1871 results about "Product data" patented technology

A mobile inventory robot system generates an inventory map of a store and a product database when a mobile inventory robot is manually navigated through the store to identify items on shelves, a location for each of the items on the shelves, and a barcode for each of the items. The system performs inventory of the items by navigating through the store via the inventory map, capturing a shelf image, decoding a product barcode from the captured shelf image, retrieving a product image for the decoded product barcode from the product database, segmenting the captured shelf image to detect an image of an item on the shelves, determining whether the detected image matches the retrieved image and, if not, setting an out-of-stock flag for an the item.

Methods, systems, and devices are disclosed for transforming product code snapshots into real-time, offer-driven electronic purchase transaction notifications that minimize fraud. In one embodiment, a smart phone scans a product identifier from a product package, a server accesses a products database for product purchase offers associated with the product identifier, a user authorizes a credit card from his or her wallet to charge, and then product purchase offers or other credit card offers (for loyalty points or otherwise) are provided to the user mobile device. After a user has purchased an item while in the aisle of the store, the user's smart phone displays a barcoded electronic receipt that can be scanned by the exit so that the consumer can walk out with the produce. In some embodiments, a video chat is requested by a customer service representative and a transaction risk score is lowered based on acceptance of the video chat.

A system and method for facilitating the creation of personalized products is disclosed, wherein a user on a user computer can access a host merchant computer via a communication network, such as the Internet. The host merchant computer communicates with a products database containing information on products available for personalization and further contains manufacturing capabilities for the products. The method includes providing to the user via the communication network an assortment of product selections available in the products database, receiving a message from the user via the communication network indicating a selection of a product from the assortment, retrieving a set of manufacturing capabilities for the selected product from the products database, and providing to the user via the communication network a design interface including design tools which allow the user to select product configuration options and to create individualized enhancements, wherein the design tool is conformed to only allow configuration options and enhancements that satisfy the manufacturing capabilities.

A multidimensional method and apparatus for adaptively characterizing and aggregating data through a secure automated means of database modification, a prioritization and weighting system, a third party enhanced metadata entry and classification mechanism, adaptive and time varying individual personality and preference characterization, and an aggregation and delivery capability which allows for multiple data formats and mediums. Individual characterization incorporates an inference engine which formulates client composite images which vary with time. Asynchronous data interchanges enabled through the use of XML allow for more efficient and effective resource utilization and time. The knowledge system of this invention A) effectively integrates information from diverse sources, B) verifies, adds to or enhances source metadata (product data sheet; article title), and C) searches, queries, retrieves, and aggregates information. Selected product information can be obtained by e-mail without exposure to spamming by using e-mail address translation.

The resultant search result items from a search engine performing an Internet search are associated with similar or related advertisements. These associated advertisements, once acquired, may be viewed by a user on demand. An Internet user selects a query to submit to a search engine. For each search result item available from the query, a matching search of related product advertisements is then performed. For each related product advertisement found for a given search result item, the search result item is then flagged. This process is repeated until each search result item has been investigated and matched to related product advertisements when applicable. The user then designates a selection. This selection initiates a search of an advertisement database. Each product advertisement acquired is then formatted and displayed to the user.The computer system capable of associating related advertisements to individual search results items uses the following subsystems: 1) a product database; 2) a user / session manager; 3) a product matching manager; 4) a product listing manager; and, 5) a result presentation manager.

A computer system provides one or more lists of product combinations to one or more shoppers over one or more networks. The computer system comprises one or more central processing units (CPUs), one or more memories, and one or more network interfaces to one or more networks. An electronic shopping assistant process implemented on the computer system receives one or more inputs of constraints from shoppers, sends out the inputs to one or more shopping list generating processes in one or more stores, receives one or more lists of recommended product combinations that satisfy the given constraints, and allows shoppers to view and select one or more product combinations from received lists. A shopping list generating process implemented on the computer system receives one or more inputs from the electronic shopping assistant process by using an electronic shopping list protocol, searches products in an online product catalog stored in a product database, computes one or more lists of product combinations that satisfy the constraints given in the input, and sends lists of product combinations back to the electronic shopping assistant process again by using the electronic shopping list protocol.

A continuous online auction system and method enabling the auctioning of products. An online product auction system comprises an auction center having a microprocessor operably connected to a storage media. The online product auction system also includes a product receive module configured to execute in the auction center. The product receive module is further configured to receive a set of product data for a first product to be auctioned wherein the product data includes one or more seller parameters. The online product auction system further includes a seller proxy module configured to execute in the auction center. The seller proxy module is configured to modify one or more seller parameters for the product based upon one or more auction parameters for the first product.

A method and system for obtaining consumer preferences over a communication network from consumers. The system searches the product database for products or services based on consumer's search criteria. The system displays the products or services and / or advertisements related to the consumer's search criteria in accordance with the ranking parameter(s) specified by the user. The consumer's preferences, i.e., the search criteria and the ranking parameter(s), are stored in the database for future references, e.g., determine consumer trends, etc.

A system and method to facilitate computer-based commerce is presented. The system may including a module to facilitate communicating a vendor offering to a user if the offering is within a category designated by the user as being acceptable for receipt of such offering. The acceptable categories may be stored in user profiles, a user profile being updated when the user chooses to add or remove an interest category. When a vendor offering is received, the offering is categorized and stored in an offerings database. The vendor offering is then matched with a category in the user profile When the vendor offering is communicated to the user, the user's address or the user's identity is not revealed to the vendor. If a user chooses to propagate a vendor offering to another user, the user may be entitled to a reward. The reward may be designated to the user or to a third party. A spam control module may also be provided to identify spam complaints and to take actions in response to the spam complaints.

According to the invention, an apparatus for providing real-time notification of purchaser requirements in a heterogeneous network environment is provided. The heterogeneous network environment can include a public packet switched network, such as the Internet, and a wireless network, such as a plurality of pagers. Select embodiments include a plurality of wireless terminals in communication with the wireless network to receive real-time notification of a purchaser's requirements. At least one vendor computer is part of the apparatus. The vendor computer has one or more databases for storing information about products and services in a product database, and a customer database, for storing information about customers. A plurality of client computers is also included. The client computers enable users to interact with the system to learn about and express interest in products and services.

System, method and computer product for performing automated predictive reliability. A data acquisition component acquires service data for a complex system from a data repository. A statistical analysis component generates a statistical model for the service data. A simulation component predicts the reliability of the complex system according to the statistical model. An alert generation component generates alerts when predicted failures determined by the simulation component exceed predetermined alert criteria. A report generation component generates a summary of the analysis performed in the data acquisition, statistical analysis and alert generation components.

The invention relates to a computerized method for a user to create an advertisement by displaying a plurality of advertising formats for selection by a user; displaying a template corresponding to a selected advertising format; displaying a plurality of product references for selection by the user; displaying on the template a selected product reference to create a proposed advertisement; and creating a preview of the proposed advertisement, all of which may be implemented using the Internet. The invention further relates to a computerized system for creating an advertisement that comprises a template database for storing advertising formats; a product database for storing product references; and a computer to access the databases. Preferably, the user has a network interface such as Internet access that permits access via a remote location, software to permit a user to specify specifications such as quantity, printing information, ship date, paper type, pricing information, and payment information, and may be configured to receive images and text for new products.

A method to communicate agricultural product information to a user includes receiving, at a management information system, a request for agricultural product information. The request includes an agricultural product identifier. An agricultural product record, identified utilizing the agricultural product identifier, is then accessed and retrieved from a database at the management information system. The agricultural product record includes agricultural product data collected on the chain of custody of the agricultural product. The agricultural product data, as contained within the record, is then communicated to a user responsive to the request. The communication of the request, and the response, may be performed via the Internet as web-based communications.

An automated system for facilitating sales in dynamically-changing mobile retail environments includes a vendor / supplier connector module, a carrier connector module, a provisioning module, and a point-of-sale (POS) customization module. The vendor / supplier connector module facilitates automated exchange of product data with a plurality of different vendors or suppliers of products or services. The carrier connector module facilitates automated exchange of transportation data with a plurality of different carriers, with the transportation data corresponding to specific mobile retail environments. The provisioning module automatically determines, based on the product data and on the transportation data, products or services corresponding to a specific mobile retail environment. The POS customization module automatically generates re-configuration data for each of a plurality of POS interfaces. The re-configuration data limits each of the plurality of POS interfaces to facilitating sales of only the subset of the set of products or services that corresponds to a specific mobile retail environment.

A near field communication (NFC) based checkout system comprises an NFC enabled mobile telephone that reads product data from an NFC tag associated with a product. The mobile telephone updates a shopping list when the consumer scans an item. The consumer uploads the shopping list at a payment terminal at the checkout via an NFC link. The payment terminal connects with a price look up (PLU) database and downloads the price data for the items in the shopping list to provide a total price. The payment terminal requests authorisation of the total price from the consumer's financial authorisation.

A method of providing diagnostic service for a data processing system includes retrieving product data identifying a data processing element in response to an alert generated by the element. The retrieved product data is forwarded to a networked diagnostic site. A diagnostic package is retrieved, the diagnostic package including diagnostic code appropriate for the alerting element. The diagnostic package is forwarded to the data processing system. The diagnostic code is then installed and executed to perform diagnostic testing of the element. Results generated during execution of the diagnostic code may then be used to take machine initiated corrective action. After the results have been generated, the diagnostic software is uninstalled from the data processing system.

The present invention is a method and apparatus for protection of products and packaging against counterfeiting using dedicated authentication protocol coupled with portable devices. It is based on the product identification information, i.e., PIN, generated by the product manufacturer, stored in the product database and added to product or packaging in an open and / or a hidden form. The open part is directly available to the consumer before buying, opening or consuming the product or package or damaging its integrity while the hidden part is only revealed after these operations. The hidden information can also be disappearing after a predefined interval of time or number of trials or usages. Both parts are communicated to the authentication server in a predefined order to verify the product or package authenticity. The presence, absence, or multiple requests for the same product PIN, confirm or reject product authenticity or detect attempt at attacking the system or at using counterfeited products.

A product data exchange system 300 is used for exchanging technical product data between respective computer systems (310, 320, 340, 350, 360) of a plurality of collaborating companies. At least a computer system (310) of a first one of the collaborating companies includes a plurality of distinct data management systems (312, 314, 316), such as CAD, PLM, ERP, each for creating respective technical product data. The system (310) also includes an editing system (318) for importing technical product data relating to a userselectable project from a plurality of the data management systems, creating an exchange package representing user-selectable parts of the imported technical product data; and providing the exchange package to a computer system located at at least one of the other collaborating companies.

A system and method of browsing electronic catalogs from a plurality of merchants. The electronic catalog system emulates the portability and usability of a traditional paper and ink catalog, especially when realized on a tablet or mobile device. Product data feeds from multiple merchants are collected and processed to build a product database. A server retrieves product data and serves it to users browsing the electronic catalogs. Users can request more detailed information and order products through the server and merchant websites. Users communicate with the server and merchant websites either through a standalone software application or via a standard web browser. Merchants are able to update the contents of their electronic catalogs through a merchant portal.

A method for supply chain management using mobile devices with a server on an electronic data network includes receiving identifying information for a product transmitted from a mobile device via the network, the server being periodically updated with product recall data. The server queries a traceability server via the network for master data and event data related to the product using the identifying information. The server processes the recall data, master data, and event data to produce product data which is output to the mobile device.

An Internet customer service system (10) includes a product database (22) storing product data (24,26,28,30) associated with products available to a customer. The system (10) also includes an interface agent database (68) storing available interface agents (80) for interacting with the customer. The system (10) also includes a server (16) operable to access the product database (22) and display the product data (24,26,28,30) to the customer through interface web pages (18). The server (16) is further operable to access the interface agent database (68) and display the available interface agents (80) to the customer through the web pages (18). The system further includes a customer database (34) storing customer data (36) generated in response to displaying one or more profile screens (44) to the customer via the web pages (18). The customer database (34) also stores configured product data (54) generated in response to receiving selected product data (24,26,28,30) from the customer via the web pages (18). The server (16) is operable to transmit, in response to receiving a selected interface agent (80) and an appointment schedule from the customer, the customer data (36), the configured product data (54), and the appointment schedule to the selected interface agent (80).

A secure m-commerce system and device. A consumer m-commerce device receives product data via a number of data input techniques. The product data is uploaded to a remote personal agent that requests bids from commercial partners to transact the list. When a bid is selected, the consumer transacts remotely to complete the purchase thereof. The system tracks geographically the device such that the consumer is alerted to a partner location, and may stop by the location for further information. The device may also output a store map to the consumer that locates all products on the shopping list.

An augmented reality shopping system in one embodiment includes a store communication network, a memory including program instructions for receiving a product location request, associating the received request with product information stored in a product database, determining the location of the product within the store, receiving shopper location information, determining a route between the determined location of the product and the shopper location based upon the shopper location information, generating route rendering data based upon the determined route, and transmitting the route rendering data through the store communication network. The system further includes a processor operably connected to the store communication network and to the memory for executing the program instructions and a mobile display device operably connected to the processor through the store communication network for rendering an overlay image using the transmitted route rendering data.

A technique is disclosed for facilitating electronic commerce and / or information exchange. The technique of the present invention enables a content provider to create a web space which can surface large amounts of product data into one single view. In addition, the display and layout of the web space may be dynamically customized. Further, if desired, customer specific data may be overlaid on product catalog data. In this way, customers are able to quickly grasp the extent of the virtual store and access products of interest by drilling-down on any single region of the store. Additionally, customer behavior patterns and activities may be tracked in real-time. This information may be used to enable a on-line merchant to respond appropriately, in real-time, in order to facilitate sales of merchandise to current on-line shoppers.

A store mobile cloud application system executes a retail store purchasing system having plurality of barcode scanners and scan guns integrated with a mobile tablet device carried by employees. The mobile tablet device is rotatably attached to a base housing directly below it connected by a base mount universal receiver with rotatable coupling. The Main PCB has an EEPROM controlling operations of the USB devices including the scanner and an MSR. The mobile tablet device has mobile applications which allow wireless communication with a POS store systems server and the corporate ERP system, and also commands the EEPROM. Scanned data involving a product to be purchased is received by the mobile tablet device and sent wirelessly to the POS store systems server to obtain product data. The allocation of inventory sold, but not available in the store, are processed real-time through the corporate ERP system and available for review chain-wide.

An authentication system enabling a customer to verify the authenticity of a product in a foolproof, secure and simple manner. plurality of secret sets of numbers is generated, each set comprising a challenge portion and a response portion. These sets are stored on a remote server. Each set is associated with a different product. The customer sends a challenge portion to the server, and prompts the server to provide a response. If the response matches that of the product in hand, the product is known to be authentic. In another embodiment of the system, cellular transmission is used to power an electronic tag attached to the product and carrying authentication data. In a third embodiment, the full manufacturer database is divided into separate databases, possibly related to product vendor, such that an authentication process can be performed without the need to access the manufacturer's entire database of products.

An integrated product data environment for system design and optimization, e.g., a Collaborative Engineering Environment (CEE). The CEE provides a multi-disciplinary engineering team with immediate access to all relevant product information. It is an enterprise system at the program as well as the company levels, managing product information as a program and corporate asset. Product-centric collaborative capabilities for the CEE are provided by extending the functionality of a commercial Product Data Management (PDM) System. Emerging web-centric commercial-off-tho-shelf (COTS) PDM capabilities, object-oriented technologies, associated rapid application development environments, sophisticated engineering toolsets, and COTS computing and communications technologies have been leveraged to establish the CEE for the complex electronic systems integration domain. The CEE offers substantial improvements in productivity, cost savings, cycle time reductions, product integrity and lifetime support of a system.