12248results about How to "Increase value" patented technology

When a signal inputted to a pixel is erased by setting potentials of a gate terminal and a source terminal of a driving transistor to be equal, a current slightly flows through the driving transistor in some cases, which leads to occur a display defect. The invention provides a display device which improves the yield while suppressing the increase in manufacturing cost. When a potential of a scan line for erasure is raised, a potential of the gate terminal of the driving transistor is raised accordingly. For example, the scan line and the gate terminal of the driving transistor are connected through a rectifying element.

Composite materials formed from biocompatible polymer fibers and biodegradable polymers are disclosed. The heat treatment conditions for the reinforcing fibers are described so that the mechanical properties of the fibers can be retained during composite consolidation process. The processing conditions and set-ups to consolidations are constrained to the temperatures lower than fiber heat treatment temperatures. The reinforcing fibers are restrained under tension so that the minimum relaxation occurs during consolidation process.

A method and apparatus for calculating, displaying and acting upon relationships in a social network is described. A computer system collects descriptive data about various individuals and allows those individuals to indicate other individuals with whom they have a personal relationship. The descriptive data and the relationship data are integrated and processed to reveal the series of social relationships connecting any two individuals within a social network. The pathways connecting any two individuals can be displayed. Further, the social network itself can be displayed to any number of degrees of separation. A user of the system can determine the optimal relationship path (i.e., contact pathway) to reach desired individuals. A communications tool allows individuals in the system to be introduced (or introduce themselves) and initiate direct communication.

Predictive modeling of consumer financial behavior, including determination of likely responses to particular marketing efforts, is provided by application of consumer transaction data to predictive models associated with merchant segments. The merchant segments are derived from the consumer transaction data based on co-occurrences of merchants in sequences of transactions. Merchant vectors represent specific merchants, and are aligned in a vector space as a function of the degree to which the merchants co-occur more or less frequently than expected. Consumer vectors are developed within the vector space, to represent interests of particular consumers by virtue of relative vector positions of consumer and merchant vectors. Various techniques, including clustering, supervised segmentation, and nearest-neighbor analysis, are applied separately or in combination to generate improved predictions of consumer behavior.

A method for determining the presence of a face from image data includes a face detection algorithm having two separate algorithmic steps: a first step of prescreening image data with a first component of the algorithm to find one or more face candidate regions of the image based on a comparison between facial shape models and facial probabilities assigned to image pixels within the region; and a second step of operating on the face candidate regions with a second component of the algorithm using a pattern matching technique to examine each face candidate region of the image and thereby confirm a facial presence in the region, whereby the combination of these components provides higher performance in terms of detection levels than either component individually. In a camera implementation, a digital camera includes an algorithm memory for storing an algorithm comprised of the aforementioned first and second components and an electronic processing section for processing the image data together with the algorithm for determining the presence of one or more faces in the scene. Facial data indicating the presence of faces may be used to control, e.g., exposure parameters of the capture of an image, or to produce processed image data that relates, e.g., color balance, to the presence of faces in the image, or the facial data may be stored together with the image data on a storage medium.

A gaming device and method that allows a primary display and secondary display to be correlated to the extent that symbols of the primary display have vectors which direct that symbol associated with the vector onto the secondary display. The secondary display remains constant through successive games except to the extent modified by the provision of a symbol vector which mandates a change in the symbol depiction on the secondary game. A bonus screen is provided based on the certain outcome of the primary game.

Described herein is a system for executing distributed transactions. A coordinator and one or more participants cooperate to execute a distributed transaction, the distributed transaction including for each participant a transaction executed by the participant. To manage the transaction, the coordinator and the participant communicate over a network using, for example, a stateless protocol. Before each participant commits the transaction, the participants determine that the coordinator has committed the transaction. The coordinator commits the transaction after receiving acknowledgment from all the participants that they will commit the transaction. To determine whether the coordinator has committed the transaction, a participant transmits a message to the coordinator to acknowledge that it will commit the distributed transaction. The participant commits its respective transaction if it receives an acknowledgement from the coordinator. For the particular transaction being executed by a participant, the participant prevents other transactions from modifying a data item affected by the particular transaction. The participant will prevent such modifications until termination criteria for the particular transaction is satisfied, in which case the participant terminates the transaction.

A gaming machine 1 of the present invention has a lower image display panel 16 which arranges symbols 180 in a matrix 156, and a mother board 40. The gaming machine 1 performs a base game and a plurality of feature games using the lower image display panels 16. The mother board 40: rearranges the symbols 180 in the matrix 156 in the base game; awards a base payout in accordance with a relation among the symbols 180 rearranged in the matrix 156; awards a feature game which corresponds to the number of symbols 180 of “SUN”181 rearranged in the matrix 156; performs the feature game; and awards a bonus payout in accordance with a result of the feature game.

A network usage monitoring module is provided for monitoring network usage at a network access point, i.e. network traffic aggregation point, typically at a gateway device or a similar network interface device. As such, the network usage monitoring module can monitor the usage of a number of network users who are attempting to access various network services provided via the gateway device. Thus, the usage information collected by the usage monitoring module is considerably more robust than that offered by conventional monitoring techniques. As such, the information is considerably more valuable to network service providers, network users, network beneficiaries and the like. In addition, the usage monitoring method and apparatus offers a number of particular features to improve the monitoring process as well as the value of the usage information that is collected.

A method and system for linking multiple pre-existing reward programs is disclosed. The method includes receiving information about a first pre-existing reward program for a first product, where the first reward program provides for a first reward, and receiving information about a second pre-existing reward program for a second product, wherein the second reward program provides a second reward. A combination reward program is provided, and the combination reward program provides a combination reward that is greater than each of the first reward and the second reward.

Described herein is a system for executing distributed transactions. A participant and a coordinator cooperate to execute a distributed transaction, the distributed transaction including a transaction executed by the participant. To manage the transaction, the coordinator and the participant communicate over a network using, for example, a stateless protocol. The distributed transaction may be terminated when communication between the participant and coordinator regarding the transaction does not occur within a time period. The time period may reflect the time required for a coordinator to send a message and a participant to acknowledge receipt of the message, and the time for the participant to perform operations executed for the transaction. The latency of network traffic between the participant and the coordinator is monitored, and the time periods adjusted accordingly. In addition, the amount of time required for the participant to execute operations for the transaction is monitored, and the time periods adjusted accordingly.

A system and method for selecting, ordering and distributing customized food products is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method is a computer-implemented method comprising viewing a list of additives for creating a customized food product, selecting one or more additives from the list of additives to create the customized food product, and transmitting a request to purchase the customized food product, which is then distributed to the consumer. By communicating with the manufacturer as to personal needs and desires pertaining to health, activity level, organoleptic preferences and so forth, the consumer can now develop and order a customized food product to suit his or her particular tastes, using a real-time interactive communication link.

Using a transformation based at least in part on a non-simple orthogonal or unitary matrix, data may be transmitted over a data bus in a manner that is resilient to one or more types of signal noise, that does not require a common reference at the transmission and acquisition points, and/or that has a pin-efficiency that is greater than 50% and may approach that of single-ended signaling. Such transformations may be implemented in hardware in an efficient manner. Hybrid transformers that apply such transformations to selected subsets of signals to be transmitted may be used to adapt to various signal set sizes and/or transmission environment properties including noise and physical space requirements of given transmission environments.

System and method are disclosed for operating a gaming terminal. The system and method of the invention involves using a real-life video of a lottery drawing to conduct a wagering game on the gaming terminal. The wagering game may be a basic game or it may be a bonus game that is initiated on the occurrence of a certain outcome in the basic game. The real-life video of the lottery drawing may be stored locally on the gaming terminal, or it may be stored remotely on a network and subsequently streamed to the gaming terminal. The use of such a real-life video increases the entertainment value of the gaming terminal.

A system for modifying commercials for multi-speed playback detects when a commercial break begins in a broadcast program content stream. If the viewer selects fast-forward playback mode during the commercial break, then the system selects the appropriate alternate content to be played to the viewer. The alternate content can include images, video, and/or audio content. The system is provided configuration information by the service provider or broadcaster to identify what alternate content will be played, when it will be played and any additional processing tasks required. A service provider can charge an advertiser or content provider a fee based on viewership of the alternate content. When the system detects that the commercial break has ended, it returns the viewer back to the program material.

Information management and monitoring system for a vehicle including a vehicle monitoring system including a plurality of sensors for monitoring vehicular components, a diagnostic module arranged on the vehicle and coupled to the vehicle monitoring system to receive and process data about the components therefrom, and a remote service center capable of servicing the components. A communication system, e.g., a cellular telephone capable of voice communications, is arranged on the vehicle and coupled to the diagnostic module to enable communications of data from the diagnostic module to the remote service center such that the remote service center receives data about the vehicular components. The remote service center can be situated at a dealer which can have its personnel contact the driver, e.g., via the telephone, to schedule service of the vehicle, the service being determined based on the communicated data from the diagnostic module on the vehicle.

This invention relates generally to electronic commerce (e-commerce) methods for the use of systems and media platforms, for use with both mobile and non-mobile systems, to deploy virtual advertising and promotion via the use of electronic coupons, and more particularly a method and system for creating, deploying, transferring, clearing, managing, redeeming and reporting on the use of electronic coupons or virtual electronic rebates (VeeBates) and permitting individuals and groups within one or more social communications networks to participate in and transmit information to others about their activities related to the virtual advertising, incentives, redemption and promotion.

A method and system of managing value from a resource such as hotel rooms by taking into account indirect value, such as gaming value, in determining recommended bid prices. Observed and/or estimated indirect value for customers is obtained. Recommended bid prices for instances of the resource, such as hotel rooms, are adjusted based on the obtained indirect value. Prices are further adjusted based on competitive market conditions.

A smart card stores monetary values and selectively transfers monetary values to and receives monetary values from a compatible smart card. The smart card includes a data storage device that stores data representing monetary values. Control circuitry controls the transfer of the monetary values into the data storage device and controls the transfer of the monetary values out of the data storage device. A data transfer interface couples directly to a like interface on the compatible card to enable data to be transferred between the smart card and the compatible card. A system for electronic transfer of monetary values includes first and second smart cards. Each of the first and second smart cards includes a data storage device that stores data representing monetary values.

Methods and apparatus implementing a technique for providing a secured virtual marketplace. In general, in one aspect, the technique includes maintaining a list of virtual objects as well as data format information for each of a plurality of virtual environment systems. Each virtual object is represented by data. The data format information for a virtual environment system specifies a format that data must have to be processable by the virtual environment system. The techniques includes receiving a request to distribute one or more virtual objects from the list of virtual objects, the request identifying the virtual objects to be distributed and the virtual environment system with which the virtual objects are to interact. The technique includes formatting, in accordance with the data format information and the request, data representing the one or more virtual objects to be distributed and further includes distributing the one or more virtual objects.