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Barracuda Networks, Inc.
    Inventors: Phil Ploquin, Nicholas Tillman, Hari Potaraju
  • Patent number: 11744523
    Abstract: A system or method for validating an unvalidated cardiovascular parameter monitor can include receiving a plurality of reference cardiovascular parameter datasets, each reference cardiovascular parameter dataset associated with a patient of a plurality of patients; receiving a plurality of test cardiovascular parameter measurements, each test cardiovascular parameter measurement includes a cardiovascular parameter measured for a patient of the plurality of patients; and validating the cardiovascular parameter monitor based on an analysis of the plurality of reference cardiovascular measurements and the plurality of test cardiovascular parameter measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2022
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2023
    Assignee: Riva Health, Inc.
    Inventor: Tuhin Sinha
  • Patent number: 11687979
    Abstract: Techniques for resource allocation with content creators are described that overcome the challenges of conventional techniques by supporting customized digital content generation and resource allocation specified by content creators of digital content. In one example, a content provider system, based on user input received via a control, specifies the portions of a resource allocation to be shared. A first portion is configured to be shared with a content creator of digital content, the digital content including service access data configured to access a digital service. A second portion is also configured to be shared with a client device that utilizes the service access data to access the digital service. Digital content is generated based on the specified portions and is transmitted. Upon access by the client device to the digital service, an indication of receipt of the first portion of the resource allocation is displayed by the content provider system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2023
    Assignee: eBay Korea Co. Ltd.
    Inventors: Do Kyung Kang, Dae Sung Kim, Min Jae Kang, Sang Oh Nam, Ethan Benjamin Rubinson
  • Patent number: 11640619
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein address these and other concerns by providing for means by which a customer's level of engagement with media can be determined. In particular, media and questions regarding the content of the media may be sent to a ticketing device and provided to the customer. The ticketing device can further obtain the customer's answers to the questions, and send the answers to a server, which can determine a level of engagement can be assessed from the answers and issue a discounted ticket. The amount of the discount may be proportional to the level of engagement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2023
    Assignee: Cubic Corporation
    Inventor: Gavin Smith
  • Patent number: 11605038
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for technology assessment and selection. In some implementations, study data indicating parameters of a research study or an objective of a research study is received. Types of data to be collected during the research study are identified. Technology options that each represent one or more technology items that can provide the data to be collected are identified. A suitability score for each of the technology options is determined. A selection is made from among the technology options based on the suitability scores. Output data that indicates the selected technology options for the research study is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2020
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2023
    Assignee: VigNet Incorporated
    Inventors: Praduman Jain, Josh Schilling, Dave Klein, Mark James Begale
  • Patent number: 11562406
    Abstract: Provided are methods for optimizing presentation of additional items on web page based on item already presented on the web page. A method can include identifying first set of templates. The method can further include, for each of first plurality of requests, selecting first template, selecting first item, transmitting the first template to first client computer, and receiving interaction data from the first client computer specifying one or more interactions with the first template. The method can further include analyzing the interaction data to determine performance metric for each of the first set of templates and replacing at least one or more of the first set of templates and the first item. The method can further include, for each of second plurality of requests, selecting second template, selecting second item, and transmitting the second template to the second client computer. Presentation of additional items can be optimized remotely and automatically.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 24, 2023
    Assignee: SIMPLESURANCE GMBH
    Inventors: Robin von Hein, Joachim von Bonin, Ismail Asci, Manuel Kester
  • Patent number: 11538061
    Abstract: A system and process to create a lookalike model for a target audience to deliver advertisements are disclosed. According to one embodiment, the method comprises selecting survey data from a survey database that relates to an advertisement. A heterogenous treatment effect (HETE) model is trained on the survey data. Persuadable customers are identified from the survey database for the advertisement based on the HETE model. An optimized customer list is generated using personally identifiable information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: Civis Analytics, Inc.
    Inventors: David Shor, Stephen Hoover, Caitlin Malone, Michael Sadowsky, Zachary Krislov, Evan Sadler
  • Patent number: 11514484
    Abstract: An example method for implementing a charitable giving experience can include: receiving a scanned image of a logo of a charity at an augmented reality (AR) electronic device, the logo including a graphic associated with the charity; after receiving the scanned image, displaying at least the logo and details related to the charity on the AR electronic device; displaying a control on the AR electronic device, wherein the control corresponds to one or more charitable giving opportunities associated with the charity; receiving a selection of the control on the AR electronic device; and initiating a charitable giving to the charity from the AR electronic device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: Wells Fargo Bank, N.A.
    Inventors: Robert Glenn Hamchuk, Debarchana Roy, Lisa M. De Paschalis, Uma Meyyappan, Marc Le boeuf, Stanislav Roumiantsev
  • Patent number: 11488191
    Abstract: Embodiments herein describe a reverse auction application which can collect and display bids for a product or service to a user. The reverse auction application can also gather information about the user such as user preferences, brand loyalty, user characteristics, and the like. This information is provided to suppliers when requesting bids. The suppliers can use this information to then generate customized bids for the user. That is, unlike typical reverse auctions where bidders only compete over price, the bidders can use the user information provided by the reverse auction application to add incentives, offer combination orders, or offer additional services in their bids, as well as determine an optimum price.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Toshiba Global Commerce Solutions Holdings Corporation
    Inventors: Susan Winter Brosnan, Kenneth Hammer, Stacy Arrington, Patricia Stephany Hogan
  • Patent number: 11449515
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to improve data sets and/or data set collection. An entity submits a request for a data set crowd sourced database system. Contributor(s) work to complete the data set, such as by submitting components of the data set. Multiple separate users contributing to a data set improves the diversity of a data set. The crowd sourced database system ranks contributing users using a ranking algorithm based on the previous submissions of a user. The crowd sourced database system ranks contributions based on the quality of the data submitted. The crowd sourced database system anonymizes data contributions where data privacy considerations are required or are important.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2020
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2022
    Inventor: Grant Michael Russell
  • Patent number: 11443345
    Abstract: An approach for generating a modified software application by leveraging a customized advertisement between application owner and application vendor. The approach includes identifying a software application from a software application store repository and retrieving information from the software application store repository associated with the software application. The approach creates a requirement based on the retrieved information and identifying one or more vendor based on the requirement. After creating the targeted advertisement aimed at an application owner based on the identified vendor then the approach launches the advertisement campaign. The approach receives the notification from the application owner based on the advertisement to engage the identified vendor and modifies the software application based on the requirement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2022
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Vijay Ekambaram, Leigh Williamson, Roger Snook, Shinoj Zacharias
  • Patent number: 11354630
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method of processing information in an electronic apparatus, the method including transmitting a point inquiry request including user information for identifying a user to servers of one or more affiliates, acquiring balance information of a first point corresponding to the user from a first affiliate among the one or more affiliates in response to the point inquiry request, providing the balance information of the first point to the user, and processing, when information including a conversion request for conversion between the first point and a second point related to a service of the electronic apparatus is acquired from the user, a transaction corresponding to the conversion request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Coupang Corp.
    Inventors: Gang Soo Han, Ji Man Lee, Hyun Sik Park, Ho Hyun Lim
  • Patent number: 11328325
    Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for generating a request for a one-time password (OTP), and with the OTP transmitted to a mobile device in an electronic message that includes the OTP in conjunction with an electronic advertising content that is targeted to the user of the mobile device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2022
    Inventors: John Trinh, Miguel Medina
  • Patent number: 11321738
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus is provided with a controller including at least one processor. The controller is configured to execute obtaining a consent to advertisement viewing from a user using a transportation system, presenting an advertisement within a period of time during which the user is using the transportation system, and providing a monetary merit to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 3, 2022
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroyasu Hadano, Yusuke Kaneko, Jun Goto, Hiroko Tsujimura, Miho Otsuka, Hideo Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 11238485
    Abstract: The present disclosure pertains to a method for providing digital goods using a URL coupon. The method includes: generating a digital goods provision URL containing information on digital goods; generating a URL coupon containing the digital goods provision URL; providing the URL coupon; receiving a digital goods provision request at the digital goods provision URL; authenticating a user; and transmitting an information processing request containing authenticated user information and digital goods identification information to a digital goods managing server. The method makes it possible to provide digital goods in an easy and safe manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2022
    Assignee: n-tuple.co.ltd
    Inventor: Hyun-Min Park
  • Patent number: 11157530
    Abstract: An indication of a geographic area is received. Respective metrics of noteworthiness are obtained for multiple entities located in the geographic area. Using a machine-readable knowledge repository that describes semantic relations between the entities, several of the entities are selected in view of the corresponding metrics of noteworthiness, so that the selected entities share a set of attributes defining a commonality, and so that digital imagery is available for each of the selected entities. This commonality is not specified by the user. A geographic imagery tour that includes a representation of the respective digital imagery for the selected entities is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2021
    Assignee: Google LLC
    Inventor: Joshua S. Schpok
  • Patent number: 11102276
    Abstract: A method, computer program product, and computer system for receiving, by a computing device, a question from a user. A first answer provided by a first subject matter expert is identified. A second answer provided by a second subject matter expert is identified. It is determined that a profile of the user matches a first profile of the first subject matter expert more than a second profile of the second subject matter expert. The first answer provided by the first subject matter expert is sent to the user with a preference over the second answer provided by the second subject matter expert based upon, at least in part, determining that the profile of the user matches the first profile of the first subject matter expert more than the second profile of the second subject matter expert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2019
    Date of Patent: August 24, 2021
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Donna K. Byron, Ashok Kumar, Mary D. Swift, Michael D. Whitley
  • Patent number: 11074600
    Abstract: Provided herein are systems, methods and computer readable media for managing a sales pipeline, and in some embodiments, calculating supply based on travel propensity. An example method comprises identifying a total demand for a promotion tuple at a geographic location, determining, using a processor, a promotion area for the promotion tuple, the promotion tuple comprising at least a category, price information and a geographic area, identifying one or more promotions offered by a promotion and marketing service that comprise at least the category and the price information of the promotion tuple, determining whether the total demand for the promotion tuple at the geographic location is satisfied, wherein the total demand is satisfied in an instance in which the geographic location is within the promotion area for the one or more promotions, and identifying a demand gap in an instance in which the total demand for the promotion tuple at the geographic location is not satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 27, 2021
    Assignee: Groupon, Inc.
    Inventors: Shafiq Shariff, Derek Nordquist
  • Patent number: 11004093
    Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for detecting shopping groups based on the dynamic relation between shoppers' trajectories. First, shopper trajectories are generated using video images or positioning devices. Then, group behavior features are extracted from a candidate shopping group trajectory pair. The group behavior features of a given pair of trajectories are typically the changes in positional differences and the average speed of these trajectories. From a model of shopping group behavior, a given pair of candidate shopping group trajectories is analyzed to determine the group score—the likelihood of the pair of shoppers indeed belonging to the same group. Lastly, the system utilizes graph segmentation framework to find clusters where trajectories belonging to each cluster have tight group scores with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2021
    Assignee: VideoMining Corporation
    Inventors: Hankyu Moon, Rajeev Sharma, Namsoon Jung
  • Patent number: 10997384
    Abstract: A method for starting an operation process comprises: receiving an operation request message from a terminal device in response to the terminal device scanning a barcode to obtain barcode information and determining an address of the server based on the barcode information, the operation request comprising an image of text associated with the barcode scanned by the terminal device, and the image of text specifying an operation function; determining text content based on the image of text; searching a correspondence relationship between different text content and respective operation access information to obtain operation access information corresponding to the determined text content; and returning the operation access information to the terminal device, for the terminal device to start an operation process by using the operation access information, the operation process having the operation function specified by the received image of text.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2020
    Date of Patent: May 4, 2021
    Assignee: ADVANCED NEW TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yujun Peng
  • Patent number: 10970732
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and storage media for operating a wireless device are disclosed. Exemplary implementations may: select a consumer to provide feedback related to one or more transactions associated with the consumer; transmit, for display on a wireless device of the consumer, a survey comprising one or more questions related to the one or more transactions associated with the consumer; select an incentive offer from an incentive offer database; transmit, for display on the wireless device of the consumer, information related to the incentive offer; receive one or more responses to the survey; and fulfil the incentive offer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 6, 2021
    Assignee: MBP Insights, Inc.
    Inventor: James J. Simon
  • Patent number: 10861033
    Abstract: Systems and methods to manage a crowd sourced observation program. A plurality of participant cameras are determined where each participant camera is within a threshold distance of a geographic location for observation. An accepting participant camera is selected. Based on selecting the accepting participant camera, a cancellation of the offer is sent to each participant in the plurality of participants other than the accepting participant. Based on selecting the accepting participant camera, the accepting participant camera is instructed to go to the geographic location for image capture. The image capture is received.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2020
    Assignee: Florida Power & Light Company
    Inventors: Eric D. Schwartz, Steve D. Shnider, Donna M. Miceli, Hari B. Dumpa
  • Patent number: 10832293
    Abstract: An approach is provided for normalizing reviews. A user's request is received for a view of reviews of a first product. An identity of the user is determined. Based on the identity, data is retrieved specifying a behavior of the user which describes usage by the user of a second product. Based on the data specifying the behavior of the user, topics are identified which specify (i) a behavior of reviewer(s), where the behavior is directed to the first product and matches the behavior of the user specified by the retrieved data or (ii) an aspect of the first product which matches an aspect of the second product to which the behavior of the user is directed. The reviews are normalized based on the identified topics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Lisa Seacat DeLuca, Jeremy A. Greenberger
  • Patent number: 10803749
    Abstract: The network system triggers registration of the start of a transport journey in response to a communication of a transport user device and a transport provider device with each other, performs a continuous coordinated proximity monitoring to verify the identity of a transport user and a transport provider vehicle, and triggers registration of the end of the transport journey through communication of the transport user device and the transport provider device with each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2019
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: Carma Technologies Limited
    Inventor: Sean O'Sullivan
  • Patent number: 10762519
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method involves receiving a promotional code for an offer and an identifier for a user as part of a request for a dynamic landing page user interface, wherein a database contains an indication that the user has selected the offer. The promotional code is used to identify at least one product associated with the promotional code. The dynamic landing page user interface is transmitted to display an identifier for the at least one product, a discount associated with the offer and a control for adding the at least one product to an electronic shopping cart.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2020
    Assignee: Target Brands, Inc.
    Inventors: Sarah Roxanne Peterson, Amber M. Reimer, Ananth Ranganath, Patrick Jon Vesperman, Evan Jacob Hovorka, Andrew Johnson, Raja Ramachandran, John Howard Reinschmidt
  • Patent number: 10672057
    Abstract: A method for facilitating a price quote for a cross-sell product includes receiving an input indicating that a first price quote application associated with a first insurance product has been completed and, after receiving the input, directing a customer to a cross-sell bundle web page. The web page indicates a price quote for the first insurance product, and a message prompting the customer to begin a second price quote application associated with a second insurance product. The method also includes causing, using information obtained from the customer via the first price quote application, one or more information fields of the second price quote application to be populated, and calculating, based at least on information in the populated fields, a price quote for the second insurance product. The method also includes causing a the price quote for the second insurance product to be displayed to the customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2019
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2020
    Assignee: STATE FARM MUTUAL AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE COMPANY
    Inventors: Jerry R. Bogle, Scott E. Taubert, Margaret A. Sennett
  • Patent number: 10657487
    Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for customizing an item search and browsing experience based on a delivery speed preference. Multiple delivery speed options are generated for a client device, and a listing of the delivery speed options are sent to the client device. A user selection of a particular delivery speed option is then received from the client device. An item search criterion is received from the client device. A listing of items selected from an electronic item database is generated based at least in part on the item search criterion and item availability via the particular delivery speed option. Data encoding the listing of items is sent to the client device for rendering on a display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 19, 2020
    Assignee: AMAZON TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Nathan Ross Mueller, Jason Andrew Brightman, Janelle Noh Bracken, Alison Louise Cramer, Ingibjorg Joan Elizabeth Green, Alexis Bogie Jarr, Whitney Gale Spathelf
  • Patent number: 10650059
    Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for enhanced tracking of user interactions with online documents, such as, in accordance with various embodiments, interaction tracking on a sub-document level of granularity and/or interaction tracking that involves storing one or more interaction parameters (e.g., an identifier of the document or of the interacting user) for each interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: ResearchGate GmbH
    Inventors: Michael Haeusler, Vyacheslav Zholudev, Darren Alvares, Horst Fickenscher, Niall Kelly
  • Patent number: 10652199
    Abstract: The present invention provides a social networking platform offering various services, such as, facilitating aggregation and management of a user's interaction on one or more social networking platforms, offering enhanced control over the level of privacy associated with the flow of user data, offering tools to customize the user's exposure to advertisement-related content on the social networking platform(s), integrating features to control aspects of how data/content is presented to and visualized by the user, empowering the user to multicast direct messages to other users without the other users having to meet certain constraints, empowering the user to create and/or join a group based on messaging threads, and the like. One or more of these enhanced services/features are associated with a powerful framework of authentication/permission model for access control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2020
    Assignee: SGROUPLES, INC.
    Inventors: Jonathan Wolfe, Mark Weinstein
  • Patent number: 10643003
    Abstract: A signature capture device is used to display a targeted message for a customer picking up an ordered item. The targeted message is selected based on an identifier for the ordered item. Personal information used for the display message is managed to maintain security and privacy of the information. In one embodiment, the ordered item is a prescription and the signature capture device is part of a pharmacy management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2018
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: Ateb, Inc.
    Inventors: Sharen Ann Godwin, Frank Phillip Sheppard
  • Patent number: 10535227
    Abstract: One aspect of the disclosure relates to providing players of an online game the option of performing one or more activities external to the online game instead of spend virtual currency to accomplish a specific action in the game. This option is presented through an interface that creates and displays separate “offer walls” for separation actions in the game. The activities may thematically correspond to the type of action the player wants to perform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2020
    Assignee: ELECTRONIC ARTS INC.
    Inventors: Inyang Akpan, Bryan Tsao, Albert Wei, John Kim, David McNeill, Kevin Chanthasiriphan
  • Patent number: 10489813
    Abstract: Methods, computer-readable media, systems and apparatuses for home maintenance monitoring and rewarding users for completion of various home maintenance tasks are provided. The systems may receive data associated with a home, such as a plurality of systems and/or devices associated with the home. Based on the received information, the systems may generate a maintenance task list for the home including a plurality of maintenance tasks. Data related to maintenance performed on the home may be received and, based on the received maintenance data, a determination may be made as to whether one or more tasks on the maintenance task list have been completed. Upon completion of a task, a reward, such as points, discounts on future maintenance, insurance premium discounts, etc., may be deposited in an account of the user. In some arrangements, the points may be redeemed as payment on future maintenance, payment on insurance premiums, or the like.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2019
    Assignee: Allstate Insurance Company
    Inventors: Nicolette De Guia, Kelly Ann Brennan
  • Patent number: 10438224
    Abstract: A marketing platform and corresponding methods for providing incentive offers to customers are provided. An example method may commence with streaming content to a customer. The content may be provided by a content provider. The method may continue with rendering an incentive offer based on customer data in response to an access of the content by the customer via a customer device. The incentive offer may be provided by a marketer. The incentive offer may be associated with a plurality of choices designed to entice the customer to review the incentive offer in exchange for discounted or free access to the content. The method may further include receiving, from the customer, a selection of at least one of the plurality of choices. The method may continue with modifying the customer data based on the selection. Future incentive offers may be based on the modified customer data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 8, 2019
    Inventors: Barry Layne, Eric Fritsch, Lloyd Glick, Eric Koenig
  • Patent number: 10430834
    Abstract: A system includes a content provider serving a first user webpage that displays an external posting link associated with a computer store and a second user webpage of a social networking service. The computer store contains posts each associated with a post select control. A computer server at the content provider is coupled to the computer store and for each of the posts is programmed to receive from a web browser of a computer user a signal indicating activation of the post select control of a selected one of the posts displayed by the first user webpage, automatically link the selected one of the posts to the external posting link, receive from the web browser of the computer user a signal indicating activation of the external posting link, and automatically issue the selected one of the posts to the second user webpage for posting thereon.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Inventors: Cheryl C. Kosloske, James D. Torgerson, William C. Johnson
  • Patent number: 10332140
    Abstract: A system or method is provided to detect the positions of various users in line and determine the users' tolerance for waiting in line. Based on the tolerance of the users for waiting in line, the system may rearrange the line positions of the users accordingly. The user's tolerance may be detected by their current position, their current movements and activities, the user's purchase or transaction history, interests and hobbies, past line waiting experience, and the like. In an embodiment, the system may determine incentives or rewards and may offer them to the users who are waiting in line to incentivize them to stay in line.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 25, 2019
    Assignee: PAYPAL, INC.
    Inventors: Robert He, Bryant Genepang Luk, Emil Dides, Syed Muasir Khalil
  • Patent number: 10313521
    Abstract: A method for automated quality management of agents of a contact center includes: selecting, by a processor, a topic for interacting with a human agent of the contact center; identifying, by the processor, a dialog tree associated with the selected topic; and engaging, by the processor, in an automated communication session with the human agent based on the identified dialog tree, wherein the engaging of the automated communication session includes: receiving, by the processor, an agent input; identifying, by the processor, a current node of the dialog tree associated with the agent input; selecting, by the processor, an automated phrase to be output in response to identifying the current node; and outputting, by the processor, the automated phrase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Inventors: Yochai Konig, David Konig
  • Patent number: 10311457
    Abstract: A computerized reward mechanism system is proposed which makes use both of presently collected data relating to the customer, and a database of historical data relating to the customer. Using this information, the system performs a customer preference analysis, which results in selecting rewards which are adapted to the customers' personal needs. In one form, the system is positioned at a shopping center, and includes cameras for recognising past customers by image processing. This may be done without requiring customers to participate in a process of signing up to use the system. The presently collected data include responses to questions put to the customer relating to his present shopping experience. Customer honesty is considered in the step of determining which rewards to offer the consumer, to encourage the consumers to express their feelings more clearly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Nanyang Technological University
    Inventors: Siyuan Liu, Xiaogang Han, Zhiqi Shen, Chunyan Miao
  • Patent number: 10235713
    Abstract: A method and system are described to provide a user-widget-based transaction environment. In one example embodiment, an electronic magazine may be presented to a user device as a widget without using a browser. The electronic magazine may comprise two or more data pages. A user selection of at least one of the two or more data pages may be detected and then communicated from the user device across a network for further processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventor: KyungChun Yum
  • Patent number: 10235720
    Abstract: Systems for determining a merchant name as used in mobile expense reporting applications. Embodiments commence upon receiving an image of an expense item receipt from a mobile user device. In addition to the image, embodiments receive metadata derived from a travel app running on the user device, which metadata is sent together with an association to the image. Further processing extracts a set of characteristics of text-containing regions of the expense item receipt, and then forms a feature vector comprising the extracted characteristics of the text-containing regions as well as aspects of the metadata received from the user device. The feature vector is input into a predictor to determine at least one predicted merchant name. The metadata can comprise information selected from a mobile app that is operational on the user terminal. Such information can comprise user travel profile information and/or user itinerary information and/or user mileage tracker app information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Assignee: ORACLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Elizabeth Dawn Abraham, Satish Pandurang Prabhu
  • Patent number: 10223729
    Abstract: A high volume order management system is disclosed. Order capture and order processing are separated in order to allow the maximum number of orders to be captured during a short period of time. An order capture system is integrated with each website on which the product is offered. The system is comprised of a number of pods which are further comprised of order capture web pages, business rules and modules designed to capture orders as quickly as possible while still preventing fraudulent orders and providing the shopper with an expectation of whether the purchase attempt was successful. Orders are collected in a file and are subsequently processed by a global ecommerce system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Digital River, Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Patrick Douglas, Samuel Fast Morris, Michael Edwin Olsen Borchert, Amit S Bartake, Sean Walbran, Glenn Aaron Stolar, Steven J Hardek
  • Patent number: 10205700
    Abstract: In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a method for resolving a uniform resource locator may include receiving, at a router, a uniform resource locator from a client information handling system within a local network of the router. The method may also include processing, by the router, the uniform resource locator to determine if the uniform resource locator includes a local domain name of a local information handling system within the local network. The method may further include resolving, by the router, a unique address associated with the uniform resource locator and the local information handling system responsive to determining that the uniform resource locator includes the local domain name of the local information handling system, wherein such resolving is performed without resort to a domain name service external to the local network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 4, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Dell Products L.P.
    Inventors: Clint H. O'Connor, Gary Douglas Huber, Richard W. Schuckle
  • Patent number: 10204354
    Abstract: A customer service system operated by a restaurant service provides a restaurant service server. From a database, the restaurant service server retrieves a ticket that is generated by a restaurant service server application. The restaurant service server applies a diner credit policy to the ticket, and issues a diner credit for the diner associated with the ticket.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: GRUBHUB HOLDINGS INC.
    Inventors: Stefano Alexander Scotto, Jacob Lyman Battle, Joshua Evnin, Zach Danielson, Kristie Adams, Matthew Maloney
  • Patent number: 10187482
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for associating a plurality of Internet-enabled devices with a common user profile for targeting Internet content or advertising. One method includes: receiving, from a plurality of Internet-enabled devices, a plurality of requests for electronic content or advertising; extracting, from each of the plurality of requests, a source IP address and a unique identifier associated with the respective Internet-enabled device; for each source IP address for which requests were received over a predetermined time period from a number of Internet-enabled devices below a threshold number of devices, identifying each possible pair of devices from which requests were received; and for each possible pair of devices, calculating a probability that the pair of devices are owned or operated by a common user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 21, 2014
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2019
    Assignee: OATH (AMERICAS) INC.
    Inventors: Nicholas P. Miller, Simon D. Edwards, Alan J. Milford, Denys P. Kim, Bart W. R. Schelfhout
  • Patent number: 10164831
    Abstract: A method, system, and/or computer program product improves an operation of an enterprise network. One or more processors receive an electronic request for delivery of a legacy component to an enterprise network of an enterprise. The processor(s) determine whether an upgrade component is available to the enterprise to replace the legacy component in the enterprise network based on predetermined request throttling parameters set by a receiver of the electronic request. The processor(s), in response to determining that the upgrade component is available to the enterprise, query a hardware sensor in the enterprise network for a sensor reading that indicates whether the upgrade component is compatible with an architecture of the enterprise network. The processor(s), in response to determining that the sensor reading indicates that the upgrade component is compatible with the enterprise network, reconfigure the enterprise network by an electronic installation of the upgrade component into the enterprise network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Craig A. Farrell, Praduemn K. Goyal, Raju P. Kattady, Sanjay B. Patel, Kaushal A. Thakker