Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide an RBE that uses a logical abstraction for a set of application rules that allows the rules to be implemented, presented and modified efficiently. For one embodiment, rules logic for implementing a set of application rules is stored. The rules logic is specified by a processing sequence using one or more application factors, each of which has one or more application factor values. A plurality of entries corresponding to each application factor is separately stored. Each entry contains a data point set having one or more data points and a result corresponding to the data point set. Each of the one or more data points of a data point set corresponds to a distinct factor value.

Abstract: Custom food product methods and apparatus are provided that allow customers to participate in the preparation of food products as a part of the dining experience. A method of preparing a custom food product under the direction of a customer includes placing a customer-selected substrate on a scale of custom food product preparation table, placing customer-selected ingredients on the substrate in customer-selected amounts and customer-selected areas, and calculating and displaying the cost of the custom food product to the customer as the customer-selected ingredients are placed on the substrate. Each ingredient is assigned a cost per unit of weight and, as the ingredients are utilized, the cost of the food product is calculated and displayed via a display associated with the table. A customer may be provided with a record of the ingredients of the custom food product and may include an image and/or name of the custom food product.

Abstract: A point of sale tax reporting and automatic collection system including a smart tax register located at a retailer location. The retailer smart register processes consumer transactions and calculates the amount of sales tax due the retailer by the consumer for each transaction. Following the transaction, the consumer requests and is give a tax paid receipt. After the sales tax is paid to the retailer by the consumer, the register either immediately or periodically forwards the amount of the transaction and the amount of sales tax collected by the retailer to a computer and memory located at a remote location (e.g. state government taxing authority). The computer and memory receive and store the retailer's transaction and sales tax information, and report same to the Internal Revenue Service at least once a year.

Abstract: The pricing of a product is programmatically managed by defining a plurality of pricing states for the product. Each pricing state has a pricing mechanism associated therewith. A pricing mechanism can be a variable pricing mechanism such as an auction. It can also be a fixed pricing mechanism for the sale, rental, or subscription of the product. One or more triggers are defined, each of which may include one or more trigger parameters, to enable the pricing of the product to transition from one pricing state to another pricing state. In this manner, an automated, systematic approach to pricing management is provided.

Abstract: A method of conduction transactions at a point-of-sale terminal using a 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 first audible signal if the at least one price satisfies the price warning condition.

Abstract: Comparison values are calculated for evaluating a commercial transaction. A request for quote received from a buyer agent includes a product specification data set that identifies items that differ in accordance with at least one parameter. Price data sets received from seller agents identify items and prices in response to the product specification data set. At least one of the price data sets identifies an item having a different parameter value as compared to the item in another price data set. A comparison value for each price data set is generated by determining a price total from the price data set and calculating a summed market price total by summing market price totals for each of the items. Calculating market price totals includes obtaining metric data indicative of market prices. The summed market price total is compared to the price total for the price data set to generate the comparison value.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for detecting products at a self-service product detection station wherein an optical control detection device is provided for detected a number of products smaller than the total number of products presented for purchase, wherein products detected by the control detection device are each assigned identification data, and a verification device is presented by means of which the identification data of the products detected by means of the control detection device are checked for consistency with the identification data of the products detected with a reading device so that, depending on the comparison result, an acknowledgement signal continuing the purchasing procedure or a correction signal interrupting the purchasing procedure is generated.

Abstract: Property valuation that uses multiple transactions in predicting a value for a property. Instead of choosing only one prior transaction, valuation uses multiple transactions for a given property to provide a more accurate mark-to-market value. Preferably, a weighted combination of mark-to-market values provided by an HPI and individual ones of the multiple transaction records provide a predicted value for the given property. Weighting factors recency and transaction type to correct for both sources of potential inaccuracy.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program for controlling propagation of content throughout the Internet, social and mobile networks. Publisher's content is assigned a unique identifier in a form of a URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) or a URL (Uniform Resource Locator). The unique identifier is modified each time the content is accessed by a user. The content parameters in the identifier are modified in order to keep track of number of accesses to the content by users. By changing the parameters assigned to the content, a publisher or an advertiser can determine a number of recipients of the content and keep track of the entire process of content distribution and its propagation throughout a network.

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: An electronic label wirelessly connected to an information updating system having a server. The electronic label includes a wireless communication interface to receive information from the server to be displayed on a display, a means for label processing connected to the communication interface, a means for updating the display connected to the means for label processing, and at least one dot matrix display to display a dot matrix image, where the dot matrix display is connected to the means for updating the display. The communication interface receives the information to be displayed from the information updating system. The label includes a layout script such that the means for label processing generates the dot matrix image from the received information using the layout script.

Abstract: An electronic label wirelessly connected to a product information updating system. The electronic label includes a wireless communication interface to receive information from a server to be displayed on a display, a means for processing connected to the communication interface, a means for updating the display connected to the means for processing, and at least one dot matrix display to display a dot matrix image, where the dot matrix display is connected to the means for updating the display. The communication interface receives the information to be displayed from the product information updating system. At least a part of the dot matrix display displays a first barcode that can be scanned by a barcode scanner, where the first barcode identifies the electronic label or a product linked to the electronic label.

Abstract: A method and system for developing and applying market data scenarios in which market data is received from a market data distribution platform, stored, changed with respect to a specific asset included in the market data and the altered market data transmitted to a client application that processes the altered market data as if it were transmitted directly from the platform. The system may include a recording module for receiving a stream of market data from the platform, an interface module for specifying changes to the replayed stream to form a stream of altered market data and a client application interface for transmitting a stream of altered market data to a client application. The stream of altered market data mimics the market data stream such that the stream of altered market data can be processed as if it were market data from the market data distribution platform.

Abstract: A system and a method of providing a targeted newsletter is provided. The method includes monitoring a game while a game player plays the game on a game computer, collecting game related information, uploading the game related information to a remote server, generating a newsletter on the remote server that is tailored for the game player based on the game related information, and transferring the newsletter to the game player.

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 method, system and computer program product for assessing information security interviews users regarding technical and non-technical issues. In an embodiment, users are interviewed based on areas of expertise. In an embodiment, information security assessments are performed on domains within an enterprise, the results of which are rolled-up to perform an information security assessment across the enterprise. The invention optionally includes application specific questions and vulnerabilities and/or industry specific questions and vulnerabilities. The invention optionally permits users to query a repository of expert knowledge. The invention optionally provides users with working aids. The invention optionally permits users to execute third party testing/diagnostic applications. The invention, optionally combines results of executed third party testing/diagnostic applications with user responses to interview questions, to assess information security.

Abstract: A method for creating a probabilistic product is provided. The method includes creating a set of product identifiers corresponding to a plurality of products offered by a single seller, each of the plurality of product identifiers uniquely corresponding to one of the plurality of products. The method also includes selecting a subset of the product identifiers. Additionally, the method includes generating a plurality of probability values, each probability value uniquely corresponding to one of the product identifiers contained in the subset, and the sum of the probability values being equal to one. The method further includes determining a monetary value, defining a selling price. By paying the selling price to the seller, a buyer subsequently receives a product associated with one of the product identifiers randomly chosen from the subset.

Abstract: A method for distributing data in a heterogeneous network. The method operates on a private mobile network, which includes a mobility server, mobile components and fixed components, on which the mobility server includes data storage units that store data on behalf of network members, at least some of such data being stored in multiple data formats. The distribution method includes transmitting upon request selected said data to addressees, each such transmission being formatted for acceptance by each respective addressee.

Abstract: A method for matching an unknown product to an offered product profile at a point of sale involves obtaining a first sensory input from the unknown product, where the first sensory input comprises at least a portion of an image, assigning a value to one or more characteristics of the first sensory input, searching a first product repository for a matching product profile using a pre-defined range based on the value of the one or more characteristics of the first sensory input, identifying the matching product profile on the first product repository when the offered product profile is within the pre-defined range, wherein the matching product profile includes a plurality of product information data, and conducting a transaction at the point of sale using the plurality of product information data.

Abstract: The shopping server provides an online shopping service with retrieving information of items handled, relations among the items, user's purchase history, user's request, and the like via the internet or the intrafirm network. The shopping server generates electronic catalogs personalized for each user based on the retrieved information so as to show useful and helpful information to each user. The catalogs are categorized in accordance with the purposes. Some of the categories are fulfilled by the automatic entry in accordance with the item relations or the user's purchase through the online shopping service, while the others are fulfilled by the user's arbitrary designation. The shopping server presents the generated catalogs to the users via the internet, so that the categories are switchable and customizable by the user.

Abstract: A product rate calculation system operating as a rating server (e.g., a process executing on a server computer system, or a process executing on the same computer system as a client process but serving information to the client process) advantageously provides a flexible insurance rating calculation system that can easily be modified and expanded, while still providing quick, and even real-time responsiveness to product rate requests. The product rate calculation system includes an interface to a product information database and a cache for storing product rate information for efficient reuse. The product rate information includes product rate expressions that are parsed and evaluated by an expression evaluation routine to determine a product rate. As part of the evaluation process, additional product rate information (such as look-up table data and numerical constants) as well as consumer information can be used.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided herein for the analysis of clickstream data of online users. The analysis methods and systems allow for the creation of new offline business methods based on online consumer behavior.

Abstract: The invention organizes various pricing tables and price adjustment tables and various products and purchasing organizations based on “who” (i.e. which purchasing organization) is purchasing “what” (i.e. which product). The invention utilizes a denormalized table to relate the “who” to the “what” using denormalized numbers. The invention further organizes various purchasing organizations and products into hierarchical tables. These hierarchical tables are called organizational groups and product groups. Various price adjustments may be specified for each level of the organizational groups and product groups hierarchies. The price adjustments for a particular purchasing organization are determined by retrieving the price adjustments for that particular purchasing organization as well as the price adjustments for organizational groups above the particular purchasing organization in the organizational groups hierarchy.

Abstract: An electronic price system comprising at least a cash register (27) and at least one electronic label (1, 2) for displaying a first price of a product is disclosed. The electronic price system is configured to transmit a second price to the electronic label (1, 2), said second price replacing the first price in said electronic label (1, 2) and to transmit the second price to the cash register (27) to be displayed with the first price for a predetermined time period at the cash register (27). The system is further configured to provide during said predetermined time period a possibility at the cash register (27) to accept the second price or the first price. Also a method for the electronic price system and a computer program are disclosed.

Abstract: A customer search terminal system may be configured to accept customer product searches and identify corresponding products and product information. A method for determining the efficacy of the customer search terminal may include receiving customer usage information including data related to customer usage of a customer search terminal and may also include receiving product sales information including data related to products sold at a point-of-sale terminal. The method may further include generating customer purchase behavior information by correlating the received customer search terminal usage information with the received product sales information when a product is sold at the point-of-sale terminal within a prescribed time period relative to a search for the product on the customer search terminal.

Abstract: A method for setting a price for a product sold online by a subject merchant is provided. The method comprises accessing price information of at least one other merchant of the same product by applying a shopping robot to two or more shopping sites, including at least one price comparison site, with other offerings of the same product by other merchants; accessing pricing rules for the subject merchant that cover sales originating from the comparison site; applying the pricing rules to adjust the current product price at which the subject merchant offers the product on the two or more shopping sites to be more competitive; and responsive to a price adjustment that would reduce the product price so as to violate a specified profitability goal, increasing the shipping charges with which the merchant offers the product with the price adjustment on the two or more shopping sites.

Abstract: A system and method for distribution of product price and/or sales data in a retail establishment. Product price and/or sales data is stored locally, either in a central computer or master electronic cash register (ECR) or remotely at a master computer. The product price data is stored in the form of a price look-up (PLU) table. The price data can be pushed from the master ECR, local or master computers to and ECR emulation hub to an ECR emulation hub. Similarly, the ECR emulation hub can request product price data from the master ECR, local or master computers. Once the product price data arrives at the ECR emulation hub, it can be processed and sent to a display, which will be located near the appropriate product. The ECR emulation hub can also record and/or transmit prices actually charged for products over time to allow for automatic auditing of promotional pricing offers such as those made by manufacturers of the product.

Abstract: A method, system, and medium are provided for processing multiple items for retail sale via a single retailer action. Upon scanning a machine-readable marking that is associated with multiple items provided by various vendors, a marking identifier associated with the machine-readable marking is recognized. The marking identifier corresponds with each price of the multiple items. Each price of the multiple items is presented to a consumer for payment that can be disbursed to the appropriate vendors.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment, a vending machine comprises a plurality of receptacles for holding units of products, each receptacle operable to hold a respective plurality of units in a series. The vending machine further comprises a dispensing mechanism operable to dispense, from each receptacle, a first unit in the respective plurality of units, the dispensing mechanism thereby being operable to dispense only a first unit from the respective series at a time. The vending machine further comprises a means for determining, for a unit, information allowing a relationship among the unit and a location of the unit in the receptacle to be determined.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for defining financial transaction components; defining mapping rules for taking individual financial transactions and breaking them down into their components, such as production services, billing services and settlement services. A data processing system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, creates a transaction instance corresponding to a financial transaction, creates a production service instance linked to the transaction instance by a first relation instance, and creates a billing service instance linked to the production service instance by a second relation instance. The data processing system, may also create other production service instances linked to the transaction instance using other relation instances, as well as, other billing service instances linked to the production service instances.

Abstract: A mobile terminal is provided. A scanner unit reads code information attached to a commodity. A RAM stores the code information read by the scanner unit as commodity-for-purchase information. The scanner unit, to confirm whether the commodity-for-purchase information stored in the RAM is correct, the scanner unit reads the code information of one part of the commodity-for-purchase. A CPU switches from reading for storage to reading for confirmation. It is determined whether information contained in the code information read by the scanner unit is stored in the RAM. A display displays a result of the determination.

Abstract: A system, comprising a first computing device receiving data from an input feed, the data corresponding to one of operations data and revenue data of an airport facility, the first computing device organizing the data into files which are viewable by users of the system and an additional computing device connected via a communication network to the first computing device, receiving the files organized by the first computing device and displaying the files to a user.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a commodity information processing system includes a second reading unit, a medium issue unit, a first storing unit having sale-in-a-set information stored therein, a specific-information generating unit, a determining unit, and an issue unit. The specifying information generating unit generates provisionally-registered commodity specifying information for specifying a commodity, commodity identification information of which is read by the second reading unit. The issue unit causes, if the determining unit determines that the commodity, the commodity identification information of which is read by the second reading unit, is a target commodity of the sale in a set, the medium issue unit to issue an information display medium on which sale-in-a-set information including the commodity as the target commodity and stored in the first storing unit and the provisionally-registered commodity specifying information are displayed.

Abstract: A method, procedure and operational function of the business for inhibiting internal theft of items without inventory identifiers are provided. In one aspect, the method comprises receiving an item for sale at a POS terminal, wherein the item is missing an inventory identifier. After the item is received, a determination is made as to whether a description of the item is stored in an inventory system. If the item is not stored in the inventory system, the sale of the item is inhibited. Thereafter, the entry of identifying information in the POS terminal is requested such that the identifying information identifies the item such that the description of the item can be stored in the inventory system.

Abstract: A system and method for providing responses to pricing inquiries that bypasses the trading desk is disclosed that includes a CPS database configured to receive and store pricing data from at least one data source and a CPS console configured to receive a pricing inquiry, estimate a price for the issue, and automatically generate and distribute the estimated price. A Pricing Analyst (PA) manages the receipt and processing of the pricing inquiry and can modify the estimation parameters through the CPS console. Processing of the inquiry by the CPS console relieves traders at the trading desk of the job of responding to pricing inquiries during the trading day.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided in which a first field and a second field of a data record are displayed to a user using a client program, the second field having one or more attributes that are dependent upon the value of the first field. In response to a detection that the value of the first field has changed, the value of the first field is sent to a server program. The server program is configured to process the change in value of the first field and determine corresponding changes with respect to the one or more attributes of the second field. The corresponding changes with respect to the one or more attributes of the second field are sent from the server program to the client program.

Abstract: A computer system, method and computer readable media for processing historical vehicle replacement part database queries is disclosed. The system can include a data preprocessing unit, a database server coupled to the data preprocessing unit, a web server and an application server programmed to connect operatively to the database server and to the web server. The application server can be programmed to generate dynamic content including a user interface adapted to receive user input and to output result data based upon a database query result, a subrogation claim accuracy verification result and an independent subrogation claim value.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for achieving a tailored content response based upon a product identifier coupled with a user identifier are provided. In one method embodiment, the present invention receives a machine readable indicia wherein at least a first portion of the machine readable indicia pertains to the product identifier and at least a second portion of the machine readable indicia pertains to the user identifier. Next, a product associated with the product identifier is identified in a database, wherein the database is not required to be formatted according to an extrinsic product identification standard. Moreover, a user profile associated with the user identifier is identified, the user profile comprising context information for the user. A tailored content response is then compiled for the device based upon the product and the context information.

Abstract: A self-diagnosing electronic price label. The label communicates with a central processor in order to receive price information for display and to report the status of the label to the central processor. The label periodically runs a self-test program to verify proper operation of its components. If a component fails the self-test, the failure is reported to a central processor, and the central processor reports the failure for investigation. During normal operation, the label issues a signal to the central processor indicating normal operation. In the event of a failure, the label ceases to send the signal indicating normal operation. When the signal is not received as expected, the central processor reports the failure to receive the signal for investigation. This allows the central processor to be alerted to failures which disable communication between the label and the central processor.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating margin sensitive pricing quotation in an integrated price adjustment system including: a) selecting products in selected product sets; b) providing pricing data corresponding to the products in selected product sets; c) providing guidance elements for products in selected product sets wherein guidance elements are margin sensitive; d) calculating guidance prices for products based upon guidance elements; e) selecting one of either pricing data or guidance prices; and f) generating a quotation based upon selections made such that margin sensitive pricing adjustments are incorporated into quotations. In some example embodiments, the present invention further includes providing predetermined suggestions for modifying the quotation.

Abstract: A method for a camera phone user to create a photo gift includes receiving a design for an image-based gift product from an image-capture device capable of wireless communication operated by a first user, the image-based product incorporating an image captured by the image-capture device, sending a message via a wireless router system about the image-based gift product from the first user to a second user, receiving a physical address from the second user by the wireless router system after the message is received by the second user, manufacturing the image-based gift product by a printing and finishing facility in communication with the wireless router system, and shipping the image-based gift product to the physical address.

Abstract: A network mobility server, which includes a target device inventory module, a data collection module, a data management module and a distribution module. The data management module, includes at least one data storage module, in which at least a portion of the data stored therein are identical data items stored in different selected formats suitable for use on mobile computing and telecommunication devices. The network also includes network agents, resident on numbers of the network members.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and apparatus for automatically managing a price of a product in a vending machine. The method and apparatus is disclosed for implementing dynamic price adjustments at various times including after stocking, after a sale of a product and at periodic intervals. The method generally includes the steps of updating inventory data, including a quantity of a product, accessing price management data associated with the product, and determining the price of the product. According to the method and apparatus of the present invention, the determined price of the product is based on the price management data and the inventory data. The determined price is then stored in a memory of the apparatus and displayed for customers. The apparatus may be a vending machine, a processing module within the vending machine, or an external module remotely transmitting the dynamically adjusted price to a vending machine.

Abstract: Methods and systems (200) for reducing losses related to perishables are disclosed. The perishables are grouped based on the use-by-date (UBD) and a quantity of at risk perishables are determined (210). A financial impact of the at risk perishables is calculated for each group (220). Pricing is dynamically determined for the perishables based on the financial impact and the UBD (230) and a price display is updated to indicate the pricing of the perishables (240).

Abstract: A method for computing a preferred set of prices for products in a subset of a plurality of products is provided. Generally, initial prices for a plurality of products are stored. A subset of products of the plurality of products is designated, where the number of products in the subset of products is less than the number of products in the plurality of products. A demand model is created based on Bayesian modeling. Prices for the products in the subset of products are optimized, while maintaining the initial prices of products of the plurality of products that are not in the subset of products, wherein the optimization uses a grid method to determine the optimized prices.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and system for aggregating advertising pricing data and providing that data to one or more clients. This data may be provided to the client in the form of various reports that allow a client to gauge the advertisement market more accurately and make a better informed decision when deciding to purchase advertisements. In one embodiment, a client is also able to access forecasting reports that predict the future of the advertisement market so that the client can more accurately make a decision about purchasing advertisement slots in advance.

Abstract: A computer receives a schema that lacks information required by a directory access protocol (e.g. LDAP) and automatically generates information that conforms to the directory access protocol and supplies the generated information as output in a new schema. Such automatic schema transformation allows a human who is creating the schema, to enable usage of the directory access protocol to interface with a directory implementing the schema, without knowing the directory access protocol. The computer of some embodiments receives the schema being input, in a predetermined human-readable language (e.g. XML). Hence, an XML developer who lacks knowledge of LDAP can use traditional XML tools to prepare an LDAP-incompatible schema, for use in implementing a directory (e.g. address book) that is accessed by an LDAP client (e.g. cell phone) via an LDAP server. The new schema can be output in any form (e.g. text/binary) and in any language.

Abstract: Novel POS-based bar code symbol reading systems are disclosed having an integrated customer-kiosk terminal. Also disclosed are novel POS-based bar code reading cash register Systems having integrated Internet-enabled customer-kiosk terminals.

Abstract: A price associated with a menu item is determined automatically based at least in part on revenue management information. A menu display is updated on an electronic display device such as a digital menu board to include the automatically-determined price.

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.