Abstract: According to one aspect, the present invention resides in an electronic transaction system for managing transactions related to items selected by a user, such as a checkout POS terminal for example. The system comprises a first transaction module arranged to manage transactions in respect of local items supplied within a retail environment; a data store arranged to store updatable data relating to remote items provided by a remote server; and a second transaction module arranged to access the updatable data to provide access to the remote items via the electronic transaction system.

Abstract: An unattended, automated checkout, computer-controlled automated store outlet and system is disclosed. A customer's identification and payment information are inputted and verified and the customer qualified to remove items from the automated store outlet. Each bay of the automated store outlet is normally locked, and after the customer accesses the bay can remove one or more items from the bay, which are automatically detected and identified and charged to the customer as part of the purchase transaction. These events occur at the location of each automated store outlet. Each automated store outlet communicates with a central control center, which can be used for live customer service and real time surveillance.

Abstract: A method and wireless device for conduction transactions at a point-of-sale terminal using the wireless device is disclosed and may include initiating a transaction with the point-of-sale terminal via a wireless link, receiving at least one price from the point-of-sale terminal, determining whether the at least one price satisfies a price warning condition, and transmitting a signal if the at least one price satisfies the price warning condition.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the identity of a product and then calculating an offer price for the product are disclosed. The identity of the product may be determined using near-field communication in one aspect. The system and method are operable to enable retailers to provide a lowest price for the product and conduct a series of offer calculations to determine an offer for a consumer. The offer is based, in part, on costs to the consumer in executing the transaction (e.g., travel time, fuel, etc.). The offer may be higher than the lowest price as determined by each retailer, respectively, while still providing a discount to the consumer to entice a purchase of the product.

Abstract: A store system includes a reading unit that includes an image acquiring unit and an image output unit, and a sales registration apparatus that includes a similar image detection unit and a sales registration unit. The image acquiring unit acquires an image that is captured by an image capturing unit. The image output unit outputs the acquired image. The similar image detection unit detects an image of a product that is similar to at least a portion of the output image by referencing product management information in which information relating to sales registration of a product and an image of the product are associated for each product. The sales registration unit registers sales of a product based on information relating to the sales registration associated with the image of the detected product.

Abstract: An automated retail terminal in which a plurality of goods and/or services are provided in an integrated system. The integrated system generally avoids duplicating hardware or functions in the course of delivering the goods or services offered, so for example in a combination ATM and Internet kiosk the same credit card or smart card reader is used for both the ATM and the Internet kiosk functions, the same control screen activates the ATM functions and the Internet functions, and etc.

Abstract: A location mapping service (“LMS”) that allows the integrations of an IMS core with the location-based billing methods of a legacy core network. The LMS uses the estimated location of a mobile device during an IMS session in order to determine a Cell Global Identification (“CGI”) to associate with the session. The LMS then provides the determined CGI to the legacy core network, so that a billing gateway may determine the billing region to associate with the IMS session. The LMS thereby facilitates location-based billing for IMS sessions in the absence of actual CGI information.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for providing transaction fee information to a customer. The apparatus and methods may provide to a customer at a merchant point of sale terminal information regarding a transaction fee. The transaction may be based on the customer's credit card or other purchasing instrument. The transaction fee may be imposed by an issuer of the credit card. The merchant may be required to pay the fee. The point of sale terminal may be configured to provide an opportunity for the customer to decide, based on the transaction fee, whether to continue the transaction or obtain information about fees associated with other credit cards.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses streamline transactions involving both a service provider application and a point of sale to control fraud and improve the reconciliation process. Transactions generated at a service provider application are communicated to the point of sale and are finalized at the point of sale to avoid dual entry, minimizing errors. Alerts are generated when outstanding service provider generated transactions are not finalized within a defined period of time.

Abstract: A retail store communications network, a point of transaction (POT) terminal and methods of using the same according to embodiments of the application can include a hand held and/or stationary optical reader for reading a bar code symbol of an item and generating a decoded out bar code data message. The network is configured so that the POT terminal can use linked or identified mobile devices by way of wireless communication, to provide a sequenced order of identified customers at the POT terminal among a plurality of discoverable wireless devices.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, system and computer program product for implementing an automated inventory replenishment process between a manufacturer and a business partner. In one embodiment of the invention, a method is provided comprising the business partner purchasing and maintaining an inventory of goods from the manufacturer, and the manufacturer providing price protection to the business partner for the purchasing of the goods. This embodiment further comprises managing said inventory by using an automated process that takes into account said price protection for the purchasing of the goods.

Abstract: In accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention, methods and systems disclosed herein provide for negotiating product purchase with an electronic device. An example method includes acquiring product data from a product. The method also includes determining purchase offer information based on the product data. Further, the method includes negotiating purchase of the product based on the purchase offer information.

Abstract: A system for facilitating the communication of images includes a central computer and at least one remote computer in communication with the central computer via a communication link. Computer executable instructions executing on the at least one remote computer automatically and without user input determine whether an image is available for download from the central computer, and if an image is available for download from the central computer, automatically and without user input download the image in the background. Additional computer executable instructions executing on the at least one remote computer, after the download of the image is completed, generate and cause to be displayed a notification that the image is ready for display. Further computer executable instructions executing on the at least one remote computer, in response to a request to display the downloaded image, cause the image to be displayed.

Abstract: Alternative techniques of pricing, leasing or transferring ownership of a new tire can provide a customer with increased options in procuring a new tire and can facilitate assembling customized new tires from select components. In embodiments, the new tire can be assembled from a new tire casing and a new tire tread. The sale or lease price of the new tire can be based in part on one or more factors including the price of the selected casing and price of the selected tread; lease of the casing or the tread; acceptance of second casing or tread; selection of guarantee options regarding fuel savings, extended life, or the like; and the cost-per-mile during use of the new tire. In embodiments, the techniques can be carried out with the assistance of a computer system configured to operate a tire customization and price calculating program.

Abstract: A system and method of displaying information by an electronic price label which uses thresholds to minimize the number of messages to an electronic price label. The system includes a record for an item associated with the electronic price label which contains the thresholds. The thresholds divide the information into a number of ranges including a first range of information and a second range of information.

Abstract: A system and method of displaying information by an electronic price label which uses thresholds to minimize the number of messages to an electronic price label. The system includes a record for an item associated with the electronic price label which contains the thresholds. The thresholds divide the information into a number of ranges including a first range of information and a second range of information.

Abstract: A near field communication (NFC) based checkout system comprises an NFC enabled mobile telephone that reads product data from an NFC tag associated with a product. The mobile telephone updates a shopping list when the consumer scans an item. The consumer uploads the shopping list at a payment terminal at the checkout via an NFC link. The payment terminal connects with a price look up (PLU) database and downloads the price data for the items in the shopping list to provide a total price. The payment terminal requests authorization of the total price from the consumer's financial authorization.

Abstract: A system for predicting healthcare financial risk including the process of accessing patient data associated with one or more patents, accessing geographic and healthcare system data, filtering the patient data, geographic data, and healthcare system data into clean data, and applying a predictive risk model to the clean data to generate patient profile data and to identify a portion of the patients associated with a level of predicted financial risk.

Abstract: A method of classifying retail products and services includes providing a listing of groupings of at least one of retail products and services in a computerized system, and providing a listing of price level groups defined within the computerized system. The method also includes receiving a user selection of groupings of at least one of retail products and services from the listing of groupings of at least one of retail products and services and a user-selected price level group from the listing of price level groups. The method also includes and assigning the user-selected price level group to the user selection of groupings.

Abstract: Mechanisms are provided, in a data processing system, for retrieving and utilizing item information to perform a transaction. The mechanisms receive an identification of an item present in a detection field of the item identification system. A determination is made as to whether valid item information for the item is present in a cache of the data processing system in response to detecting the item as being present in the detection field of the item identification system. If valid item information is present in the cache, the valid item information is retrieved from the cache. If valid item information is not present in the cache, the valid item information is retrieved from a remotely located cloud computing system. The transaction is performed based on the valid item information.

Abstract: The present invention presents systems and methods for organizing price modeling data using hierarchically organized portfolios including a collection of transactions in a transaction database representing a first hierarchical level; collections of hierarchically organized portfolios at higher hierarchical levels than a previous hierarchical levels, the hierarchically organized portfolios representing selections from the previous hierarchical level where the hierarchically organized portfolios are arranged to be responsive to an enterprise approval hierarchy.

Abstract: When decoding a datacode based on moving image data output from an image sensing device, moving image data output from the image sensing device is input. An image display output unit processes the moving image data and displays it on the display screen of a display as a real-time moving image.

Abstract: A system and method for enhanced security for a self-checkout system is disclosed where predicted weights of items are used to predict the total order weight. The predicted total order weight is compared to an actual weight of the order based on a weighing of the total order, and an output provided indicating whether the comparison is within acceptable limits or if a security alert or attendant assistance is needed.

Abstract: A method for evaluating price data includes receiving a product specification data set that identifies different items. Also received are price data sets that include items and corresponding price data. For each price data set, metric data for each item is obtained. The metric data includes one or more market reference prices for the items in the price data set. Using the metric data, a market value of each item in the price data set is calculated for comparison to the price data in the price data set. The method may also include comparing the price data in the price data set to the calculated market value to generate a comparison value. In another embodiment, metric data is obtained for each item in the product specification data set, and a market value of each item is calculated for comparison to the price data in the price data sets.

Abstract: A system for improving transaction security based on location information. The system includes a transaction processing center in communication with a first transaction device and a second transaction device. The transaction processing center includes a receiver that receives respective identification and location from at least one of the first and second transaction devices. The transaction processing center also includes a transaction processor that validates the identifications, validates the locations, and executes a transaction between the first and second transaction devices when the identifications and locations are validated.

Abstract: A computer-based method for receiving purchase transaction data generated by a retailer system triggered by an identification device that is part of one or more reusable bags used by a user to carry goods purchased during the purchase transaction. The user is a student or student family member affiliated with a school or other community-based group. A reuse program server receives identification information provided by the identification device that signals the purchase transaction, updates reuse indicator information for the school; calculates a current savings to the school associated with the use of the reusable carrier; and transmits information indicating the current savings to a display device accessible to the user or to representatives of the school.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus that executes a job and determines a billing amount for the job depending on a parameter value given to a parameter that relates to the execution of the job, the image forming apparatus comprising: a storage that stores therein a first table and a second table, the first table defining billing amounts for a plurality of non-overlapping value ranges in one-to-one correspondence, the second table defining billing amounts for a plurality of specific values in one-to-one correspondence; and a determiner operable to refer to the second table before referring to the first table and judge whether the parameter value is identical to any one of the plurality of specific values in the second table (step S402), and if identical (Yes in step S402), determine the billing amount for the job according to the second table (step S403).

Abstract: To support a shopper to perform self-service shopping by using an electronic shelf label (ESL) while looking at actual items displayed in a store and to expand the functions of the electronic shelf label (ESL) to enable the linkage with other data processing systems expansively. A shopper uses a mobile processing device (typically, a cell phone owned by the shopper) in a store. The functions necessary to obtain contents from the electronic shelf label (ESL) are obtained by introducing an application program into the shopper's own cell phone, by which it is expected that the shopper is able to easily enjoy shopping. When photographing the electronic shelf label (ESL), the contents associated with items are encoded (the price display automatically changes to a barcode) and then decoded.

Abstract: An electronic advertising system that provides self-serve control for the centralized automated creation and publication of customized advertising presentations to multiple electronic media venues. The customized advertising presentations are automatically created by the central controller from raw advertising information to comply with the criteria of each selected multiple electronic media venue. Self-serve interfaces are provided for sellers to input raw advertising information and information to select electronic media venues, and for media venues to input criteria for each electronic media venue. The criteria may include style, content, editorial, and design criteria. Information such as distribution factors, media venue layout, and price charged for publication may be used by the central controller.

Abstract: A bar code reading terminal includes a cordless optical reader. The optical reader includes a microprocessor, a scan engine coupled to the microprocessor, a hand held housing supporting the scan engine, program memory coupled to the microprocessor, a decode processor circuit coupled to the microprocessor, and a short-cycle energy storage device coupled to the microprocessor. The energy storage device has high power density and low energy density. In one embodiment, the short-cycle energy storage device comprises a power density greater than 1 kW/kg. The bar code reading terminal further includes a base unit having a housing that includes a socket for receiving the hand held housing. The socket has a connector to facilitate transfer of bar code data messages from the hand held optical reader to the base unit. The connector also transfer powers from the base unit to the short-cycle energy storage device.

Abstract: A product sales processing system includes a portable terminal; a cash register, a customer operating the portable terminal so that product codes are read and stored in the portable terminal, and payment is made at the cash register based on the stored data; and an intermediating device that connects the portable terminal to the cash register such that the portable terminal and the cash register can communicate with each other, the portable terminal comprising: a code reading section that reads the codes that are provided to products; a storage section that stores the codes which have been read by the code reading section; and a communication section that, when the portable terminal is connected to the intermediating device, transmits product purchase information which includes the codes stored in the storage section to the cash register via the intermediating device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recognizing and identifying items located on the lower shelf of a shopping cart in a checkout lane of a retail store environment for reducing or preventing loss or fraud and increasing the efficiency of a checkout process efficiency. The system includes one or more visual sensors that can take images of items and a computer system that receives the images and automatically identifies the items. The system can be trained to recognize the items using images taken of the items. The system relies on matching visual features from training images to match against features extracted from images taken at the checkout lane. Using the scale-invariant feature transformation (SIFT) method, for example, the system can compare extracted visual features of the images to the features stored in a database to find one or more matches, where the found one or more matches are used to identify the items.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for pricing financial transactions by defining product rules, providing links to appropriate price tables, and calculating a price for a financial transaction. A data processing system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, creates a product rule corresponding to a financial transaction. The product rule contains mandatory attributes and optional attributes. Optional attributes may be looked up using identifiers constructed from said mandatory attributes. Optional attributes include a link to a price table which contains further attributes, including a pricing method. A price is then calculated in accordance with the pricing method. Billing is completed according to the billing method for the particular financial transaction.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for collecting information as authorized by information providers and sharing the information with information recipients according to criteria specified by the information providers. Information is collected from one or more of a variety of sources and stored in a provider profile, with the provider profile also specifying criteria for sharing the information, including payment required for sharing the information with particular categories of recipients. An exchange system is maintained allowing recipients to request or to otherwise specify needs for particular categories of information and payments to be provided by the information, and needs or requests of recipients for information are matched with criteria specified by providers, with information being transferred or used to provide results for a recipient and payment being transferred from the recipient to a provider or providers when a match between information needs and criteria for sharing information is identified.

Abstract: A method for processing a rebate claim. The method comprises providing a web site accessible by the consumer and integrated with a processing system accessible by the retailer. The processing system receives an identifier of a qualified transaction and/or of the consumer, and receives information from which it can be determined if the qualified transaction at least partially satisfies a rebate offer. Information from the consumer is received on the web site sufficient to match identifying information about the consumer to the information from the retailer and/or sufficient to satisfy conditions for making a rebate claim. The rebate claim is validated and the value of the rebate offer is transferred to the consumer. Embodiments are discussed relating to transactions on a computer network, making rebate claims via a wireless communications device, and use by membership clubs or in conjunction with loyalty cards or other designated cards.

Abstract: A method of processing a retail transaction includes processing a plurality of items for purchase using a point-of-sale terminal, which is part of a transaction approval system at a point of sale in a retail store. Processing the plurality of items includes using the point-of-sale terminal to determine associated price information for each item. Processing the plurality of items begins when information regarding an identifier of a first one of the plurality of items is entered into the point-of-sale terminal and ends when the information regarding the identifiers associated with all of the plurality of items has been entered into the point-of-sale terminal. The method further includes, before processing the plurality of items ends, electronically receiving an identification of a financial account to pay for the plurality of items, and after electronically receiving the identification of the financial account, determining a total cost of the plurality of items.

Abstract: System and methods of use are discloses that default routing of an ID read by an ID reader as part of a purchase transaction in a retail store, to a first computer system (MCS) instead of the POS computer system for the retail store, the first computer system processes the ID, and the POS computer system receives the results of the processing in the form of a IDs recognizable by the POS computer system and for which the POS computer system has associated costs.

Abstract: A process for increasing profits of a business engaged in the purchase of large numbers of products and/or products of volatile pricing from numerous vendors that operates to identify pricing errors, preferably typically before payment, by automatically reviewing all invoices typically in the order they are received to determine a best system price for each line item of each invoice by reference to pricing factors such as volume discount, seasonal pricing, price protection, commodity pricing, competition pricing, and cash discount recorded in memory for the subject item and reference to payment history data, accounts payable data and invoice data. From the pricing factors and associated data, a best system price is determined and compared to the invoice price for the item so that pricing errors are automatically uncovered and, if appropriate, flagged to identify the same as an exception for warning or notification.

Abstract: A system, program product, and methods related to enhanced medical services delivery to geographically distributed patient populations by remotely located physicians are provided. An embodiment of the system includes a remote medical services server, a plurality of patient electronic medical records stored in the memory of the remote medical services server, and a remote medical services program product stored in the memory of the remote medical services server adapted to access the plurality of patient electronic medical records to thereby allow display of and data entry in a selected patient electronic medical record. A patient medical service delivery station captures patient video images and displays remote physician video images.

Abstract: One or more price metrics are generated by retrieving, from a database, one or more price data sets representing a specified time period. Each of the retrieved price data sets includes at least a parameter value, a quoted cost, and a selling unit of measure for at least one item, and is responsive to a product specification data set that includes at least one parameter value and a unit of measure for each of one or more items. In at least one embodiment, a combined item price total is divided by a combined item unit total to generate a metric price per unit for each item in the product specification data set. In another embodiment, a summed individual metric price per unit is divided by the number of individual metric prices to generate an overall metric price per unit for each item in the product specification data set.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products alert pharmacies of formulary alternatives. A claim generated by a provider and including at least one drug is received, where the claim is directed to a payer recipient. The claim is reviewed to identify the at least one drug. The at least one drug is then compared to a pre-established formulary alternative table, which may be created or managed, at least in part, by the payer recipient. A preferred drug alternative may then be forwarded to the provider when the at least one drug has a match in the pre-established formulary alternative table.

Abstract: A method for using electronic product identification devices to track product sales and enable sales transactions to be registered in an electronic registration (ER) system without causing privacy or security concerns for the purchasers. RF-ID devices are placed on products being sold and include detailed information about the products. When the products are purchased, the detailed information is loaded into an ER database and all but a limited amount of information is removed from the RF-ID device. The limited information is sufficient to enable the detailed information to be located in the ER database by authorized individuals in connection with a return transaction or the like.

Abstract: An information system and method that provides the ability to reroute portions of prescription order work between a plurality of organizational units in order to leverage capacity, expertise, or other resources to increase network efficiency.

Abstract: A display device attachable to a shopping cart, and including a communication module configured to receive information on a specific product from a digital device displaying at least one or more products; a code reader configured to read code information attached to a random product selected from the at least one or more products; a display module; and a controller configured to compare the code information of a product recognized by the code reader with the received information on the specific product, and to control the display module to either display a guide message that the compared code information and the received information are identical or a guide message indicating the compared code information and the received information are not identical.

Abstract: Among other disclosed subject matter, a computer-implemented method of remotely generating a purchase order is to be initiated. The method includes receiving a communication in an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system. The ERP system has a purchasing transaction configured for communicating with each of multiple vendor systems for performing the acquisitions. The received communication is sent wirelessly from a mobile device operated by a user. The mobile device is configured for obtaining information from the user in a process compatible with the purchasing transaction for generating a purchase order in the ERP system. The method includes generating the purchase order in the ERP system. The purchase order includes an instruction to a vendor operating a first vendor system to deliver a quantity of a product type. The method includes forwarding the purchase order from the ERP system to the first vendor system.

Abstract: A task management system includes: an attribute information acquiring unit acquiring attribute information indicating an attribute of a document corresponding to document data; a billing destination information generator extracting attribute information specifying a billing destination of a cost caused as a price of performance of a task using the document data from the attribute information acquired by the attribute information acquiring unit and generating billing destination information indicating the billing destination on the basis of the extracted attribute information; a process content information storage storing process content information indicating a content of a process performed on the document data by a task terminal used by a task performer; a task content specifier specifying the content of the task performed on the document data by the task performer on the basis of the process content information stored in the process content information storage; a cost correlation storage storing a correlat

Abstract: A system for predicting healthcare financial risk including the process of accessing patient data associated with one or more patents, accessing geographic and healthcare system data, filtering the patient data, geographic data, and healthcare system data into clean data, and applying a predictive risk model to the clean data to generate patient profile data and to identify a portion of the patients associated with a level of predicted financial risk.

Abstract: A system for facilitating the communication of images includes a central computer and at least one remote computer in communication with the central computer via a communication link. Computer executable instructions executing on the at least one remote computer automatically and without user input determine whether an image is available for download from the central computer, and if an image is available for download from the central computer, automatically and without user input download the image in the background. Additional computer executable instructions executing on the at least one remote computer, after the download of the image is completed, generate and cause to be displayed a notification that the image is ready for display. Further computer executable instructions executing on the at least one remote computer, in response to a request to display the downloaded image, cause the image to be displayed.

Abstract: A method and wireless device for conduction transactions at a point-of-sale terminal using the wireless device is disclosed and may include initiating a transaction with the point-of-sale terminal via a wireless link, receiving at least one price from the point-of-sale terminal, determining whether the at least one price satisfies a price warning condition, and transmitting a signal if the at least one price satisfies the price warning condition.

Abstract: A method of assessing a market price of a benchmark grade of a commodity includes artificially injecting additional volumes of the benchmark grade into the marketplace to thereby increase the market activity upon which the assessment is based. By increasing the market activity upon which the benchmark assessment is based, problems associated with having a small number of market events for assessing the benchmark price, such as price volatility, may be avoided. Additional volumes of the benchmark grade may be artificially injected into the marketplace by including, in the assessment of the benchmark price, observations of market events involving one or more alternative, non-benchmark grades of the commodity.