46results about How to "Maximize return" patented technology

A system and method for implementation of a pay-for-placement advertising model using a targeted search engine. The present invention provides a method and system for a geographic-targeted, pay-for-placement search engine which allows advertisers to direct their advertisements and Web site to geographic areas in a way which maximizes the return on their advertising expenditures. Global Positioning System (“GPS”) devices may be used to provide geographic location information to the search engine. Targeted advertising campaigns may be created and managed by advertisers using search engine tools. A search engine management system allows review and management of advertiser's account activity. A fraud detection system prevents advertisers using the system from incurring charges due to improper and fraudulent use of the search engine.

An automated method is provided for generating investment criteria for an investment vehicle that includes a pool of escrow deposits from a plurality of merger and acquisition transactions. An escrow history database is maintained of data derived from historical behavior of escrows from a plurality of previous merger and acquisition transactions. An escrow pool database is maintained of current escrow deposit data from a plurality of current merger and acquisition transactions. The escrow pool database includes the current deposit amounts in the pool of escrow deposits, and stated terms governing the release of each deposit amount in the pool of the escrow deposits. A set of investment criteria for selecting an asset pool is generated using a processor operating on the escrow history database and the escrow pool database. The set of investment criteria includes maturity metrics selected from the group consisting of weighted average maturity, convexity, and maturity distribution profile.

Consumer, merchant, and transactional data from a closed loop network and external sources may be leveraged to increase demand of a merchant's inventory during normally low-demand periods. Extensive data mining is used to determine the excess merchant inventory and demand patterns at different times and different locations for merchants and groups of merchants. Similar data mining is used to analyze cardmember demand patterns to identify the cardmember preferences regarding when and where they which to purchase goods and / or services. Cardmembers may also be grouped based on their demand patterns. Using pricing as a lever, cardholders with specific preferences are targeted to shift the demand from peak periods and locations to non-peak periods and locations, and to increase the non-peak demand by location as well as time period. Higher precision may be obtained using product level transaction data from point-of-sale terminals used by merchants wherever applicable.

An automated system (100) and method for optimizing project risk and return from the perspective of the sponsor. The project, project features and feature options are defined using project design system and project financial system data. The expected project outputs are then mapped to matrices of value and risk for the sponsor. The system calculates a value for the project then identifies the mix of features and feature options that maximize expected project value from the perspective of the sponsor. The system also identifies the mix of features and feature options that maximize expected project value while minimizing project risk from other frames.

The invention discloses a video recommendation method. The method comprises the steps that user information data, video information data and behavior information data generated when a user watches videos are collected; a factorization machine model is established according to the collected data, and a reinforcement learning network model is trained; historical behavior information data up to the video currently watched by the user is acquired, and a recommended video of the user is obtained based on the factorization machine model and the trained reinforcement learning network model according to the historical behavior information data; and actual feedback information of the user on the recommended video is recorded, and the factorization machine model and the trained reinforcement learning network model are optimized according to the actual feedback information. The invention furthermore discloses a video recommendation system. Through the video recommendation method and system, video recommendation accuracy and speed can be effectively improved.

An NFC enabled telecommunications communication device is mounted behind the touch point of a smart poster. The content data downloadable from the smart poster is managed remotely, monitored and usage data of the smart poster analyzed at a server via the telecommunications device.

A method and system for supporting e-commerce transactions directed to placement of advertising on dynamic signs by creating dynamic e-commerce Web sites for permitting consumers to select and acquire time and space on selective signs, for managing the content of a consumer message and for collecting payment for the acquired time and space. The content may be provided by the consumer by uploading it to the Web sites or by the manager of the Web site. Space and time may be auctioned over the Web sites, allowing consumers to competitively bid for specific space and time blocks.

A method of operating a mobile service comprising the steps of receiving a first request via the World Wide Web or WAP to create said mobile service, said first request comprising instructions to modify a mobile service template, creating said mobile service from said instructions and said template, receiving a second request to execute said mobile service, said second request comprising an access number and delivered via a text message communication device having an MSISDN, determining said mobile service from a reference table comprising said MSISDN and said access number, and executing said mobile service.

The present invention is directed to a system and method comprising an expert system that provides a logical step by step decision making support system that assists and guides an actual or potential real property investor, borrower, lender, appraiser, or assessor in optimizing the components of return on a real property, investment or loan, that is embodied in a computer-implemented web-based environment. The method of the present invention contains six major phases—Qualifying, Valuation, Developing and Deciding on Alternatives, Marketing, Negotiation and Closing, and the Post Closing Phase. The system guides the user in ordering and executing the method steps within each of the six major phases. The principle advantage of this invention is that the method of the present invention is a decision support system that provides those transacting business in these market a means of optimizing their return on investment by reducing transaction cost, time, uncertainty, and risk.

Various methods and systems for auctioning mutually exclusive items such as golf tee times, restaurant reservations, concert tickets or hotel reservations are disclosed. Mutually exclusive can refer to items that cannot be possessed simultaneously because of physical limitations or to multiple items that could be simultaneously physically possessed but the bidder would only want possession of, at most, one of the items. An electronic auction method therefore performs the following operations: (1) an ordered processing of ranked bids to compare currently active bids with current winning bids to determine the new winning bids; (2) notifying unsuccessful bidders via e-mail to increase their bids; (3) comparing the new bid amount to all outstanding active and winning bids if the unsuccessful active bid is increased; (4) designating the active bid an inactive bid and designating the next highest ranked bid as the user's current active bid if the unsuccessful bid is not increased in the allotted time; and, (5) continuing the protocol until all bidders either have a winning bid or no remaining active bids. An auction system includes a Central Auction Controller (CAC) that allows sellers to list items for auction and users to enter bids and rank orderings. The CAC maintains a central database comprising a database of user information, a database of items and bids and a database of vendor information. Administration of the system is accomplished via an I / O device and CPU and an optional e-mail processor allows automated messaging to users. This methodology allows users to effectively bid on a large number of mutually exclusive items but receive at most one item at the end of the auction. This method has the favorable effects for the users of: (1) increasing the probability of successfully bidding for at least one item; (2) making the auction process more convenient by greatly reducing the need for actively monitoring the auction; and, (3) decreasing the possibility a user will be out bid at the last moment and receive no item. This method has the favorable effects for the seller of increasing the probability their listed items will sell and increasing the expected average sales price.

Embodiments of the invention may encompass a container storage system having a modular storage rack including framing elements each having a locking component of at least one end thereof and a counterpart locking component on another end; each locking element being engagable with each other; and wherein the storage rack is assembled to maximize storage capacity within the shipping container. It may also include a modular array having at least one elongated framing element with at least one key on at least one end thereof having an elongated rotatable member having at least one flange extending radially therefrom; at least one other elongated framing element having at least one opening being shaped to receive the key; wherein the framing elements are arranged to form the array and the key and the opening are used to engage the framing elements by inserting the key into the opening and rotating the key.

Spectroscopic system and spectrometers including an optical bandpass filter unit having a plurality of bandpass regions and a spatial encoding unit for encoding discrete frequencies of light passing through the optical filter. The incorporation of the encoding unit allows the spectrometer system to use a detector having one or a small number of elements, rather than using a more expensive detector array typically used with filter-based spectrometers. The system can also include an integrating chamber that collects the light that is not transmitted through the bandpass filter unit, and redirects this light to strike the filter unit again, resulting in a significant increase in the optical power passing through the filter. The integrating chamber maximizes the return of the reflected light to the filter assembly and minimizes optical losses. The integrating chamber may be an orthogonal design to preserve the optical geometric characteristics of the light entering the chamber.

In a row of lottery tickets each ticket has variable image printing game data printed onto a base layer on a substrate and a series of covering layers including at least one sealing layer and at least one scratch-off layer. Simultaneously game information is printed as a multi-color digital image for each ticket using a variable image printing system. The game information graphics can indicate different values for different ones of the tickets. The tickets in the row can be of different series for sale to different retailers. The printing system automatically correlates the game data and game information to ensure no registration errors thus allowing much improved variability and allowing the game to take into account both game data and game information in determining a winning ticket.

A system and method for supply chain and inventory risk management that supplies inventory from a manufacturer to a plurality of customers. An owner entity of the system is transferred a plurality of customer agreements which describe requirements for the distribution of the inventory to the customers in agreed-upon amounts in exchange for agreed-upon payments. Transfer of the customer agreements allows an electronic system of the owner entity to forecast and place orders purchasing from the manufacturer the amount of inventory that will be needed by the customers. Further, the transfer of the agreements increases the certainty that inventory purchased by the owner will be sold to the customer. The electronic owner system may also commission the services of a logistics agent that is capable of providing shipping and handling services customized to high-risk inventory, such as electronic components, increasing the owner's profit on the sale of the inventory.

A unified program analysis framework that facilitates the analysis of complex multi-language software systems, analysis reuse, and analysis comparison, by employing techniques such as program translation and automatic results mapping, is presented. The feasibility and effectiveness of such a framework are demonstrated using a sample application of the framework. The comparison yields new insights into the effectiveness of the techniques employed in both analysis tools. These encouraging results yield the observation that such a unified program analysis framework will prove to be valuable both as a testbed for examining different language analysis techniques, and as a unified toolset for broad program analysis.

An improved method and system for conducting a directed marketing / advertising campaign is provided that combines personalized mailings and individualized URL addresses in an integrated manner in order to increase customer response rates and improve the ability of the advertiser to obtain relevant feedback and product information from the potential customer. The method and system generally includes the steps of preparing a personalized targeted mailing, establishing a personalized URL address corresponding to each of the mailers within the targeted mailing, sending the mailing to a plurality of customers wherein the mailer directs the customer to the personalized URL address in order to obtain interactive marketing information, obtaining additional information from the customer regarding their particular needs and interests, presenting the customer with an incentive related to their needs and interests and collecting the additional information related to the customer's needs and interests.

A method, apparatus, and system to remotely acquire information from volumes in a snowpack and to analyze the information are disclosed. Electromagnetic energy is transmitted remotely to a region of interest in a snowpack and data about reflections are processed to determine reflection values for different volumes within the snowpack. The frequency of the transmit signal is modulated and the positions from which energy is transmitted and received are changed to create a two-dimensional synthetic aperture that allows reflections from three-dimensional volumes to be discriminated and resolved. The electromagnetic energy is transmitted to ensure that it arrives at the snowpack at shallow grazing angles to maximize returns from volumes in the snow and to minimize boundary reflections from the ground.

A method for improving the cash flow realized in a franchise business operation comprises securitizing franchise fee cash flow from a group of franchisees and employing the resulting capital for identification and mitigation of risk of default in individual franchisee businesses. The method identifies franchisees at risk of default by creating a predictive data model for default and applying the model to the individual franchisees within the group. Embodiments mitigate risk of default by increasing the franchisee's business volume, by enhancing franchisee human capital, or by increasing the franchisee's business operational efficiency. Some embodiments direct capital to risk mitigation targeted equity investment. The method further provides for optimum timing of risk mitigation efforts.

A platform and a securitization methodology that provides lenders with an opportunity to maximize the returns on their distressed commercial credit facilities and overcomes the obstacles that have historically precluded the securitization of distressed commercial loans. The present invention is based upon an underlying portfolio of at least 30% distressed commercial loans for securitization that emulates the predictability and regularity of the cash flow and recovery characteristics of a portfolio of generally performing commercial loans, thus eliminating crucial historical barriers to securitization of such distressed commercial loans, such as the absence of predictable and regular cash flows and predictable recoveries. The methodology of the present invention takes a specified mix of distinct classifications of distressed commercial loans with specified characteristics in confluence with structural specifications, such as specific reserves and safeguards, to create a synthetic asset class that emulates the characteristics of a portfolio of performing loans.

An oilfield servicing fluid composition containing an aldehyde guar produced by enzymatic oxidation of a non-derivatized, straight guar or of a guar derivative. The enzyme used to oxidize the guar to the aldehyde guar is galactose oxidase, which may be combined with catalase or catalase and peroxidase. The aldehyde guar is useful as an effective gelling agent for oilfield servicing fluids such as hydraulic fracturing fluids and stimulation fluids.

An improved method and system is described for applying a leach solution to ore in the process of heap leaching. The Hybrid Irrigation System (HIS) relies on both surface solution delivery techniques as well as sub-surface solution application to improve the solution uniformity and metallurgical performance of a leaching process. The methods and systems allow for controlled application of leach solution with a hydraulic head applied that can be adjusted or varied depending on the conditions of the ore from negative, atmospheric or positive pressure, while distributing leaching solution in a uniform manner independent of surface variability with respect to elevation and infiltration capacity of the ore surface. The systems and methods have particular application to low permeability ores like high clay content copper, silver, uranium, and gold ores and nickel / cobalt laterite, but can be used in any heap leach application where control must be maintained with respect to surface ponding, stability and accessibility, and uniform reagent distribution, resulting in improved leaching performance.

The present invention is related to a computer-implemented method of training artificial intelligence (AI) systems or rather agents (Maximum Entropy Regularised multi-goal Reinforcement Learning), in particular, an AI system / agent for controlling a technical system. By constructing a prioritised sampling distribution q(ôg) with a higher entropy q(Ôg) than the distribution p(ôg) of goal state trajectories ôg and sampling the goal state trajectories ôg with the prioritised sampling distribution q(ôg) the AI system / agent is trained to achieve unseen goals by learning from diverse achieved goal states uniformly.

A transaction management method and system are providing for managing disposition of funds for system users based on account activity. The method stores account data for the system users and instructions and at least a downloadable mobile application, The method receives through an interface over a network, an indication of account activity by the system user and determines a type of account activity. The method further identifies identifying a spending category for the account activity and performs an accounting for the spending category to determine if the account activity is indicative of system user underspending. The method further includes investing calculated underspending. An investment card may be utilized.

In the algorithmically optimized project portfolio management, a uniquely comprehensive and holistic approach to data gathering with purpose directed hard and soft data feeds along with a complex and extensible algorithm is used to create and manage a portfolio of projects on an ongoing basis. The method includes broader data gathering capabilities from both people and other systems of record that contain hard data than other approaches. It also uses the functions of an integrated automated project office and a resource utilization planner to provide input to manage the portfolio on an ongoing basis.

The invention provides a technique for increasing the illumination intensity of probe light in a diffusely scattering sample without increasing the power of the probe beam. Generally, an optical filter is used which permits a collimated probe beam of light to pass through to the sample, but which reflects back towards the sample much of the backscattered scattered probe light emerging at a wider range of angles. In particular embodiments a collimated laser beam is delivered to the sample through a multi-layer dielectric filter covering a portion of the sample. The filter is transmissive to the laser light at normal incidence, but reflective at shallower angles of incidence characteristic of the backscattered light.

An array of hollow fiber membranes is grouped into bundles is submerged in an enclosed pure-water bath. The bundles are potted into top and bottom membrane headers such that the fiber lumen (the inside of the hollow fiber) is open to the inside of the membrane header and the pure feedwater is prevented from leaking into either the header or into the inside of a hollow fiber. Pure water penetrates the hollow fiber membrane. In accordance with pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) principles, the permeate and draw solution within the lumen are transported to at least one hydroturbine where electricity is generated. The draw solution contains superparamagnetic nanoparticles that are prevented from proceeding beyond a magnetic field. The system has a heater to improve its efficiency.

A platform and a securitization methodology that provides lenders with an opportunity to maximize the returns on their distressed commercial credit facilities and overcomes the obstacles that have historically precluded the securitization of distressed commercial loans. The present invention is based upon an underlying portfolio of at least 30% distressed commercial loans for securitization that emulates the predictability and regularity of the cash flow and recovery characteristics of a portfolio of generally performing commercial loans, thus eliminating crucial historical barriers to securitization of such distressed commercial loans, such as the absence of predictable and regular cash flows and predictable recoveries. The methodology of the present invention takes a specific mix of distinct classifications of distressed commercial loans with specified characteristics in confluence with structural specifications, such as specific reserves and safeguards, to create a synthetic asset class that emulates the characteristics of a portfolio of performing loans.

The invention relates in particular to a method of painting a motor vehicle bodywork part, the method comprising the steps consisting in applying a first component on the part, in allowing the first component to tension on said part during a so-called “flash-off” stage, then in applying a second component on the part, the part being moved by a handler robot in front of a stationary applicator during the two spraying steps and in front of flash-off acceleration means during the flash-off stage. The invention also provides a painting booth having at least one stationary applicator for applying a paint component on a part carried by an arm of a handler robot that is present in the booth, and means for accelerating the flash-off of the part, the means being arranged in the booth in such a manner that the part can enter into the field of action of the acceleration means while being carried by the same handler robot.