Abstract: Items—including gourmet products—are evaluated and rated by participants in a controlled event, which can be coordinated by software locally or at a dedicated website. Event data, including item scores and participant scores can be shared with vendors, merchants and other commercial entities associated with the products. Promotional incentives from such entities for the products (and related products) can then be directly targeted and provided to participants and other members of the public. The participant's activities can also be collected and disseminated to affiliates/friends of the participants through social networking sites, personalized web pages, etc.

Abstract: Provided herein is a system and method to produce a composite rating using context information. The method may include: measuring a first and a second metric in a first and a second context respectively, to provide a first and a second contextual measurement, respectively; transforming the first contextual measurement to a first plurality of semantic context values by use of a first plurality of pertaining functions; transforming the second contextual measurement to a second plurality of semantic context values by use of a second plurality of pertaining functions; combining one or more of the first plurality of semantic context values and one or more of the second plurality of semantic context values, by use of one or more fuzzy logic rules, to produce a plurality of semantic distributions; and calculating a centroid of a merger of the plurality of semantic distributions in order to produce the composite rating.

Abstract: Items—including gourmet products—are evaluated and rated by participants in a controlled event, which can be coordinated by software locally or at a dedicated website. Event data, including item scores and participant scores can be shared with vendors, merchants and other commercial entities associated with the products. Promotional incentives from such entities for the products (and related products) can then be directly targeted and provided to participants and other members of the public. The participant's activities can also be collected and disseminated to affiliates/friends of the participants through social networking sites, personalized web pages, etc.

Abstract: Reputation systems have been used to promote trust between participants in activities including online activities such as online market places. Existing online market places provide a reputation system which is a simple cumulative registry of user ratings on a given market place member. However, this simple system is open to abuse in situations where, for example, many positive ratings are given in a fraudulent manner. By modeling both reputation of participants and required reputation of participants an improved reputation system is provided. The required reputation may be thought of as a threshold, referred to herein as a required threshold, which may be used in determining how to update an indication of the reputation of a participant in the activity. The reputation system is able to learn information about required reputation and reputation of participants using an update process which is robust to participants who consistently give feedback of a particular type.

Abstract: A reputation quality control environment and methodology utilizes periodic automated product scoring and timely manual product reviews to ensure the accuracy of product rankings. The reputation quality control environment has a reputation scale that is divided into one or more reputation bands with product placement within each successively higher band signifying a more desirable product. Products included within the quality control environment are periodically automatically scored based on one or more product characteristic values. Products whose reputation score renders them eligible for a new, higher reputation band are manually reviewed prior to being allowed into the higher band. Products whose product reputation score is on a trajectory that indicates the product will likely attempt to enter a new, higher reputation band within a predetermined timeframe are timely manually reviewed so that acceptable products can be instantaneously allowed into the new band when their reputation score provides for it.

Abstract: The present invention provides, for example, a server apparatus which can learn a reaction related to information by a user who the information is offered. A reaction of the user related to offer information offered by a webpage and a URL of the webpage are received from a terminal device, the reaction of the user and the URL are associated and stored in a memory means, and the reaction of the user is counted per URL.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to online reputations. Specifically, this invention relates to a system and method for analyzing, determining, reporting and modifying an online reputation of a business, professional or individual. The online reputation of a business, professional or individual being comprised of a numeric value, calculated at least in part on positive reviews of the business, professional or individual, negative reviews of the business, professional or individual and the types of websites the positive or negative reviews reside upon.

Abstract: A ranking method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system, business requirements and associated weighting factors. The computing system receives a list of software/hardware products and associated assessment data. The business requirements are associated with product features of the software/hardware products. The computing system calculates total requirement weighting factors for the product features. The computing system stores the total requirement weighting factors.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable storage media for sorting and outputting, base on relevancy, feedbacks to a user. For example, user characteristics of a user associated with viewing an item can be received directly from the user or from a social network profile associated with the user. The received user characteristics can be compared to user characteristics associated with feedbacks to yield respective degrees of similarity. Finally, the feedbacks can be output to the user based on the respective degrees of similarity.

Abstract: A system, in a cloud computing environment (“CCE”) includes a data processor. One or more cloud computing auditing components are configured to monitor the CCE in accordance with a predefined insurance level agreement (“ILA”) and to create a log of one or more CCE events indicated by the ILA. A neutral data warehouse is configured to store the log. A reporting module generates one or more reports for a party indicated by the ILA from the log in the neutral data warehouse in accordance with the ILA.

Abstract: A computer-aided asset allocation and asset monitoring apparatus comprising a unidirectional, data-protected control signal apparatus, in which data from locally arranged, protected databases can be transferred via a network to the asset allocation and asset monitoring apparatus and can be evaluated and in which electronic control signals and/or control data can be transmitted to at least one authorized receiver station.

Abstract: Data records containing user feedback regarding at least one offering are received. From among candidate attributes in the received data records, a subset of attributes that relate to user sentiment regarding the at least one offering is selected, where the selecting is according to selection criteria including frequency of occurrence of the candidate attributes, relative amounts of negative and positive feedback associated with the candidate attributes, and time density of feedback associated with the candidate attributes. A visualization of at least one sentiment characteristic of the selected subset of attributes that relate to user sentiment is presented for display.

Abstract: A method and system for collecting and managing feedback from account users via account statements by providing data for a user interface displaying a statement of financial transactions and one or more feedback mechanisms, receiving feedback information via a selected feedback mechanism, and storing the received feedback information and feedback information received from other users. Authorization information for a desired financial transaction that is dependent, at least in part, on the received feedback information, may also be provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to content and, more particularly, to a site sentiment system and methods thereof. In one illustrative embodiment, the system can maintain health related content from a contributor such as a client or partner. The content can be an article, commentaries or other documented information. Associated with the content, a sentiment indicator can be used to receive esteems provided by a user viewing the content. The sentiment indicator can indicate esteems for “Improved My Health”, “Changed My Life” and “Saved My Life”. Using this information from a number of viewers of the content, a sentiment meter can be displayed showing the total esteems. Esteems can also be provided for the contributors. Links can be associated with the sentiment meter and provide associated health information. The meter can be visible on every page of the website or alternatively, be provided as an external widget for download.

Abstract: A method, system and program product comprises receiving a request for a review of a product or service purchased from a business. Said review is transmitted to be recorded on a server system. Said server system is operable to process said review to determine if a sentiment of said review is below a predetermined threshold. Said server system is further operable to prompt said business to resolve one or more concerns of said review. A concern resolution is received from said business. An outline of said concern resolution is recorded on said server system. A request to submit a follow up review of said concern resolution is received. Said follow up review is recorded on said server system. Said server system is operable to process said follow up review in which said review, said outline of said concern resolution and said follow up review are viewable on a website.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in adaptive rating methods and systems. The adaptive rating method includes receiving a first rating for a first product from a user, receiving a second rating for a second product from the user, identifying a conflict with a processor by comparing the first rating and the second rating, soliciting feedback from the user to remedy the conflict, and adjusting at least one of the first or second ratings with the processor responsive to feedback from the user. The steps of the method may be embodied in computer executable instructions stored on a non-transient machine readable medium that cause a processor to perform the method when executed by the processor. The system includes a processor configured to perform the steps of the method.

Abstract: A system and method for rating of each of plural products comprising identifying plurality of attributes associated with a category of product, applying a scalar structure for each attribute to provide scalar value of each attribute for each of the plural products, determining an incremental competitive index for each attribute of each product based on the scalar value of each attribute and a number of products having the scalar value, and rating each product based on the determined competitive index.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus and a computer program product for rating a second communication party, wherein a first communication party comprises a communication apparatus. A start time of the communication session and the identification of the second communication party is stored, and an identification code of the communication session is formed. A rating object and a corresponding rating value from a user interface is selected, wherein the rating object is a graphical, interactive user interface object with which the user interacts in order to rate the second communication party. The rating information is sent to a rating computer, the rating information comprising the identification code and the rating value. After the call has ended, the first communication party rates the second communication party by pointing a graphical image or presentation of different rating values on the screen of a communication apparatus that the first communication party is using.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recommending establishments and/or items from establishments based on a consumption history of similar consumers are provided. Ratings data can be received from each of a plurality of consumers via an automated process. For example, consumers can take a picture of a receipt after patronizing a restaurant or other establishment. Optical character recognition can then be performed on the receipt to identify, for example, the establishment patronized, items ordered, and the price of each item ordered. The ratings data obtained by the automated process can then be associated with each consumer to create a ratings history. Establishment and/or item recommendations then can be provided to consumers based on their history and that of consumers with similar histories.

Abstract: Systems and methods are described for generating online product recommendations. A plurality of data objects representative of a plurality of items for user consumption from an online merchant are stored at a computing device. A method then comprises, registering a device associated with a user with the online merchant; and in response to registering the device: associating the device with at least one other device registered with the online merchant associated with an other user in response to selection of the at least one other device by the device, monitoring a first social activity of the at least one other device, wherein the first social activity includes a first activity related to an interaction of the at least one other device with at least one of the plurality of data objects, and collecting and storing first social activity data related to the first social activity of the at least one other device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for ranking applications. In one aspect, a method includes receiving, from a computing device, a feedback report related to an application configured to run on the computing device, the feedback report including information indicative of an error with the application, and a geographic location of the computing device at a time when the application encountered the error; generating, based on the feedback report, one or more metrics indicative of a performance of the application in the geographic location; retrieving information indicative of other applications associated with metrics indicative of a performance of the other applications in the geographic location; and ranking the applications in accordance with the metrics indicative of the performance of the applications in the geographic location.

Abstract: An overall sentiment is determined amongst a population of persons, for each of a plurality of commercial entities.

Abstract: A method and a system to determine a product identification of an item for sale in an online publication system is shown and described. For example, the method may be initiated when an input identifying an item is received from a user. An input type (e.g., image, text, audio recording, etc.) may be determined and one or more identification services may be selected based on the input type. At least a portion of the input is transmit to the selected one or more identification services. A product identification is received from each of the one or more identification services. Based on the received product identifications, a recommended product identification is determined. The recommended product identification is transmitted to the user.

Abstract: A computing system for searching for and identifying data repository deficits includes an interactive database of items, a data repository that stores a first type of information related to items, a search engine configured to identify items that do not have an amount of the first type of information that meets a first threshold, a candidate selection interface that provides functionality for the user to select an item from recommended candidate items needing the first type of information, a user interface via which the user can provide the first type of information for an item selected by the user, a game system configured to calculate for a game scores and rankings based at least in part on data stored in the data repository.

Abstract: A method and a system for providing product bundles are described. In some instances, the method begins by receiving a request for a view product interface. The view product interface includes a description of a primary product offered for sale by a seller and indicates that a first item is for sale by the seller where the first item is an instance of the primary product. Next, a product bundle definition for the primary product by the seller is identified. The bundle includes a plurality of secondary products selectable by a buyer. An inventory of the seller is accessed to identify a second item for sale that is an instance of a secondary product. The view product interface is provided and includes the description of the primary product and a description of the bundle that includes a description of the second item.

Abstract: A dynamic, fully-integrated computer-server-based platform (platform) provides users with tools for making informed decisions about available energy upgrades and for implementing desired home energy upgrades. In various embodiments, the platform provides various combinations of: (i) a variety of educational and assessment tools, including a Virtual Home Energy Audit (VHEA), which provides users with a customized home energy-savings plan detailing the financial and/or environmental impact of each upgrade alternative on a relative and absolute basis, (ii) product selection and purchase, (iii) access to arrangement and scheduling of in-home services through a network of professionals, (iv) financing solutions, and (v) a data registry that verifies completed upgrades and associated savings. The platform takes a holistic view of energy solutions, and provides tools across a broad spectrum of energy-related products and/or services.

Abstract: A method including obtaining a plurality of user reviews of different commercial products or services. The user reviews include statements about features of the products or services. The method also includes assigning a sentiment orientation to each of a plurality of the statements. The sentiment orientation indicates whether the statement reflects a positive sentiment or a negative sentiment. At least one of the features is a common feature that is shared by a plurality of the products or services. The method also includes ranking the products or services having the common feature relative to one another based on the sentiment orientations of the common feature.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide methods, systems, and computer software products for producing a tangible asset in the form of a standardized score that quantifiably measures business credibility based on a variety of data sources and credibility data that includes quantitative data and qualitative data. Some embodiments produce a separate tangible asset in the form of a report from which each business can identify practices that have been successful, practices that have inhibited the success of the business, desired improvements by customers, where future growth opportunities lie, and changes that can be made to improve the future growth and success of the business and thereby improve on the credibility score of the business.

Abstract: Pursuant to some embodiments, methods, systems, apparatus, and computer program code for encouraging customer interaction are provided. In some embodiments, customer interaction may include receiving a request by a user operating a mobile device to provide feedback associated with an experience at a merchant. Device location data is identified associated with a current location of the mobile device. Merchant location data associated with a location of the merchant is identified, where the merchant location data includes information identifying a permitted review radius. A determination is made whether the current location of the mobile device is within the permitted review radius, and, if so, the user is permitted to provide feedback.

Abstract: Some embodiments provide methods, systems, and computer software products for producing a tangible asset in the form of a standardized score that quantifiably measures business credibility based on a variety of data sources and credibility data that includes quantitative data and qualitative data. Some embodiments produce a separate tangible asset in the form of a report from which each business can identify practices that have been successful, practices that have inhibited the success of the business, desired improvements by customers, where future growth opportunities lie, and changes that can be made to improve the future growth and success of the business and thereby improve on the credibility score of the business.

Abstract: Under the present invention, a customer will login to a secure computer infrastructure and initially be polled and/or provide some input relating to an integrated IT solution that is desired. The customer can then make selections for hardware and/or software components desired for the integrated IT solution. The present invention will analyze the selections and verify whether each of the selected components is of similar quality to one another. If not, the customer can be alerted. The present invention will also make recommendations for services that best match the selected components. The integrated IT solution will then be finalized based on the components and services selected by the customer. Once the solution has been finalized, a corresponding contract(s) can be developed/generated, approved and executed within the secure computer infrastructure.

Abstract: In a consumer information system, a method of comparing products and services including providing product specific information, providing merchant specific information on the specified product, providing merchant specific business information, providing product specific information collected by third parties, providing merchant specific information collected by third parties, applying weighting factors to the information provided, producing an aggregate value for each merchant based on the weighting factors as applied to the information provided, and producing a ranking of the merchants offering the specified product based on the aggregate value for each merchant. The system provides for consumers to select a set of standardized weighting factors or to modify the standardized weighting factors or to create their own weighting factors. The system provides detailed information to consumers on the breakdown of factors influencing the rating.

Abstract: A ranking method and system. The method includes receiving by a computing system, business requirements and associated weighting factors. The computing system receives a list of software/hardware products and associated assessment data. The business requirements are associated with product features of the software/hardware products. The computing system calculates total requirement weighting factors for the product features. The computing system stores the total requirement weighting factors.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to online business reputations. Specifically, this invention relates to a system and method for analyzing, determining, reporting and modifying an online reputation of a business, professional or individual. The online reputation of a business, professional or individual being comprised of a numeric value, calculated at least in part on positive reviews of the business, professional or individual, negative reviews of the business, professional or individual and the types of websites the positive or negative reviews reside upon.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for authenticating and publishing reviews of service providers. In particular, a third-party website receives information from a reviewer pertaining to a prior purchase and receipt of services from a service provider by the reviewer, and queries a database of the service provider to confirm that the information corresponds to a prior purchase in the database. If the information provided by the reviewer matches the service provider database, the review is accepted and posted online. If the information provided by the reviewer does not match the service provider database, the review is rejected and not published.

Abstract: Providing a recommendation of a media item. Media item identifiers and corresponding nonzero media item attribute strengths for a target media item attribute are retrieved from a database. Each of the retrieved media item attribute strengths are randomized, resulting in randomized media item attribute strengths. One of the media item identifiers is selected according to predetermined selection criteria. A recommendation of a media item corresponding to the selected media item identifier is transmitted to a user device over a network.

Abstract: Methods for detecting an attempt to perpetrate fraud on a user utilizing a client-supplied link and a client-supplied IP address from a user computer. The method ascertains a first autonomous system number (“first AS number”) from the client-supplied IP address and a second autonomous system number (“second AS number”) from the client-supplied link. If the first AS number and the second AS number are not AS group peers, a pharming attempt is detected. Alternatively or additionally, the method includes analyzing a content of a webpage that is accessed using the client-supplied IP address to ascertain an identity of an apparent owner of the webpage and ascertaining a third autonomous system number (“third AS number”) from the identity of the apparent owner of the webpage. If the first AS number and the third AS number are not AS group peers, a phishing attempt is detected.

Abstract: A platform facilitates buyers, sellers, and third parties in obtaining information related to each other's transaction histories, such as a supplier's shipment history, the types of materials typically shipped, a supplier's customers, a supplier's expertise, what materials and how much a buyer purchases, buyer and shipper reliability, similarity between buyers, similarity between suppliers, and the like. The platform aggregates data from a variety of sources, including, without limitation, customs data associated with actual import/export transactions, non-public shipper records, and facilitates the generation of reports as to the quality of buyers and suppliers, the reports relating to a variety of parameters that are associated with buyer and supplier quality.

Abstract: Review bias identification systems and methods are presented. A bias in one or more review elements can be identified by deriving a measure of how a review outlet's product review deviates from an industry average or composite review of the product. A bias engine generates a bias vector for a review outlet where the vector can include multiple bias metrics associated with one or more product properties. The bias engine can further present one or more recommendations of associating the product with a review outlet based on the bias vector.

Abstract: A system for automatically generating a recommendation to migrate a wireless communication service account from a first wireless communication protocol to a second wireless communication protocol is provided. The system comprises a computer system, a data store comprising call metrics for a first plurality of base transceiver stations, wherein the base transceiver stations promote wireless communication according to the second wireless communication protocol, and an application stored in a memory of the computer system.

Abstract: A method for providing a customized review may include receiving, by a processing device, a request for a customized review for a product or service from a requester. The method may also include receiving, by the processing device, a consumer profile associated with the request from the requester. The method may additionally include receiving, by the processing device, at least one review for the product or service and an associated profile for a provider of each review. The consumer profile associated with the request may be compared by the processing device to the profile associated with each review for the product or service. The method may further include providing, by the processing device, the customized review to the requester. The customized review may include any reviews by review providers with profiles that substantially match the consumer profile associated with the request.

Abstract: This disclosure describes a platform for better connecting authors and retailers that offer works of the authors for acquisition by a community of users. This platform includes multiple tools that allow the authors to provide content to the community of users through the retailer or through another entity. In addition, this platform provides tools that authors may utilize for marketing their works, for tracking acquisition (e.g., sales) of their works, for connecting with other authors, or for a multitude of other purposes.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in adaptive rating methods and systems. The adaptive rating method includes receiving a first rating for a first product from a user, receiving a second rating for a second product from the user, identifying a conflict with a processor by comparing the first rating and the second rating, soliciting feedback from the user to remedy the conflict, and adjusting at least one of the first or second ratings with the processor responsive to feedback from the user. The steps of the method may be embodied in computer executable instructions stored on a non-transient machine readable medium that cause a processor to perform the method when executed by the processor. The system includes a processor configured to perform the steps of the method.

Abstract: Vehicle performance data is collected from an input by an operator, a portable device used during an inspection, or at least one sensor. The performance data (or a request for quotes or a reverse auction by repair vendors transmitted by the operator) is conveyed in real-time to a remote computing device that monitors the data to determine if a mechanical fault has occurred in the vehicle, and also automatically responds to operator requests for service. In response, the remote computing device automatically requests repair quotes from vendors interested in repairing the vehicle and located within a predefined distance of a desired location. The operator of the vehicle is automatically informed of the mechanical fault and the repair quotes. In at least one embodiment, the repair quotes are generated using a reverse auction hosted by the monitoring service operating the remote computer or a third party.

Abstract: An adjustable priority retailer ranking system that performs a method for generating an ordered comparison list of merchant sources is disclosed. A first unordered list of merchant sources is received from a queried search engine. A location value of an end user is derived. For the merchant sources in the unordered list, a plurality user independent merchant evaluation factors are retrieved, and a plurality of user-independent merchant evaluation factors are generated based upon the location value. Predetermined weights are assigned to the merchant evaluation factors. A merchant ranking score for the merchant sources are generated from a composite of the weights and the merchant evaluation factors. An ordered list of merchant sources arranged according to the ranking scores is outputted to the end user.

Abstract: Systems and techniques to provide an improved reputation scoring for products in an online storefront are described. A technique may include obtaining at least one objective measure and at least one subjective measure about a product in an online storefront; calculating a reputation level for the product from the subjective and objective measures; and displaying a listing for the product in the online storefront according to the reputation level. A technique may further include providing feedback to product developers about the reputation level of the product. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: The disclosure is a system and method for filing complaints to a service provider, using a smartphone or similar connected wireless mobile device to create a specifically formatted record and post it publically on at least one of several social network sites such as Twitter or Facebook, using the site's API. The system may also make a follow up or other escalation of the complaint or send additional messages via non-public methods such as to a service provider CRM system as a way of managing and bringing about a resolution of the complaint.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods and systems for determining unknowns in rating matrices. In one embodiment, a method comprises forming a rating matrix, where each matrix element corresponds to a known favorable user rating associated with an item or an unknown user rating associated with an item. The method includes determining a weight matrix configured to assign a weight value to each of the unknown matrix elements, and sampling the rating matrix to generate an ensemble of training matrices. Weighted maximum-margin matrix factorization is applied to each training matrix to obtain corresponding sub-rating matrix, the weights based on the weight matrix. The sub-rating matrices are combined to obtain an approximate rating matrix that can be used to recommend items to users based on the rank ordering of the corresponding matrix elements.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining performance information from sources, where the performance information relates to products and/or services, enabling the performance information to be reviewed to thereby produce vetted and categorized performance information, receiving the vetted and categorized performance information, where the vetted and categorized performance information includes the performance information that has been vetted for reliability and that has been categorized according to reliability, and using the vetted and categorized performance information to generate reports, where the reports indicate a performance impact of the products and/or services.

Abstract: A method for generating healthcare provider quality rating data includes grouping claim records into one or more claim groups, assigning each claim group to a responsible provider, assessing the claim records in each claim group using guidelines for the particular disease or condition, and generating a compliance score for the claim group, wherein the compliance score indicates the extent to which the claim records in the claim group match the guidelines, and generating normalized provider quality rating data. A method for generating healthcare provider cost rating data includes grouping claim records into one or more claim groups, assigning each claim group to a responsible provider, calculating the total cost of each claim group, aggregating the total cost for each claim group, and comparing the total aggregate cost of each claim group assigned to each provider to an expected cost value.