During E-commerce (i.e., Online Transaction) Patents (Class 705/14.23)
  • Patent number: 9993727
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an online flash game system and method, a flash game web page providing method, a web server for providing web pages for flash game execution, and a storage medium for recording method programs. When a flash game execution is selected, a skin flash module performs a skin flash, which is a frame on a flash game screen, on a user terminal screen, and controls a UI flash module and a game contents flash module. The skin flash module displays the skin flash, which is a frame on the flash game screen, on the user terminal screen, and controls the UI flash module and the game contents flash module.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2018
    Assignee: NHN Entertainment Corporation
    Inventor: Zoo Il Yang
  • Patent number: 9990660
    Abstract: Member profiles, for the participants of a social networking service and their relationship information with other participants and activity history data, are received. A plurality of groups is generated that include one or more participants. A set of parameters for a collaborative shopping event is received. At least one group is adjusted based upon the set of parameters. The participants of the at least one group are sent an invitation to join the collaborative shopping event. The collaborated shopping event is linked to a cyber shopping service. The at least one group is scored based upon participation of participants in the collaborative shopping event. The participants in the collaborative shopping event are modified based upon the score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Chun Yang Gao, Qi Ning Li, Zhen Liu, Leho Nigul, Hong Peng, Yan Zhao
  • Patent number: 9984386
    Abstract: Methods and systems for managing or regulating offer listings in an electronic marketplace. Consumer feedback regarding the offer listings may be received and analyzed to generate recommended or candidate rules. The recommended rules may be presented to rule authors for validation. Acceptance and/or rejection of the recommended rules can be used to train or otherwise improve the generation of future recommended rules. The accepted recommended rules can be used to generate final rules. The final rules may be applied to offer listings to trigger a variety of actions including filtering of offer listings, sending notifications to sellers, and updating offer listings user interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Sandeep Bhatia
  • Patent number: 9965743
    Abstract: A method and system for establishing an electronic communication channel between at least one agent of a first entity and a second entity is provided. The method includes linking the second entity to the at least one agent of the first entity when a trigger is sent by the second entity. Providing one or more software programs over the electronic communication channel to the second entity; initiating an exchange by the at least one agent of the first entity to the second entity. And sending one or more messages over the communication channel between the at least one agent from the first entity and the second entity. The system includes a database containing a link between the agent of the first entity and the second entity. The system also includes a server configured to establish an electronic communication channel between the agent of the first entity and the second entity when a trigger is sent by the second entity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: CDW LLC
    Inventors: Yang Sun, David Ding-hua Tzau
  • Patent number: 9934500
    Abstract: A system according to an embodiment comprises one or more processors; and one or more memories in communication with the one or more processors and adapted to store a plurality of machine-readable instructions which when executed by the one or more processors are adapted to cause the system to: offer, by a merchant at a Point of Sale (POS), at least one payment option in connection with a transaction for at least one item, wherein the payment option(s) is presented in a display tailored to a specific user based on information maintained by the merchant about the specific user; and process the transaction using a payment option selected by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2018
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventor: Remi Guyot
  • Patent number: 9922364
    Abstract: Methods are described herein related to enabling users to purchase a product or service by providing a voice request and/or an image. An example method may involve: (a) receiving, by a hybrid response system (“HRS”), a first speech-segment message that comprises a speech segment and is associated with a user-account, (b) the HRS determining that the speech segment indicates a purchase request, (c) the HRS determining a target product/service based on at least the purchase request, (d) the HRS determining a confidence level associated with a purchase of the target product/service, (e) if the confidence level is greater than or equal to a threshold level, then the HRS sending a purchase order, via the associated user-account, for the target product or service, otherwise, the HRS sending the purchase request and the target product/service to at least one guide computing system to facilitate a response to the purchase request.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: X Development LLC
    Inventors: Charles Chen, Rakesh Yadav
  • Patent number: 9922339
    Abstract: A transaction parameter date set comprising input variables characterizing the transaction conditions are collected when an electronic payment is initiated on an electronic payment system. The collected transaction input variables are used to calculate an expected future transaction value using a decision function. The expected future transaction value identifies high utility transaction based on a comparison of the expected future transaction value to a threshold value established while training the decision function on a training data set of known outcome. A high utility transaction can include behavior that if rewarded is likely to retain current users or grow the electronic payment system network by adding new users. If the expected future transaction value exceeds the threshold value the sender of the electronic payment is rewarded by the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: GOOGLE LLC
    Inventors: Travis Harrison Kroll Green, Brian Richard Schneirow
  • Patent number: 9916611
    Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for collecting website visitor activity for profiling visitor interests and dynamically modifying the content of the website to better match the visitor's profile. The visitor activity data is collected directly from the visitor's client browser or from the website's own web log information. The collected data consists of the page identifier, page links, and the previous page identifier. Similarly, the modified page content can be sent directly to the client browser or can be sent back to the website server for integration with the other page content. The collected data is stored in a database. Based on the amount of information collected on the visitor and the various items that are presented on the website, the visitors and items are profiled so that a visitor's response to other items can be predicted and recommended to the visitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Certona Corporation
    Inventors: Geoffrey J. Hueter, Steven C. Quandt, Noble H. Hueter, Meyar Sheik
  • Patent number: 9881315
    Abstract: Systems, computer-implemented methods, and computer-readable media for a customizable redemption header for merchant offers, such as online coupons, across browser instances are provided. In some embodiments, a user may open a merchant website in a first browser instance executing on a user device. An offers website may provide offers, such as online coupons, in a second browser instance executing on a user device. When a user selects an offer, an offer identifier may be stored in a browser-accessible storage device. The modification to the browser-accessible storage may be detected and a customizable redemption header having an offer redemption identifier, e.g., a coupon code, and instructions may be provided on the merchant webpage in response to the detection. Additionally, the customizable redemption header may provide user feedback requests upon submission of the coupon code.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: RetailMeNot, Inc.
    Inventors: Nicholas James Shiffert, Jagjit Singh Bath, Mike Paul Cravey, Greg Militello
  • Patent number: 9836773
    Abstract: Embodiments for methods, systems and apparatuses of a commerce network for completing a commercial transaction are disclosed. One computer-method includes receiving, by one or more commerce network servers, a buyer-initiated demand for fulfillment of the commercial transaction, identifying suppliers to satisfy the buyer-initiated demand based on buyer policies and supplier characteristics, requesting quotes from the identified suppliers, receiving quotes from the identified suppliers, evaluating and selecting, by the one or more commerce network servers, one or more of the received quotes, wherein evaluating and selecting the one or more of the received quote comprises applying evaluating criteria to the received quotes, wherein the evaluation criteria includes applying a weighted combination of a plurality of evaluating factors, and facilitating presentation of the one or more selected quotes to the buyer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2017
    Assignee: Ariba, Inc.
    Inventors: Sudhir Bhojwani, Kshitij Dayal, Sanish Mondkar
  • Patent number: 9805409
    Abstract: Techniques for allowing a customer to order goods on-line or remotely and to pick-up the goods at a desired location or store are disclosed. The techniques include receiving a customer order. The customer order includes at least one good. The techniques further include populating a virtual basket with a preset list of goods as a function of reference time data and time data associated with the preset list of goods.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: WAL-MART STORES, INC.
    Inventors: David Jon Carr, Richard Mark Ramsden
  • Patent number: 9805327
    Abstract: A system and machine-implemented method for providing a user with a to-do list of tasks, the method including determining one or more goals associated with a user, the one or more goals including objectives that the user wants to achieve, identifying one or more notifications associated with the user, each notification notifying the user of an event comprising an action by another user with respect to the user, identifying one or more tasks, the one or more tasks contributing to at least one of the one or more goals and providing a response to the event relating to at least one of the one or more notifications and providing the one or more tasks for display to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Xander Pollock, Dorington George Little, IV
  • Patent number: 9805385
    Abstract: A number of sets of methods, systems, and apparatuses applicable to transactions are disclosed. One set includes transaction systems configured to reconcile a transaction among multiple provider accounts or user accounts via derived object attributes and reconciliation matrices. Another set includes methods of reconciling payment of a coupon. Another set includes transaction apparatuses configured to derive object attributes from digital representations to identify purchasable items. Still another set includes methods of mitigating risk of transaction fraud.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Nant Holdings IP, LLC
    Inventor: Patrick Soon-Shiong
  • Patent number: 9760890
    Abstract: A registration accepting unit accepts registration of a card. A storage unit stores use permission information indicating a disabled state of use permission of the registered card. An instruction accepting unit accepts a use permission enabling instruction of the card from a user terminal. A providing unit provides the user terminal with code information associated with the card for which the use permission enabling instruction has been issued. A changing unit enables the use permission of the card, for which the use permission enabling instruction has been issued and which is stored in the use permission information, for a predetermined period. When receiving the code information from an in-store device installed in a stored, a notifying unit notifies the facility device of whether the use permission of the right that is stored in the use permission information in association with the code information is enabled or disabled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 12, 2017
    Assignee: YAHOO JAPAN CORPORATION
    Inventor: Hidehito Gomi
  • Patent number: 9747617
    Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods for providing wireless device activity information to a third party based on acceptance of an offer presented to a user. In a particular embodiment, a method provides detecting an occurrence of one of a plurality of trigger conditions, wherein each of the trigger conditions corresponds to at least one activity performed by a wireless communication device. In response to detecting the occurrence, the method provides presenting a user of the wireless communication device with an offer to provide device activity information for the wireless communication device to a third party. The method further provides receiving a response to the offer from the user, wherein the response comprises an indication of whether the user desires to accept the offer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: Geoffrey S. Martin, Jeffrey M. Haydon, Ryan Kent Hannebaum, Krishnakumar K. Bhaskarankutty Nair, Thomas E. Anderson
  • Patent number: 9734503
    Abstract: This disclosure relates to allowing retailers of all sizes to log information regarding shoppers and to provide shoppers with product recommendations. The product recommendations may be responsive to logged shopper information, such as shoppers' current or previous browsing habits, for example. The product recommendations also may be responsive to other sources of information, such as search trends on search engines and/or information provided in blogs, social network websites, and/or other websites. A service provider, which is not a retailer, may provide the product recommendations for the retailer, either directly or by providing a script for embedding within the retailer's website. For example, the retail website may include a logging script and/or a product recommendation script, which communicate with one or more backend computing devices to provide the product recommendations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: GOOGLE INC.
    Inventor: Ullas Gargi
  • Patent number: 9710840
    Abstract: An online lockable device ordering system and method for lockable devices such as padlocks including a key matching module configured for user entry of at least one key identifier configured to unlock certain lockable devices. The key matching module matches the key identifier with a range of stored key identifiers stored in a storage device. Images of lockable devices corresponding to the matched range are displayed on a user display screen, and the user can select a lockable device from the displayed images. The selected lockable device is customized to open with the user's existing key.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2017
    Assignee: Hodge Products, Inc.
    Inventor: Anthony A. Hodge
  • Patent number: 9672550
    Abstract: Methods and systems can be provided for providing items manufactured on demand to users. A user request for an item can be received. The item can have 3D manufacturing instructions associated therewith. A delivery method for the item can be determined. A manufacturing apparatus can be selected to manufacture the item based on the 3D manufacturing instructions. Instructions can be sent to the manufacturing apparatus to manufacture the item based on the 3D manufacturing instructions. Delivery instructions can be provided for delivering the item according to the delivery method.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 6, 2017
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Linda Knowlton Apsley, Colin Ian Bodell, Jacob Conrad Danton, Scott Randall Hayden, SaiPrasad Kapila, Eric Lessard, Robert Benjamin Uhl
  • Patent number: 9639670
    Abstract: An entitlement card can be assigned a product key real-time to provide a custom order of benefits including product and/or service, amount, and time. A method facilitating product key assignment for an entitlement can include receiving a request for activating a custom entitlement product key from, for example, a point of purchase. The request includes a request for particular benefits to a redeemer, including the particular product and/or service to be provided and the quantity and time period for the product and/or service. The method further includes assigning the benefits to the product key at the time of the request and activating the product key, which may be later redeemed for the assigned benefits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 2, 2017
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Jignesh Kacharia, Anand Doshi, Keerti Rane, Tulasi Pratipati, Peter Richard Ricci
  • Patent number: 9621576
    Abstract: There are disclosed techniques for use in detecting malicious websites. In at least one embodiment, there is disclosed a technique for generating a profile in connection with a website. The profile comprising at least one attribute associated with the website. The technique also comprises collecting information relating to the website during a visit to the website. The technique further comprises detecting a change in connection with the website. The detection of the change comprises identifying a variation between the generated profile and the collected information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 11, 2017
    Assignee: EMC IP Holding Company LLC
    Inventors: Alina Oprea, Sumayah Alrwais, Kevin D. Bowers, Todd S. Leetham, Zhou Li, Ronald L. Rivest
  • Patent number: 9606574
    Abstract: A method for controlling a foldable display device comprises displaying first content provided from a first application on a first display region and second content provided from a second application on a second display region in a folded state of the foldable display device, the first application and the second application being applications which are previously installed in the foldable display device; generating a third display region by merging the first display region and the second display region with each other and generating a third application by using at least one of the first application and the second application if the foldable display device is unfolded; and displaying third content provided from the third application on the third display region, the third content being the content generated by reorganizing the first content and the second content.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 28, 2017
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Sihwa Park, Doyoung Lee, Jihwan Kim, Sinae Chun
  • Patent number: 9595052
    Abstract: In a system and method for using user behavior and interaction data to rate a reputation of a user, a processor-implemented tracking component tracks an interaction of a user with a network-based publisher. A processor-implemented reputation component generates a reputation value for the user from the tracked user interaction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2017
    Assignee: eBay Inc.
    Inventors: Wisam G. Daoud, Sarika Krishnan, Rishikesh Tembe
  • Patent number: 9589263
    Abstract: Automatic payment code display systems and methods include a user device detecting a beacon system at a physical merchant location. The user device establishes a background communication process with the beacon system that occurs without user intervention subsequent to detecting the beacon system. The user device then provides the user account authentication token to the beacon system as part of the background communication process. The user device then receives a payment code from the beacon system as part of the background communication process. The user device then causes the payment code to be displayed, and the displayed payment code is configured to be utilized by a payment processing device at the physical merchant location in a payment transaction. The payment code may be caused to be displayed on a lock screen in a background display process that occurs without user intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: PayPal, Inc.
    Inventor: Kent Griffin
  • Patent number: 9569451
    Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a system and a method to facilitate the creation of folders that may include a variety of content based upon a check-in at an event. In one or more implementations, a server may be configured to create one or more folders automatically when a user checks into an event via a mobile electronic device. The server is also configured to cause at least one tag to be associated with the folder to define the event. The server can also receive content from the mobile electronic device. Upon receiving the content, the content is associated with the folder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2017
    Assignee: Crowdshifter, LLC
    Inventor: Jamie L. Crager
  • Patent number: 9558507
    Abstract: Provided is a computer implemented process for reminding users of offers that were discovered by the user at one location when, at a later time, the user is at another location, the process including: displaying, with a mobile device, an offer and a reminder interface to indicate that the user requests themselves or another reminder recipient to be reminded of the offer when near another computing device of the reminder recipient; receiving an interaction with the reminder interface by the user and, in response, storing a reminder request in memory, the reminder request identifying the offer; obtaining data identifying the other computing device, a geographic area of the other computing device, or a wireless environment of the other computing device; detecting, with a processor of the mobile device, that the reminder recipient has interacted with the other computing device, entered the geographic area, or entered the wireless environment; and in response to the detection, presenting a notification reminding t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2017
    Assignee: RetailMeNot, Inc.
    Inventor: Eithan Zilkha
  • Patent number: 9549042
    Abstract: A method for using Bluetooth® information for inferring user context and computing sociability is presented. The method includes receiving wireless sensor data from wireless sensor communication for an electronic device. Information units are formed using the wireless sensor data. User context is inferred using the information units. An entropy metric is computed based on the inferred user context. Social profiling is created based on the entropy metric and one or more user context characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2017
    Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Zhixian Yan, Jun Yang, Emmanuel M. Tapia
  • Patent number: 9542672
    Abstract: The disclosed embodiments include a mobile client device for providing real-time manufacturer-based financing. In one embodiment, the mobile device is configured to receive a product code associated with a manufacturer product offered for sale at a merchant location. The mobile device may further provide the product code to a financial service provider system configured to create a manufacturer-based financial service account associated with the product manufacturer. Further, the mobile device may provide, to the financial service provider system, information associated with a received account application, where the financial service provider system may create the manufacturer-based financial service account based on the received information and the product code. The mobile device may also receive a purchase code for purchasing the product using the manufacturer-based financial service account, provide it at the merchant POS location, and receive a confirmation of product purchase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Capital One Financial Corporation
    Inventors: Tobias D. Russell, Drew Jacobs, Luke A. Hammock
  • Patent number: 9507829
    Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for optimizing allocation of storage resources for computing systems. For example, a method includes performing a storage allocation process to optimize storage of user data in data centers of a computing system. The storage allocation process includes determining a ranking of each data center in the computing system for a given user, and selecting a data center to store user data of the given user, based at least in part on the determined rankings of the data centers for the given user. The data centers are ranked using a ranking function which includes an access ratio that is determined as ratio of (i) a number of times that each of a total number of users in the given data center have accessed shared data of the given user to (ii) a number of data uploads that the given user has made to the computing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2016
    Assignee: EMC IP Holding Company LLC
    Inventor: Mohamed E. Elsaid
  • Patent number: 9489700
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein disclose a system and method for providing an improved user experience for purchasing a product within an information feed. An information feed is displayed which includes an information post having a product link or otherwise referencing a product. A selection of the product link or the referenced product is received, and product information for a product associated with the product link or referenced product is retrieved. The product information and a purchase selector are displayed within the information feed, in association with the information post. A selection of the purchase selector is received. User payment information is retrieved and displayed in association with the information post in the information feed. User payment information is transmitted, based on a received confirmation from a user. The purchase is then executed, and a confirmation message may be displayed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 8, 2016
    Assignee: PayPal, Inc.
    Inventors: Joshua Gerber, Christopher Boncimino
  • Patent number: 9400987
    Abstract: A system and method for deriving income from URL based context queries. A URL based user context query is received over a network from a user, wherein the user context comprises at least one user context criteria. A query is formulated based on the context criteria so as to search for user profile data, social network data, spatial data, temporal data, topical data and context query bid data that is available via the network and relates to the context so as to identify entries in a context query bid database that relate to user context criteria. A dynamic webpage is generated having content relating to the query and advertisements associated with the selected bid are inserted into the webpage. The dynamic webpage is transmitted to the user. The advertiser associated with the selected bid is charged a fee when a user interface event relating to the dynamic webpage occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2016
    Assignee: Excalibur IP, LLC
    Inventors: Rahul Nair, Marc Eliot Davis, Christopher William Higgins, Simon P. King
  • Patent number: 9384467
    Abstract: A system and machine-implemented method for providing a user with a to-do list of tasks, the method including determining one or more goals associated with a user, the one or more goals including objectives that the user wants to achieve, identifying one or more notifications associated with the user, each notification notifying the user of an event comprising an action by another user with respect to the user, identifying one or more tasks, the one or more tasks contributing to at least one of the one or more goals and providing a response to the event relating to at least one of the one or more notifications and providing the one or more tasks for display to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Xander Pollock, Dorington George Little, IV
  • Patent number: 9338508
    Abstract: Continuity of an entire user session (including the primary content stream, secondary content streams, and user context) is preserved so that the user can resume the session at a later time, at a different place, and, possibly, using different equipment. When a user pauses a session, the context of that session is automatically preserved. Upon resumption, the session begins where the user left off, resuming the primary media stream at the point where the user stopped, knowing what secondary content items the user has already seen, and re-establishing any user-set parameters for the session (e.g., playback volume, allocation of streams to particular screen real estate, whether closed captioning is turned on, and the like). For time-shifted content consumption, the system intelligently selects, filters, and processes contextual information (such as characteristics of the primary media) in order to present companion streams that are relevant and engaging to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: GOOGLE TECHNOLOGY HOLDINGS LLC
    Inventors: Varma L. Chanderraju, Bhavan Gandhi, Vinay Kalra, Sridhar Kunisetty, Sanjeev K. Mishra, Bharath R. Rao
  • Patent number: 9336548
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products provide for generating a social network-based wish list of products desired by members of the social network and which are authorized to be purchased by other members of the social network on behalf of the member requesting the product. The present invention provides for automatically notifying a member of the social network that they are currently located at physical location, such as a retail store or the like, that currently has available one or more of the products on the wish list. The notifications may take the form of alerts communicated on the member's mobile communication device. Automatic notification occurs via a mobile communication device that is capable of identifying current location, determining that the current location has products available, and determine that one or more of the products currently available at the location are currently listed on the wish list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2016
    Assignee: BANK OF AMERICA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Matthew A. Calman
  • Patent number: 9275247
    Abstract: A networking system may comprise a web site incorporating a combination of one or more of the following: a crediting system, a chat bidding system, a performance bidding system, a telephony switching system, a media interaction system, a display system, a photo management system, and a messaging system. The networking system may categorize each user of the web site into classes, including a featured class, a common class, a sponsored class, and a sponsoring class. The networking system may facilitate user interactions, some of which may be partially dependent on user classes. A featured user may opt to temporarily appear as a common user, thus activating an alternative user profile and hiding his featured status. A sponsored user may participate in interactions on the web site if a sponsoring user offers his credits to pay for the sponsored member's participation. Other aspects of the networking system are also disclosed herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 25, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 1, 2016
    Assignee: Gregory A. Pearson, Inc.
    Inventors: Gregory A. Pearson, Ronald Shane Hamilton, David B. Hall, Joseph J. Cahill, Nicholas N. Panone
  • Patent number: 9129323
    Abstract: Item identification data indicating a product or service of interest to a first party is obtained and posted to one or more network locations accessible by one or more other parties associated with the first party. Activity on the one or more network locations where the item identification data is posted is then monitored. If data indicating interest in the product or service from one or more other parties is identified that exceeds a threshold level of indicated interest, then at least one provider of the product or service is notified and provided the opportunity to extend a potential group sale related offer to at least one of the individuals indicating interest in the product or service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2015
    Assignee: Intuit Inc.
    Inventors: Brandon Gador, Jeremy Vandehey, Mack McConnell
  • Patent number: 9123060
    Abstract: A method and system for providing targeted advertisement information to consumers over a wireless communications network are provided. In one embodiment, local advertisers register to advertise on wireless communications devices that are in close proximity to the advertiser. As a consumer enters a cell site that is near the location of the advertiser, the wireless network delivers a message to the wireless device specified by the local advertiser. An acknowledgement signal is then received by the network, and the local advertiser's account is charged for transmission of the advertisement. In a further embodiment, each of the messages is associated with one or more demographic codes, and a demographic code is selected to describe an advertisement preference of a user of a wireless communications device. Messages to be transmitted to particular wireless communications devices are selected based upon both the location information and the demographic codes associated with the messages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2015
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, L.P.
    Inventors: Charles M. Link, II, Donald M. Cardina, Vernon Meadows
  • Publication number: 20150149268
    Abstract: There is provided a method and a system for enabling a transaction using electronic coupons. The method comprises assigning an electronic coupon to a given customer and transmitting information related to the electronic coupon to a mobile device of the given customer. In the course of the transaction, a predetermined issuer identification number (IIN) is provided in a payment terminal of a merchant and the predetermined IIN is detected by a payment gateway of a payment processing entity operatively connected to the payment terminal. An indication of a financial benefit associated with the use of the electronic coupon is retrieved from a database and is provided to the merchant such that the given customer is provided with the financial benefit upon completion of the transaction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2014
    Publication date: May 28, 2015
    Inventor: Marcel VIENNEAU
  • Publication number: 20150142545
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure may be used to make and/or receive automated offers for a discount on a good or service using a rules and constraints engine. Among other things, embodiments of the present disclosure may help incentivize faster payment of invoices and allow the offeror of an offer to automatically modify offers based on various factors, such as a balance in the offeror's account.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 13, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Henrique Pedreira de Freitas Ceribelli, Eric Chan, Mark Orttung, Darren Linscott
  • Publication number: 20150142543
    Abstract: A method, system and program product for communicating with a plurality of customer devices and a plurality of etailers, the method comprising receiving selection of an etailers from a customer device for an online shopping cart process; receiving a captured image of a coupon for a product; creating an electronic coupon for the product; feeding, data on products and/or services of the selected etailer; computing a monetary total for the selected etailer for the products; serving the monetary total for the selected etailer and the monetary totals computed for the other etailers; sending electronic communication to one of the etailers to deliver the products; initiating transfer of funds to the one etailer; serving upon initiation of a loyalty card association process, a list of loyalty cards of retailers to a customer device; receiving a selection; associating the electronic coupon to the loyalty card for the selected retailer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Applicant: News America Marketing Properties, LLC
    Inventor: Henri LELLOUCHE
  • Publication number: 20150142541
    Abstract: A method and system for conducting an online payment transaction through a point of sale device. The method includes receiving input from a user selecting an item for purchase through the point of sale device; calculating a total purchase amount for the item in response to a request from the user to purchase the item; and sending payment authorization for the total purchase amount from the point of sale device to a payment entity, in which the payment authorization is sent to the payment entity via a mobile communication device of the user. The method further includes receiving a result of the payment authorization from the payment entity through the mobile communication device; and completing the payment transaction based on the result of the payment authorization.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Michelle T. Fisher
  • Publication number: 20150142542
    Abstract: A method and system for conducting an online payment transaction through a mobile device. The method includes receiving input from a user selecting an item for purchase through the point of sale device; processing the transaction, and sending a digital artifact to the mobile device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Michelle T Fisher
  • Publication number: 20150142547
    Abstract: In some embodiments, a fulfillment entity receives over an electronic interface from a merchant website associated with a third-party online user community an order from a member of the user community for an item from the merchant website. During order processing, a set of rules for rewarding members of the third-party online user community based on the past behaviors of one or more members of the user community is evaluated. Responsive to a condition fulfilling one of the rules, the member order is modified to provide an incentivizing reward to the member of the online user community.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 27, 2015
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Jeffery Douglas Sewell, Joel Lawrence Bush, Omar Besim Hakim
  • Publication number: 20150142546
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method for processing a discount is described. The method is implemented using a payment processor computing device associated with a payment network. The method includes receiving, at the payment processor computing device, from a discount module computing device, a notification of an adjusted authorization amount for a transaction, wherein the notification is received by the discount module computing device from an intercept node computing device at the time a cardholder makes a purchase. The method also includes receiving, at the payment processor computing device, an authorization request message including a non-adjusted authorization amount for the transaction, replacing the non-adjusted authorization amount with the adjusted authorization amount in the authorization request message, and transmitting the authorization request message to an issuer computing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventor: Jonathan Robert Powell
  • Publication number: 20150142544
    Abstract: An open loop cashless payment system incents a consumer account holder to transact in a physical store with a merchant who agrees to make an auditable donation to a charity when the transaction is conducted on an account issued to the consumer account holder. The consumer account holder may direct the donation to a specific charity within a predetermined geographically determined community where the transaction was physically conducted. The consumer account holder can register an obligation to make a donation matching that of the merchant, where the consumer account holder's donation is initially paid by the consumer account's issuer for reimbursement by the consumer account holder to the issuer after the consumer account holder receives their account statement. The merchant's acquirer, the issuer, and a transaction handler for the issuer and acquirer may also make donations as directed by the consumer account holder.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2013
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Terrance Patrick Tietzen, Matthew Arnold Macpherson Bates
  • Publication number: 20150134435
    Abstract: A sales registration apparatus includes a storage device which previously stores a number of sheets setting data indicating whether the number of issue sheets of a voucher is set without regard to a purchase quantity of a commodity or to be equal to the purchase quantity of the commodity for each voucher of a plurality of categories, an issuing module configured to issue vouchers of the plurality of categories, a determination module configured to determine, in response to the sales registration of the commodity for which the voucher of at least one category is issued, the number of issue sheets of the voucher based on the number of sheets setting data and the purchase quantity of the commodity, and an issuing control module configured to control the issuing module to issue the voucher by the number of issue sheets determined by the determination module upon the purchase of the commodity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 3, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Takashi Shibuya
  • Publication number: 20150134432
    Abstract: An embodiment of the present invention provides, among other things, a method for communicating with a mobile communication device of a consumer. The mobile communication device is located at a host location. An invitation to the consumer to communicate via the mobile communication device is delivered to a display physically present at the host location and viewable by the consumer. In response to the delivering, a request is received from the consumer via the mobile communication device. Communicating then takes place with the mobile communication device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 12, 2014
    Publication date: May 14, 2015
    Inventor: Robert Lewis
  • Patent number: 9032018
    Abstract: The invention relates to a targeting technique for controlling the provisioning of content items, for example advertisements, to users in a mobile communications network (100). A method embodiment of the technique is performed in a provisioning server (114) in the mobile communications network and comprises the steps of receiving an indication of a content item which has been selected by a first user via a first mobile terminal (126); retrieving, from a user-related database, contact information associated with the first user, wherein the contact information indicates at least one second user (128); determining a location of a second mobile terminal of the second user; and selectively initiating, if an intended presentation area for the selected content item covers the location of the second mobile terminal, a presentation of the selected content item to the second mobile terminal (128).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 12, 2015
    Assignee: Telefonaktiebolaget L M Ericsson (publ)
    Inventor: Karl Quinn
  • Publication number: 20150127443
    Abstract: A shopping assistant for online shopping. The invention provides for a software system to assist consumers in automatically locating and systematically applying discount codes to electronic commerce platforms to obtain reduced prices. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, discount codes are automatically located, evaluated against a user's shopping cart, and evaluated for the best results for the consumer. In the preferred embodiment, information about the utility of discount codes is recorded to machine readable storage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventors: Ryan David Hudson, GEORGE RUAN
  • Publication number: 20150127442
    Abstract: There is provided systems and method for storing discount cards with a payment account for future purchases. A user may visit a merchant location and purchase goods. During purchase of the goods, the user may utilize a user device to perform a payment using a user account. In other embodiments, the user may provide the merchant with a user account identifier, or other information for identification of the user account. In addition, the user may provide a discount card to the merchant, where the discount card offers rewards to the user on use with the merchant. Discount card information may be stored with a payment provider corresponding to the user account. Thus, when the user pays with the user account at the merchant in the future, the discount card information may be automatically populated.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 5, 2013
    Publication date: May 7, 2015
    Inventor: Kent Christopher Griffin
  • Patent number: 9026623
    Abstract: This description provides tools related to layered architectures for remote dynamic administration of distributed client configurations. These tools provide methods that may include subscribing to have online configuration services remotely manage applications installed on client systems. The methods may also include receiving dynamically-updated lists from the online configuration services, with these lists including the installed applications. The methods may also receive configuration payloads that specify how to configure the installed applications, and may configure the installed applications based on these configuration payloads. The methods may also present user interfaces on the client systems, with the user interfaces including the configured applications. The tools also provide methods that may include receiving subscription information from the customer sites, with the subscription information indicating that the customer sites have subscribed to the online configuration services.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2015
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Kevin Kuan Wang, Cameron Dee Stillion, Vijaysundar R. Srirangam, Edward Wu, David Paul Harris Gorbet