75372results about "Finance" patented technology

A method for providing unequal allocation of rights among agents while operating according to fair principles, comprising assigning a hierarchal rank to each agent; providing a synthetic economic value to a first set of agents at the a high level of the hierarchy; allocating portions of the synthetic economic value by the first set of agents to a second set of agents at respectively different hierarchal rank than the first set of agents; and conducting an auction amongst agents using the synthetic economic value as the currency. A method for allocation among agents, comprising assigning a wealth generation function for generating future wealth to each of a plurality of agents, communicating subjective market information between agents, and transferring wealth generated by the secure wealth generation function between agents in consideration of a market transaction. The method may further comprise the step of transferring at least a portion of the wealth generation function between agents.

A billing process is disclosed for a information dispersal system or digital data storage system. In one embodiment of the invention, the original data to be stored is separated into a number of data “slices” or shares in such a manner that the data in each subset is less usable or less recognizable or completely unusable or completely unrecognizable by itself except when combined with some or all of the other data subsets. These data subsets are stored on separate digital data storage devices as a way of increasing privacy and security. As dispersed file shares are being stored or removed from a grid of distributed storage locations, a set of metadata tables are created, separate from the dispersed file share storage, to maintain information about the original data size of each block, file or set of file shares dispersed on the grid. The original data size information in these separate metadata tables is used to determine usage information based upon the original file size even though the file has been dispersed onto a storage grid that contains file slices who size may not relate to the original file size and the file slices may have been compressed by the system in order to reduce storage space or improve transmission time. As such, the billing process is able to enable a broad range of commercial billing options for billing for commercial data services on an information dispersal grid.

A system for electronic commerce (10) having personal agents (12 and 13) that represent consumers and providers in a virtual marketplace (28). Consumer personal agents conceal the identity of the consumer and are capable of creating decision agents (14) that shop for products and assist consumers in comparing and ranking products. Provider personal agents are capable of creating demand agents (16) that quantify demand and target specific consumers without learning the identity of the consumers. Based on data generated by the activities of the decision agents and on preference data maintained by consumer personal agents, provider personal agents can quantify current, historical, and future demand, simulate demand, and target specific consumers for advertising and other messages. Provider personal agents can cooperate with consumer personal agents to collect data about reasons for sales and lost sales and to offer consideration payments to consumers. Consumer personal agents can automatically reject unsolicited messages that do not satisfy the consumer's preferences.

Documents and other items can be delivered electronically from sender to recipient with a level of trustedness approaching or exceeding that provided by a personal document courier. A trusted electronic go-between can validate, witness and / or archive transactions while, in some cases, actively participating in or directing the transaction. Printed or imaged documents can be marked using handwritten signature images, seal images, electronic fingerprinting, watermarking, and / or steganography. Electronic commercial transactions and transmissions take place in a reliable, "trusted" virtual distribution environment that provides significant efficiency and cost savings benefits to users in addition to providing an extremely high degree of confidence and trustedness. The systems and techniques have many uses including but not limited to secure document delivery, execution of legal documents, and electronic data interchange (EDI).

The present disclosure controls the network and manages resources for managing network assets through in a network-based supply chain framework. Network assets are available to network users. One user may submit information reguarding potential for growth, the capacity, or the technological level of one of the network assets. Another user may submit similar information about another network asset. Based on the information from the users, the system may determine the optimal set of network assets. When network events about the assets are recieved, the events can be filtered, correlated and isolated. These events can then be translated into a standard object form for facilitating the determination of the problem causing the network event.

A financial tender transfer system allows a transferor to transfer credit or make payment to a transferee by debiting the credit card of the transferor and crediting the credit card of the transferee. The financial tender transfer system gives the transferee immediate access to the transferred money and ensures the transferor's credit card is valid. Neither party needs to give their credit card number to the other, so security is preserved. Any amount of value up to the full credit line of the transferor can be transferred to the transferee.

A mobile payment platform and service provides a fast, easy way to make payments by users of mobile devices. The platform also interfaces with nonmobile channels and devices such as e-mail, instant messenger, and Web. In an implementation, funds are accessed from an account holder's mobile device such as a mobile phone or a personal digital assistant to make or receive payments. Financial transactions can be conducted on a person-to-person (P2P) or person-to-merchant (P2M) basis where each party is identified by a unique indicator such as a telephone number or bar code. Transactions can be requested through any number of means including SMS messaging, Web, e-mail, instant messenger, a mobile client application, an instant messaging plug-in application or “widget.” The mobile client application, resident on the mobile device, simplifies access and performing financial transactions in a fast, secure manner.

A mobile phone system and method of initializing, at a secure transaction server (STS), a mobile payment software with a software authentication parameter, as an authentic mobile payment software; providing an STS correlation between a personal identification entry (PIE) and the authentic mobile payment software; installing, in a mobile phone, the authentic mobile payment software; and inputting, by a user, the PIE to the installed authentic mobile payment software to generate according to the PIE and the software authentication parameter a transformed secure authenticable mobile phone cashless monetary transaction over the mobile phone network, as a mobile phone wireless wallet of the user of the mobile phone. The mobile phone authenticable cashless monetary transaction is performed according to an agreement view(s) protocol.

A system and process that provides an on-line, interactive, and fully integrated benefit-driven value exchange and settlement program that monitors, evaluates, and manages economic and personal benefits and executes functions to produce and acquire the maximum or preferred benefit items for users by guiding and automating appropriate payment and settlement actions. The present invention finds useful patterns in data; produces conclusions based on rules and experience; responds to environmental changes with or without human intervention; and, may evolve through selecting the best results from random mutations all of which are intended to maximise user value.

A system and method for remote asset management is described which can provide the basis for a diverse product group including an improved remote location monitoring system, a means for communicating with and for monitoring the status and or location of a plurality of diverse assets, as well as the means for communicating with said assets for the purpose of modifying the operational status of one or more of said assets according to one or more stored data parameters such as location, use, battery power, and such like. The remote asset management system comprise a wireless module, which is associated with at least one of the plurality of assets and which is interfaced with the operating system of said asset and or with an electromechanical control means, which may control one or more features of the operation of said assets. A supporting network-based, or internet-based service platform controls and manages the status of each of the plurality of assets, either automatically, or in response to received messages from fixed or wireless communication devices, and which is capable of selectively communicating data to said assets for changing the operational status of said assets according to pre-programmed conditions.

A method is disclosed for automatically updating the status of customers' orders and shipments via electronic mail without using a human attendant to create and send the electronic mail messages. Preferably implemented in software, the updating method allows a large set of customers to be periodically updated over a computer or communications network via electronic mail. The method utilizes a database for maintaining order and shipping status and other relevant information.

The invention can enable monitoring of the display of content by a computer system. Moreover, the invention can enable monitoring of the displayed content to produce monitoring information from which conclusions may be deduced regarding the observation of the displayed content by an observer. The invention can also enable monitoring of the display at a content display site of content that is provided by a content provider site over a network to the content display site. Additionally, the invention can enable the expeditious provision of updated and / or tailored content over a network from a content provider site to a content display site so that the content provider's current and appropriately tailored content is always displayed at the content display site. Aspects of the invention related to transfer of content over a network are generally applicable to any type of network. However, it is contemplated that the invention can be particularly useful with a computer network, including private computer networks (e.g., America Online TM ) and public computer networks (e.g., the Internet). In particular, the invention can be advantageously used with computer networks or portions of computer networks over which video and / or audio content are transferred from one network site to another network site for observation, such as the World Wide Web portion of the Internet.

A system and method for conducting a multi-person, interactive auction, in a variety of formats, without using a human auctioneer to conduct the auction. The system is preferably implemented in software. The system allows a group of bidders to interactively place bids over a computer or communications network. Those bids are recorded by the system and the bidders are updated with the current auction status information. When appropriate, the system closes the auction from further bidding and notifies the winning bidders and losers as to the auction outcome.

Customers often have access to multiple payment methods for any given transaction. In one embodiment of the invention, a merchant obtains information regarding multiple payment methods from a customer, and sends said information to a transaction evaluator. Via computer networks, the transaction evaluator sends information about the transaction to the issuers of one or more of the payment methods. The issuers perform a cost / benefit analysis of the transactions and respond with a description of the terms under which they are willing to process the transaction. Based on the issuer response, the transaction evaluator selects one of the payment methods. By enabling participating issuers to select favorable transactions and avoid unprofitable ones, the invention can thus improve issuer profitability by directing profitable transactions to participating issuers while directing unprofitable transactions away from participating issuers or to alternate transaction methods that are more profitable or less costly.

A data logging device tracks the operation of a vehicle or driver actions. The device includes a storage device, which may be removable or portable, having a first memory portion that may be read from and may be written to in a vehicle and a second memory portion that may be read from and may be written to in the vehicle. The second memory portion may retain data attributes associated with the data stored in the first removable storage device. A processor reads data from an automotive bus that transfers data from vehicle sensors to other automotive components. The processor writes data to the first memory portion and the second memory portion that reflect a level of risk or safety. A communication device links the storage device to a network of computers. The communication device may be accessible through software that allows a user to access files related to a level of risk or safety and other software that may be related to those files.

A financial tender transfer system allows a transferor to transfer credit or make payment to a transferee by debiting the credit card of the transferor and crediting the credit card of the transferee. The financial tender transfer system gives the transferee immediate access to the transferred money and ensures the transferor's credit card is valid. Neither party needs to give their credit card number to the other, so security is preserved. Any amount of value up to the full credit line of the transferor can be transferred to the transferee.

The methods and systems described herein relate to online methods of collaboration in community environments. The methods and systems are related to an online apparel modeling system that allows users to have three-dimensional models of their physical profile created. Users may purchase various goods and / or services and collaborate with other users in the online environment.

A multidimensional energy decision system, comprising a plurality of server systems, including at least a statistics server and an interface adapted to receive and send digital information from at least a client system, and further adapted to optionally communicate with the digital exchange via a packet-based data network, wherein the multidimensional energy decision system periodically optimizes operational parameters of client system for a specific time period and a specific energy asset from client system based on forecasted conditions, and directly, or upon decision confirmation from a client system, procures or makes dispatchable energy resources, related externalities, or related derivative financial products, available to a digital exchange or other parties, wherein upon the purchase of a listed asset by another party or across digital exchange, implements dispatch procedures to satisfy the issued contract and, optionally, provides monitoring and verification of performance, is disclosed.

A method and system for reducing the time it takes for a trader to place a trade when electronically trading on an exchange, thus increasing the likelihood that the trader will have orders filled at desirable prices and quantities. The “Mercury” display and trading method of the present invention ensure fast and accurate execution of trades by displaying market depth on a vertical or horizontal plane, which fluctuates logically up or down, left or right across the plane as the market prices fluctuate. This allows the trader to trade quickly and efficiently. The price consolidation feature of the present invention, as described herein, enables a trader to consolidate a number of prices in order to condense the display. Such action allows a trader to view a greater range of prices and a greater number of orders in the market at any given time. By consolidating prices, and therefore orders, a trader reduces the risk of a favorable order scrolling from the screen prior to filling a bid or ask on that order at a favorable price.

The disclosure provides for creating a finalized document relating to a transaction. A buyer selects documents associated with a proposed transaction and indicates trade terms of an agreement relating to the documents selected. The trade terms are presented to a seller on an electronic form via an electronic document platform. The electronic form includes a combined purchase order proforma invoice, a transportation document, and a shipping document. The seller can amend the trade terms on the form, and each amendment creates a new version of the form. Negotiations of the trade terms between the buyer and the seller are conducted electronically and the negotiated fonn detailing the negotiation of the trade terms is generated and displayed electronically, also. A compliance check is performed and is triggered in response to a digital signature of the form. Payment is initiated to the seller after a verification of credit of the buyer.

A system and method manage delivery of energy from a distribution network to one or more sites. Each site has at least one device coupled to the distribution network. The at least one device controllably consumes energy. The system includes a node and a control system. The node is coupled to the at least one device for sensing and controlling energy delivered to the device. A control system is coupled to the node and distribution network for delivery to the node at least one characteristic of the distribution network. The node controls the supply of energy to the device as a function of the at least one characteristic.

Various embodiments are disclosed for a services policy communication system and method. In some embodiments, a communications device stores a set of device credentials for activating the communications device for a service on a network; and sends an access request to the network, the access request including the set of device credentials.

A smart electronic receipt system that provides intelligent receipts, called Smart Receipts, that electronically document a transaction between two parties and maintains a persistent connection between the two parties following a successful online transaction. A Trusted Agent on the Buyer's client system creates an order record which is stored in a database on a Trusted Agent Server and starts the transaction process with the merchant. A Smart Receipt is delivered by a Smart Receipt Agent over a secure connection from the merchant to the Trusted Agent Server upon successful completion of a purchase and reflects the details of the transaction. It is stored in a secure database on the Trusted Agent Server and is made available to the Buyer (user) through a Trusted Agent located on his machine. The Trusted Agent Server compares the order record Limited Edition Digital Objects (LEDOs) stored in database with the Smart Receipt's LEDO to find the corresponding order record. The Smart Receipt provides the customer with detailed information about an online purchase in a standardized format. Hyperlinks embedded in the Smart Receipt enable the customer to access customer service and order status. The merchant may also embed addition-al services within the Smart Receipt, including special offers for future purchases. Offers provided in a Smart Receipt can be personalized to a user's preferences which are stored on the Trusted Agent Server. Each Smart Receipt is comprised of a chain of LEDOs with each LEDO object having a unique owner. A Smart Receipt is a dynamic entity and is continuously updated until the Buyer deletes it from the Trusted Agent Server.

Various embodiments are disclosed for a services policy communication system and method. In some embodiments, a communications device implements a service policy for assisting control of the communications device use of a service on a network; and monitors use of the service based on the service policy, in which the implementation of the service policy is verified.

A method and system for providing, personalized and integrated online services for communications and commercial transactions both in private and public venues. The invention provides personalized information that is conveniently accessible through a network of public access stations (or terminals) which are enabled by a personal system access card (e.g., smart card). The invention also provides advertisers the opportunity to directly engage action; and potential user-consumers with selected advertising or marketing content based on each user's profile and usage history.

Methods and systems for making a financial payment to a payee via a stored value (SV) card utilizing a mobile device such as a mobile telephone (cellphone) or wireless connected personal digital assistant (PDA). The mobile device communicates wirelessly with a mobile financial transaction system (MFTS) that stores user information and transaction information. A user enters information via the mobile device identifying a payee and indicating a stored value card payment method. The mobile device generates a mobile payment instruction that includes information corresponding to the identified payee and indicating a stored value card payment method. The mobile payment instruction is wirelessly communicated to the MFTS. The MFTS generates an MFTS payment instruction to a payment instruction recipient that can issue a new stored value card and / or reload funds onto a pre-existing stored value card. The MFTS communicates the MFTS payment instruction to the payment instruction recipient, which arranges for payment to the identified payee by issuing a new stored value card or reloading funds onto a pre-existing stored value card.

A system and method relates to the field of building and administrating a patient management and health care management database containing data relevant to the clinical care of patients, to the management of the practices to which the patients belong, and to outcomes of that health care and practice management. The disclosed system encompasses (i) designing and administering paper and pen and hand held computer survey instruments; (ii) administering and collecting completed surveys (iii) building and managing a database of information collected from the surveys; (iv) analyzing data collected from the surveys; (v) and providing clinical practices with summary information. Summary information may be used to improve patient care, health outcomes, and the management of physician practices.