Abstract: An ad server provides very narrowly targeted ads from an ad campaign to the visitor of a website. The visitor has a known characteristic parameter, based for example on his musical preference. The ad is then selected that pertains to an advertising segment of interest to other visitors sharing the characteristic parameter.

Abstract: A server device receives, from a third party device, a question about a behavior of a user. The server device identifies an attribute required to provide an answer to the question, determines whether a profile of the user includes the attribute, and determines the answer based on the attribute when the profile includes the attribute, where the answer does not include any information that identifies the user. The server device also transmits the answer to the third party.

Abstract: A method and a system are disclosed including an audition website configured to allow a user to register and upload an artistic performance piece associated with the user, such as a music or a video clip, via a computer network to an online performance venue for audition, viewing, ranking, competition, and other actions by other participants and commercial entities. In various embodiments, the user registers at the audition website, creates a user profile within a first predetermined time period, and uploads an artistic multimedia performance file to the audition website within a second predetermined time period, to gain recognition, to have the performance reviewed and rated by peers and others, to view statistical data about audition candidates, and to otherwise interact with others associated with the audition website.

Abstract: A global customer satisfaction system includes point-of-sale customer feedback terminals for receiving in-store customer feedback including satisfaction ratings and other customer feedback regarding participating vendors as the customer pays for purchases. The system also includes post-sale customer feedback terminals for receiving more detailed customer feedback regarding the vendors from members after the sales have been completed. The system also includes an aggregation and dissemination system for combining the ratings received form customers into global customer satisfaction ratings for participating vendors, and disseminating the customer satisfaction information through customer satisfaction qualified directories, which are organized or searchable by geographical, type of product or service offered by the participating vendors, and other factors.

Abstract: Disclosed are a personalized service system based on a smart card, a method thereof, and a smart card applied to the same. Personalized information is extracted through the data mining by collecting user input information stored based on an SCWS (smart card web server) function, access history information for a site requested by a user, call history information of a user terminal stored based on a USIM (universal subscriber identity module), and base station information received from the user terminal. Since the personalized information is obtained based on the SCWS function and the USIM installed in the smart card, various regulations related to personalized information are circumvented, enabling provision of various personalized services.

Abstract: A service is disclosed for enabling web sites and other entities to provide item recommendations and other behavior-based content to end users. The service can be implemented as a web service that is remotely accessible over the Internet. Web sites use the web service's interface to report events descriptive of item-related actions performed by end users (e.g., item views, item purchases, searches for items, etc.). The web service analyzes the reported event data on an aggregated basis to detect various types of associations between particular items, and stores resulting datasets that map items to associated items. The web service's interface also provides various API calls for enabling the web sites to request item recommendations and other behavior-based content, including but not limited to personalized recommendations that are based on the event history of the target user. Advantageously, the web sites need not host the infrastructure for providing such content.

Abstract: A social networking website logs information about actions taken by members of the website. For a particular member of the website, the website generates socially relevant ads for the member based on the actions logged for other members on the website to whom the member is connected (i.e., the member's online friends). The advertiser associated with the social ad may compensate the social networking website for publishing the ad on the website. When presenting a member with a social ad, the website may optimize advertising revenue by selecting an ad from the received ads that will maximize the expected value of the social ad. The expected value may be computed according to a function that includes the member's affinity for the ad content and the bid amount. The technique is also applied for providing socially relevant information off the social networking website.

Abstract: A method and system for reserving future purchases of goods or services or events. Electronic options are provided for desired goods or services or events on communications network and a cloud communications network. One or more graphical buttons are used to display electronic option information. A display appearance of the one or more graphical buttons are dynamically changed based on actions completed on the electronic options. The electronic options and the one or more graphical buttons are displayed on one or more client network devices and/or one or more server network devices for one or more retail sites, a social networking sites, social couponing sites, social virtual reality sites, social virtual gaming sites, or social fantasy sports gaming sites.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing content are described. An image and a set of faces in the image are determined. Each face in the set of laces corresponds with a user of a display screen. For each face in the set, an identifier is determined, content targeted for the face is selected, a location of the face within the image is determined, and using the face location, a location on the display screen for providing a visualization of the targeted content is determined.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for using an existing management server infrastructure to deliver video-on-demand or streaming content, including real-time live streaming Existing client content playback devices, such as IPTVs, may be employed to stream content items, obtain advertisements, track user's viewing behaviors, and the like. By reusing existing client devices, there is no need for additional hardware purchases on the user side. By reusing existing management server infrastructures, capital expenses are also reduced. In such a system, a user can watch both video-on-demand and streaming audiovisual content.

Abstract: A system and process for improving product recommendations for a first user includes receiving a request for one or more product recommendations for a first user, each product recommendation being associated with any one of a plurality of retailers, receiving a plurality of recommendation sets from one or more automated product recommendation systems, wherein the plurality of recommendation sets are generated using different selection models and using ensemble learning to select one or more most relevant product recommendation sets from the plurality of product recommendation sets.

Abstract: A computing apparatus is configured to use a dynamic questionnaire, designed based on the spending patterns identified in the transaction data of a plurality of accounts, to determine the spending preferences of a user in accordance with the answers to the dynamic questionnaire and the spending patterns. Offers are customized for and targeted to the user based on the spending preferences of the user.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed relating to a marketplace service for a plurality of users that includes a first user and a second user. In one embodiment, a computer system determines whether to present item information from the first user to the second user within the marketplace service, wherein the item information relates to a transaction in an item. This determination may be based on accessed relationship information indicating a social relationship between the first and second users within an information sharing service. The information sharing service may be separate from the marketplace service in some embodiments. The determination whether to present information from the first user to the second user may also be based on credit relationship information pertaining to these users. In one embodiment, the presented item information may relate to a financial instrument.

Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods that give selling actors the abilities and means to sell products and services by providing notifications on conditional dynamic offers to buying actors subject to buying actors locations. Systems, apparatus and methods that give selling actors the abilities and means to acquire information from the environment in the proximity of mobile device holders and use this information to generate notifications on conditional dynamic offers.

Abstract: A method and system for reserving future purchases of goods or services or events. Electronic options are provided for desired goods or services or events. Electronic option terms and electronic option fees for the plural electronic options are dynamically and periodically adjusted in real-time. This provides optimal electronic option use and optimal electronic term and optimal electronic option fee adjustment for plural different suppliers of good or services or events provided and used with electronic options.

Abstract: User profile information for a user of a social networking system is inferred based on information about user profile of the user's connections in the social networking system. The inferred user profile attributes may include age, gender, education, affiliations, location, and the like. To infer a value of a user profile attribute, the system may determine an aggregate value based on the attributes of the user's connections. A confidence score may also be associated with the inferred attribute value. The set of connections analyzed to infer a user profile attribute may depend on the attribute, the types of connections, and the interactions between the user and the connections. The inferred attribute values may be used to update the user's profile and to determine information relevant to the user to be presented to the user (e.g., targeting advertisements to the user based on the user's inferred attributes).

Abstract: Systems, apparatus and methods that give selling actors the abilities and means to sell products and services by providing conditional dynamic offers to buying actors subject to buying actors locations. Systems, apparatus and methods that give selling actors the abilities and means to acquire information from the environment in the proximity of mobile device holders and use this information to generate conditional dynamic offers.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product to provide content and information and track levels of interaction with provided content and information. Exemplary embodiments may include a server that provides variable content to one or more people in the form of a website. The website may be dynamic to allow for the targeting of people with certain interests or targeted towards individuals. The server may provide content to attract viewers to the website, retain viewers on the website and direct viewers to any other website, product offering or service offering through any of a variety of manners.

Abstract: A system for integrating customer databases, the system including a merchant database received from a first merchant, the merchant database including a plurality of individual customer entries, a database provided by a promoter, an integration engine for integrating the merchant database with the promoter database, a promotion engine configured to obtain additional information relating to each of the plurality of individual customer entries and an extraction engine configured to extract an extraction database from the promoter database. The integration engine is configured to maintain a differentiation between the merchant database and the promoter database. The extraction database includes the merchant database and the additional information related to each of the plurality of individual customer entries obtained by the promotion engine.

Abstract: Provided is a process of profiling a user of a mobile computing device, the process including: obtaining a location history of a user, the location history being based on signals from a mobile computing device of the user; obtaining a location-attribute score of a location identified in, or inferred from, the location history; determining, with a computer, a user-attribute score based on the location-attribute score; and storing the user-attribute score in a user-profile datastore.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are demographic based content delivery systems and associated methods that automatically and non-invasively detect information regarding one or more persons within a designated viewing area. In embodiments of the systems and methods, two different automatic viewer identification and demographic classification technologies may be utilized, either alone or on combination. The technologies include image recognition technologies that utilize computer driven image and pattern recognition analysis algorithms and radio frequency identification tagging and reading technologies. Data collected from either one of or both of the two technologies is used to feed a demographic classification algorithm which then delivers different multimedia content based upon the determination of the algorithm. The embodiments of the invention may therefore be advantageously utilized to market in real time to consumers at the point of sale.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for facilitating acquisition of customers for merchants through targeted offers to prospective customers; improving the precision of targeting by Prospect Profiling and Intent Prediction. In certain embodiments, the system supports monetizing sources of data which contribute to Prospect Profiling and Intent Prediction, such as purchase history, third-party SNP data. In other embodiments, a “Customer acquisition fee” serves as the underlying business model for the Service Provider of the Platform. The system provides cost-effective marketing where merchants pay only after conversion of prospect to customer. Customers get higher savings through Opportunity Auctioning amongst merchants with the value of Discount offer as part of Bid.

Abstract: A method, computer program product and system are disclosed for tracking and soliciting potential consumers of selected commercial offerings by third-parties who have subscribed to a marketing network. In some embodiments, a system forwards consumer requests for commercial offerings to merchants while also gathering information relevant to the geographic position of consumers in the marketing network. The system and method make use of mobile locator mechanism in consumer cellular phones to gather information about consumer proximity to retail business incorporated into a marketing network. Consumer requests are forwarded to a server capable of quickly identifying merchants near selected consumers, which merchants are subsequently prompted to craft commercial offerings specific to the consumer submitting the consumer request. Merchants and consumer are put into near real-time negotiations for products or services.

Abstract: In order to help system users organize the user data and communications, a service provider system organizes the user data according to a specific system data architecture using W4 technology to facilitate organization of user communications, content, and data. The system provides a data structure that organizes data using the human metaphor and provides a user interface to access and manipulate the data using a human metaphor. As a result, users may intuitively interact with, manipulate, and create data without having to learn specific rules and steps based on of file-size, format, and directory structures, among others. In addition, the service provider system provides a single, intuitive to manipulate interface to manage all user communications.

Abstract: A method, computer program product and system are disclosed for tracking and soliciting potential consumers of selected commercial offerings by third-parties who have subscribed to a marketing network. In some embodiments, a system forwards consumer requests for commercial offerings to merchants while also gathering information relevant to the geographic position of consumers in the marketing network. The system and method make use of mobile locator mechanism in consumer cellular phones to gather information about consumer proximity to retail business incorporated into a marketing network. Consumer requests are forwarded to a server capable of quickly identifying merchants near selected consumers, which merchants are subsequently prompted to craft commercial offerings specific to the consumer submitting the consumer request. Merchants and consumer are put into near real-time negotiations for products or services.

Abstract: A social networking system suggests deals relevant to a user. The deals are selected for suggestion based on social information associated with the user. Social information used for selecting candidate deals for a user includes information describing other users connected to the user and their associations with the candidate deals or with related deals, for example, deals from the same provider. Associations of connections of the user with the candidate deals may be determined based on actions associated with the candidate deals performed by the connections. The actions performed by the connections may be weighted based on types of the actions to determine a measure of relevance of the candidate deal for the user. Candidate deals are selected from a set of deals by applying deal targeting criteria received from deal providers. The deal targeting criteria specify attributes describing users to be targeted for a particular deal.

Abstract: A viewing user is provided with an ordered group of advertising units when accessing content associated with a social networking system. Each of the advertising units can be related to a user activity, where the user activity is performed at least by the viewing user or a friend of the viewing user. The advertising units can be ordered using a sales funnel. In particular, the sales funnel may include a number of different positions. Each advertising unit can be assigned to a position in the sales funnel. Based on each advertising unit's position in the sales funnel, an ordering for the advertising units can be determined. The ordering can be used to place the advertising units on a web page requested by the viewing user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for targeting messages to users in a social network, for example by first identifying topics in the social network is provided. One embodiment of a method for discovering topics in a social network includes collecting information from the social network, the information including at least one of: interactions between users of the social network or profile information for the users, determining a global topic model including at least one topic, based on the collected information, and locally refining the global topic model in accordance with the collected information.

Abstract: A system for electronic commerce, comprising a portal server executing on a digital computer, coupled to a digital packet network and an analysis software executing on a server or another digital computer(s), adapted to receive information from a user via the digital packet network, said information including at least a plurality of data elements pertaining to products owned, used, or sought by the user, wherein the received information is made available to the analysis software, which computes a maturity score for the user based at least in part on the received information, and wherein the portal server uses at least a maturity score to order a selection of information be provided to the user, and wherein at least some of the received information is made available to a plurality of external systems based at least in part on privacy settings established by or for the particular user, is disclosed.

Abstract: A method and a system to provide information to consumers are provided. A code identification module may receive one or more scanned machine-readable codes. The code identification may further identify respective descriptions of the items corresponding to the one or more scanned machine-readable codes. An incentive generation module may provide to a user an incentive interface depicting a first description of a first set of incentives available with the purchase of a first item corresponding to a first scanned machine-readable code and second description of a second set of incentives available with the purchase of a second item corresponding to a second scanned machine-readable code.

Abstract: A system and method for delivering targeted advertisements to consumers by inserting the targeted advertisements into a content stream. The content stream may be monitored for advertisement placement opportunities, such that the targeted advertisements may be seamlessly inserted into the content stream to replace an advertisement in the content stream. The content stream's owner and/or provider may be identified such that revenues from the targeted advertisement may be shared with the owner's and/or providers. The system and method are further able to use a biometric recognition technique to verify that the targeted advertisement is actually delivered to the targeted consumer. Another aspect allows the targeted advertisements to be delivered across multiple platforms in accordance with an advertising campaign.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products for providing users customized offers that reflect the user's opportunity cost associated with accepting the offer. In this regard, the customized offers may include additional savings, in terms of an additional discount, percentage-off or other incentive, to account for the user's specific transportation costs, time costs and the like. In additional embodiments the customization accounts for the user's propensity for accepting offers and adjusts the offer discount, percentage-off or other incentive based on their historical acceptance rates. By customizing the offers to account for opportunity costs, and in some embodiments historical offer acceptance rates, the present invention serves to increase offer acceptance, thereby benefiting the program provider and/or the merchants offering the offers/deals.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for measuring behavioral change in human consciousness that is based on a personal code that allows diagnosis and determining the required method of treatment or decision. In particularly, the system is used for identifying the strengths and diagnostic discovery by objective feedback or response based on the patient's (i.e. subject) energy field, and not only by the subjectivity feedback arising due to the type of person the subject is. The system detects the subject's level of consciousness. The system can be used to identify the root elements of the subject's personality, so that through a short test could a therapist, the subject himself or even an organization that uses the system to receive results that will aid them to decide objectively or recommend them, of an efficient way of acting or operating.

Abstract: The invention provides systems and methods of adaptive marketing based on interactive feedback from one or more participants. In particular, a system for adaptive marketing, comprising a participant access device, at least one data management devices, a communication means between the participant access device and the at least one data management device, and one or more sub-platforms for facilitating at least one participant interaction with the system. The one or more sub-platforms may include an Advertising sub-platform, a Redemption sub-platform, an Offer sub-platform, a Social Media sub-platform, and an Education sub-platform. Also included are methods for adapting marketing. The methods include identifying characteristics of a participant, trending the identifying characteristics, and adapting marketing materials based on the trends. The invention provides methods for distributing offers for goods or services including driving viral interactions with an integrated system.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system, method and software to allow individuals or groups of individuals to view personalized digital media narrative. A personal attribute profile is created and stored for each individual and the profile is retrieved each time the individual enters the network or site. The digital media narrative contains digital media assets having attributes selected based upon the individual's or group's profile. The digital media narrative provides an enhanced, more impacting, and more personal narrative experience to the individual.

Abstract: Methods for targeting content based on user interests. A graphical user interface may be provided to a first user. A plurality of interest categories may be displayed to the first user through the graphical user interface. An indication of a first category selected from the plurality of interest categories may be received from the first user. Upon receiving the indication of the first category, a plurality of sub-categories of the first interest category may be displayed to the first user through the graphical user interface. Additionally, an indication of at least one selected sub-category chosen from the plurality of sub-categories may be received from the first user. A first plurality of content items based on the at least one selected sub-category may be selected. The first plurality of content items may be provided to the first user through the user interface.

Abstract: A device receives a first contact from a consumer, where the first contact is related to a service offered by a service provider. The device further obtains a physical service address associated with the consumer, and adds information associated with the contact to a consumer contacts profile associated with the physical service address. The device uses the consumer contacts profile to generate a service-related recommendation, or to select an advertisement, for presentation to the consumer.

Abstract: A computer system and method for list-based advertisement serving are provided. In at least one embodiment, a computer system or method may comprise creating advertisement lists before runtime based on list generation data, wherein each of the advertisement lists is associated with a respective target audience definition. The computer system or method may also comprise allocating advertisements among the advertisement lists before runtime, based on the list generation data, to cause each advertisement list to include a prioritized sequence of advertisements.

Abstract: Various embodiments include methods for uploading files to a social media website, including reformatting the selected files to reduce the amount of bandwidth required in the upload, uploading the reformatted files to a social media website server, receiving an indication of the popularity of certain identified files, and uploading from to the server the identified popular files in full or larger format. The social media website server may determine the popularity of files based on user interactions with the files, and request greater resolution versions of the files when the interactions exceed a popularity threshold.

Abstract: Techniques for real-time offer evaluations are presented. An enterprise system detects and interaction with a customer. Metrics for the interaction are acquired and a centralized preference server delivers real time preference values known for the customer. The metrics and the preference values are used to dynamically and in real-time evaluate conditions for an enterprise offer and when met the offer is delivered to the customer in real time.

Abstract: Various embodiments include methods for uploading files to a social media website, including receiving in a computing device a user input identifying files for upload to a social media website, selecting one or more files representative of the selected files, uploading the representative files to a social media website server, receiving in the computing device from the social media website server a request for upload of files similar to identified particular representative files, and uploading the additional files that are similar to the identified particular representative files. The social media website server may determine the popularity of files based on user interactions with the files, and request additional files similar to the particular uploaded files when the interactions exceed a popularity threshold.

Abstract: The disclosure details the implementation of apparatuses, methods and systems for a Framework for Ad-hoc Applications Based on Advertising (FAABA). The FAABA may employ short-range radio-frequency communications. The disclosure teaches mechanisms for providing targeted advertising in connection with ad-hoc applications/point-to-point (P2P) communications between user terminals. In a manner, the invention teaches general collection components for user terminals, which is responsible for collecting and maintaining a dynamic set of advertisements as a background operation. This allows the user terminals to initiate applications that are based on P2P communication, and furthermore, allows collections of pre-loaded advertisements to be provided to the user terminals along and/or during the P2P communications.

Abstract: A method and system for the electronic distribution of product redemption coupons to remote personal computers located at users' homes are disclosed. A centrally located repository, such as an online service provider or web site on the Internet, stores packages of coupon data for downloading on demand to the user's computer. A coupon generated by the system and method of the present invention comprises an encoded area that consists essentially of a unique Coupon Id. The unique Coupon Id is also recorded in a database comprising a plurality of data tables. At least one of the data tables associates each Coupon Id with one or more of a Promotion Id and a Consumer Id. Preferably, the Print Id is also associated in a data table with a Session Id and information regarding the date/time of printing. The Ids other than the Coupon Id may not be printed on the coupon.

Abstract: Advertisements are provided to users for an extended period of time based on a categorization of those users into one or more audiences. A user is being offered credits in exchange for the display such advertisements, which can be utilized to purchase items of value. The advertisements are selected based on which audience a user belongs to and a user is categorized as a member of one or more audiences based on a user profile that is informed by information explicitly provided by the user, information generated by the user to which the user has granted permission and contextual information, such as location. An audience taxonomy is centrally maintained and provided to enable categorization without transmitting users' information off of their computing devices. Advertisers bid on advertisements, not by bidding on keywords, but rather by bidding on the duration for which advertisements are displayed to selected audiences.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a group of two or more individuals may be identified. A set of one or more features of the group of two or more individuals may be ascertained. An item may be selected from a plurality of items based, at least in part, upon the set of one or more features of the group of two or more individuals. The item may be recommended or presented to at least a portion of the two or more individuals.

Abstract: Methods are provided for inferring user data based on a third-party advertising feed provided to a user while browsing a website hosted by a web server. One method includes receiving, at a web server, a request from a first user at a first IP address for content hosted on the web server, and delivering the requested content from the web server to the first IP address. An advertising feed targeted to the first IP address is inspected and user data from the advertising feed is inferred. The method then generates supplemental content according to the user data inferred from the advertising feed, and provides the supplemental content to the first IP address.

Abstract: A social networking system predicts a life event (e.g., birthday, change in marital status, relationship status, etc.) for a target user based on information associated with the user. The social networking system identifies gift suggestions to provide to one or more friends of the user based on the predicted event. A gift suggestion may include an invitation to purchase or send an item, voucher, or other gift to the target user, wherein the gift may be determined based on information about the target user's interests obtained by the social networking system. The social networking system sends a gift suggestion to one or more friends of the target user, where the gift suggestion identifies the predicted life event and provides the gift suggestion to the target user's friend. The advertisement may require action by multiple of the target user's friends before the gift is sent to the target user.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-program products for selecting an advertisement message based on mobile applications installed on a mobile device are described. A list of mobile applications installed on the mobile device is received. At least one characteristic of the mobile applications on the list is analyzed to generate a user profile. An advertisement message may be selected based on the at least one characteristic of the mobile application and the user profile.

Abstract: A social networking system may enable advertisers to target advertisements to users interested, in varying levels of intensity, in concepts, locations, pages, and other objects on the social networking system. Targeting criteria for advertisements may include explicit interest intensity levels in selected objects. Using past histories of user engagement, location information, and social graph information, a social networking system may generate a predictive model to estimate interest intensity levels of users in the selected objects. Advertisements may be targeted and provided to users based on interest intensity using the predictive model.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a social-networking system accesses a social graph, identifies a first set of concept nodes associated with an application, connected to friends of a user, selects a second set of concept nodes from the first set of concept nodes based on edges connected to the concept nodes, and generates an advertisement for the application, where the advertisement includes information representing the concept nodes in the second set of concept nodes.