293results about How to "Increase competition" patented technology

A system provides a player tracking system and system gaming apparatus for playing non-base games by funding the credit side of a gaming cycle. The system further includes at least one gaming device having a base game. The player tracking system and system gaming apparatus includes a player tracking user interface. The player tracking user interface provides a player with an opportunity to select and play a non-base game that may be promotional-funded or player-funded.

Various methods for administering a tournament game on a plurality of gaming machines are disclosed herein. According to one method, at least one networked gaming machine is reconfigured into a tournament mode. A gaming system then establishes one or more tournament bonus prizes. The tournament game play is initiated on the networked gaming machine. One or more tournament bonus prizes are awarded if a preselected criteria is achieved during play of the tournament game. At the conclusion of the tournament game, one or more tournament prizes are awarded to one or more winners of the tournament game.

An device, called a facilities management platform (FMP) connects current digital and analog carrier networks and packet switched networks of interexchange carriers with high speed multiple access subscriber links implemented over twisted pair lines. The subscriber line is terminated by an access module containing one or more modems. In preferred embodiments, the modems are high-speed digital tethered vial radio channel or xDSL modems. The FMP interface applies and receives signaling and voice through a digital loop carrier (DLC) via a multiplexer connected directly to the DLC backplane. The multiplexer is controlled by a controller of an access module. It translates data from the subscriber link to the form compatible with the digital backplane to create the appearance of one or more line cards. The FMP also may contain a sound generator to allow it to handle calls through an analog carrier network. The FMP, through the same access module transmits data to and from the modems directly through connected digital networks, such as ATM or SONET, of an interexchange carrier. Through this interface, different network companies can offer competing products through different networks all seamlessly connected through a high speed subscriber line.

This is directed to systems and methods for accessing personalized fitness services through an integrated application available to a portable electronic device. The integrated application can provide a full fitness center experience by introducing potential new customer to a fitness center and then motivating them to return to the fitness center as active members. For example, the integrated application can provide functions to introduce new customers to a fitness center, can provide functions to motivate customers to join and actively visit the fitness center, can provide in-gym motivation, and can provide post-workout motivation.

A system for providing on-line sport competition in real-time. A server computer executes game playing software which is connected via a network to a plurality of player client computers. Hardware accessories at the player's locating permit the entry of real-time playing data such as driving conditions in a race game, which are used by the game playing software executed on the server. The game playing software determines at predetermined intervals the relative performance of players playing a game, based on competition skill, which forms the basis for determining winners, and participants in future competitions. The performance information is sent to the client computers of players engaged in the game. The overall rank of each player is calculated after each competition to group players having similar skill levels and serves as entry criteria in future competitions.

A gaming system, comprising: a plurality of affiliated properties; a plurality of gaming devices, wherein at least one of the gaming devices is located in a first affiliated property and a second gaming device from the plurality of gaming devices is located in a second affiliated property; and a server in communication with the plurality of gaming devices and capable of providing a gaming and/or non-gaming feature to each of the plurality of devices located within the affiliated properties, whereby the gaming and/or non-gaming feature only is provided to the affiliated properties.

An electronic transaction management system has at least some sellers associated with agencies. Information is provided for each agency to indicate whether the agency is prepared to offer sellers associated with the agency to buyers associated with other agencies and the terms of any such offer. A buyer interface is used to receive a purchase inquiry from a buyer, and seller offer data is provided to the buyer for a plurality of sellers. The seller offer data presented to the buyer takes into account the terms of said offer of sellers associated with an agency to buyers associated with other agencies. This system allows middlemen to operate in an online spot market. This is achieved by enabling agencies in a market sector to present their buyers and sellers with the agency's own version of such a market but draw on the buyer/seller relationships enjoyed by other agencies using the system. Agencies can operate their own market which is a distinct part of a wider market.

Techniques are used to protect intellectual property cores on field programmable gate arrays. An approach is to associate each field programmable gate array, or a limited number of field programmable gate arrays, with a secret key. Each field programmable gate array may only be properly configured or programmed by an appropriate encrypted bitstream (which includes one or more intellectual property cores). This encrypted bitstream has been encoded by or for the secret key associated with a particular FPGA. Other techniques are also presented in this application and include network-based, nonnetwork-based, software-based, layered, and other approaches. The techniques allow an intellectual property core vendor to charge a customer per-use or per-configuration of their intellectual property. This is because an encrypted bitstream is useable only in a limited number, possibly just one, of the integrated circuits.

An individual consumer borrower accessing a person-to-person lending website is provided an opportunity to have a loan request wholly or partially satisfied by a financial institution at loan terms from the financial institution. The financial institution, for example, can receive information about a person-to-person loan request, determine whether to authorize a financial institutional loan, offer a loan to the individual on terms determined by the financial institution, and issue the loan to an individual consumer borrower responsive to approval of the terms. Prior to an auction, the individual consumer can choose an immediate loan offer having financial institution terms or choose to solicit individual consumer loan offers with more favorable terms through the person-to-person lending website. The financial institution can also offer a gap filling loan for a deficiency amount so that the loan request can be partially satisfied by individual consumer loan offers.

A mobile data communications system that includes a mobile device having a reconfigurable user identification module that stores a mobile identity and provides mobile data communication via a mobile network, subject to the mobile identity being registered with the mobile network, and an account control server that includes memory to store identification and payment details for a user of the mobile device and a mobile identity provider to provide a mobile identity to the mobile device and to an authorization server of a mobile network. In response to a request by a user of the mobile device to obtain data access by a particular mobile network, the account control server provides a mobile identity to the mobile device for storage by the user identification module, provides the same mobile identity to the authorization server of that mobile network, and provides user identification and payment details to that mobile network.

A betting exchange system receiving a plurality of bet requests backing a given outcome, each backing bet request specifying a price and a size at which an originator of the request is prepared to bet that the given outcome will occur. The betting exchange system receiving a plurality of bet requests laying the given outcome, each laying bet request specifying a price and a size at which an originator of the request is prepared to bet that the given outcome will not occur. The betting exchange system aggregating backing bet requests specifying the same price, aggregating laying bet requests specifying the same price, automatically matching a received backing bet request with individual or aggregated laying bet requests to complete a betting transaction, and automatically matching a received laying bet request with individual or aggregated backing bet requests to complete a betting transaction.

A system and method for enabling direct transactions between a customer and a provider of goods and/or services. A plurality of suppliers or service providers provide data regarding offerings and services, and a database of selected information is collected and integrated for review and comparison by potential customers. An efficient distribution system delivers products and services to local service and pick-up centers where the customer retrieves them, or delivers the products and services directly to the customer, depending on customer preference. The cost of delivery is dependent on the customer preference and is based on proximity of delivery to customer.

The present invention relates to a novel method for imparting knowledge. Most specifically, the invention relates to an efficient method and an approach for imparting education through a network system in conjunction with a human network.

An impression graph is generated comprising keywords as nodes on a first side of the impression graph and advertisement listing as nodes on a second side of the impression graph, an impression relationship between a given keyword and a given advertisement listing represented by an impression edge connection. A click graph is also generated comprising keywords as nodes on a first side of the click graph and advertisement listing as nodes on a second side of the click graph, a relationship between a given keyword and a given advertisement listing represented by a click edge connection. A mapping function is applied to calculate one or more weights for a given edge in the impression graph and the click graph and the one or more edge weights, the impression graph and the click graph are transformed into a unified bipartite graph.

A method and system for conducting electronic auctions is described. A dynamic lot closing extension feature avoids collisions in closing times of multiple lots by dynamically extending the closing time of a subsequent lot if a preceding lot's closing time is extended to be too close to the subsequent lot's then-currently scheduled closing time. Scheduled closing times can be extended with a flexible overtime feature, in which the properties of the event triggering the extension and the duration of the overtime period(s) can be tailored to a particular auction, particular lots of products within an auction, and to the particular time within an auction process. The bidding status of a lot can be set to a “pending” status after the nominal closing time for submission of bids to allow bidders to alert the auction coordinator of technical problems in submission of bids. This allows the possibility for a lot to be return to open status for further bidding by all bidders. The auction may be paused by the auction coordinator to correct technical, market and miscellaneous problems that may arise during the course of an auction. Individual bid ceilings can be set for each bidder so that they are required to bid lower than certain thresholds determined in advance of the auction. Failsafe error detection is performed to prevent erroneous bids from entering the auction. The auction coordinator has the ability to override any erroneous bids that are entered to prevent prejudice to the auction.

Access to a resource in a virtual environment is controllably granted by:

• • a) receiving, from a user of the environment, a request for access to the resource;
  • b) allocating the request to a queue of requests for the resource;
  • c) determining a maximum permissible rate of access of users to the resource;
  • d) providing a mechanism which is operable to grant users of the virtual environment with access to the resource at a rate no greater than the maximum permissible rate;
  • e) allocating requests from the queue to the mechanism at a controlled allocation rate no greater than the maximum permissible rate;
  • f) upon allocation of the request from the user to the mechanism, the mechanism granting the user with access to the resource within the virtual environment.

An attraction capable of incorporating user interactivity. The attraction utilizes a slide for supporting a rider, with a ride vehicle or without. The ride vehicle may be a mat or slideboard with handles that allows the user to manipulate its position or other associated elements while on the attraction. Upon manipulating an element, a signal may be transmitted. This signal may aid in determining whether a rider has successfully manipulated the element, for example, at an appropriate time. Sensors along the attraction may also be configured to track the user and/or ride vehicle via determining vicinity of the user and/or ride vehicle at a known location. Various rewards and/or features may be enabled based upon successful manipulation and/or user position. The attraction may include one or more illuminating features. Statistics or other information may be determined, stored, and/or provided (e.g., using mobile applications and/or scoreboards) relating to user performance.

Techniques for providing localized power infrastructure and data infrastructure are disclosed. A transportable system for providing localized power infrastructure and data infrastructure can include: a data network service engine configured to function as a local data network service provider; a power generation engine configured to function as a local power service provider that generates and distributes power locally; a deployment engine configured to assist in deploying one or more components of the transportable system; and a maintenance engine configured to maintain operation and security of the transportable system. In some embodiments, multiple transportable systems can be deployed and then centrally monitored or controlled as a single, utility system and/or a single data delivery infrastructure.

A mass spectrometer is provided herein and is configured to have two ionization sources, in which a first ionization source, such as MALDI, ESI and the like, which is capable of providing in addition to ions a set of normally intractable desorbed neutrals that are ionized by a second EI source coupled with the first source.