100 results about "Product pricing" patented technology

A console for the input and display of consumer product information such as pricing, etc. The console may be built into the handle of the shopping cart or as a retrofit application on existing handles. The console has a product information input device for numerical values such as product pricing, cost per unit, etc. The apparatus has a calculator and output display for such data. Some space on the console will likely be dedicated to a display panel for advertising. The console may be equipped with a bar code scanner as an alternate means of inputting such consumer data. The console should have an output display, such as a monitor, and / or a readout in order to display the product information such as: cost per unit. A video monitor may be used in connection with the console in order to provide advertising information related to products.

The present invention relates to systems and methods for evaluating and establishing pricing of insurance products based on insured member compliance to health-promoting measures. Member participation in health-promoting measures are monitored and used as a basis for establishing incentives (i.e., reduction in insurance premiums) for said member. In one embodiment, exercise / activity monitors are worn by members to verify their identity and to record insurance member compliance in performing health-promoting measures (i.e., heart rate, type of exercise, exercise intensity and duration). All health-related information, including physical examination results and recorded participation in health-promoting measures, are used to determine appropriate incentives (i.e., subsidize membership fees for health club) to be rewarded to said member.

This invention is a means both to allocate all types of resources for commercial, governmental, or non-profit organizations and to price such resources. A linear programming process makes fulfillment allocations used to produce product units. A Resource-conduit process governs the linear programming process, uses two-sided shadow prices, and makes aperture allocations to allow Potential-demand to become Realized-demand. A strict opportunity cost perspective is employed, and the cost of buyable resources is deemed to be the opportunity cost of tying up cash. Resource available quantities, product resource requirements, and Potential-demand as a statistical distribution are specified in a database. The invention reads the database, performs optimization, and then writes allocation directives to the database. Also determined and written to the database are resource marginal (incremental) values and product marginal costs. The database can be viewed and edited through the invention's Graphical User Interface. Monte Carlo simulation, along with generation of supply and demand schedules, is included to facilitate analysis, explore "what if," and interact with the user to develop product offering, product pricing, and resource allocation strategies and tactics.

A bar code scanning and information retrieval system is integrated into a consumer electronic device that has an otherwise main and different function or purpose. Location determining technology, or a user interface through which location-specific information is provided, may be added to the bar code scanning and information retrieval system. A user may readily obtain information regarding the vendor at the location where the product is scanned and other vendors of the scanned product in the vicinity of the scanning device. Information can be provided to the user concerning nearby vendor location, maps to these vendors and product pricing and availability at these vendors, for example. Scanning and memory capability can be provided in connection with a non-Internet-ready portable consumer good and that scanned information can be subsequently transferred to an Internet-ready device by means of removable memory. Scanned information pertaining to a primary product may be used to obtain information from a web site regarding secondary consumer products that are related the to primary consumer product. Scanning a product code may automatically link a user to a web site or other location on a computer network, such as the Internet, which provides information related to the product whose product code was scanned. Thus, scanning the bar code acts as an instruction to a web browser to access a web site associated with the scanned bar code.

This invention is a means both to allocate all types of resources for commercial, governmental, or non-profit organizations and to price such resources. A linear programming process makes fulfillment allocations used to produce product units. A Resource-conduit process governs the linear programming process, uses two-sided shadow prices, and makes aperture allocations to allow Potential-demand to become Realized-demand. A strict opportunity cost perspective is employed, and the cost of buyable resources is deemed to be the opportunity cost of tying up cash. Resource available quantities, product resource requirements, and Potential-demand as a statistical distribution are specified in a database. The invention reads the database, performs optimization, and then writes allocation directives to the database. Also determined and written to the database are resource marginal (incremental) values and product marginal costs. The database can be viewed and edited through the invention's Graphical User Interface. Monte Carlo simulation, along with generation of supply and demand schedules, is included to facilitate analysis, explore “what if,” and interact with the user to develop product offering, product pricing, and resource allocation strategies and tactics.

Systems, apparatus, interfaces, methods, and articles of manufacture that provide for insurance product pricing and safety program management such as, for example, utilizing vehicle telematics to determine product premiums, surcharges, and / or discounts and providing safety program management advice regarding how product pricing may be changed.

A system and method are disclosed for transforming catalog data from multiple supplier sources to a standardized rich content catalog either by the suppliers themselves or by a third party using the system and method of the present invention. Incoming raw catalog data content is cleansed and normalized using an extensive knowledge base of patterns and incoming schemas are appended to the cleansed and normalized data. The resulting rich content catalogs are published for user browsing and data syndication. Users are administered to form groups for purposes of shopping, product pricing, and access authorization.

A dispensing system and method is used to dispense a bulk product or to mix and to dispense bulk products on site and to price the products according to the quantity and distribution thereof. The dispensing system preferably provides automated merchandising by providing up-to-date product information and by allowing customers to select and purchase one or more bulk products. The dispensing system can be located indoors or outdoors and is preferably designed for self-service and cash less transactions.

A value-driven build-to-buy decision analysis system and method is provided that addresses and integrates the system analysis for multiple parts of the build-to-buy business cycle. The system and method of the present invention includes a demand component and a supply component. The demand component includes decision analysis components for one or more demand oriented activities in the build-to-buy cycle, such as selling and buying activities. The supply component includes decision analysis components for one or more supply oriented activities in the build-to-buy cycle, such as product creation, product packaging and product pricing activities. Each decision analysis component utilizes values-based object-oriented analytical models.

The optimization of product prices using business segmentation is provided. The business is segmented into a plurality of selected segments, each including a subset of products. Segmenting utilizes fixed dimensions and variable dimensions. Pricing power and pricing risk is computed for each segment. Pricing power is an ability to alter pricing of the products within the segment. Pricing risk is a risk factor associated with an alteration to pricing of the products within the segment. Pricing objectives are generated for each segment by comparing the pricing power to the pricing risk of the segment. Prices are optimized using the pricing objectives. Prices are set based on optimized prices. Price lists and policies may be managed, including negotiating of prices based on optimized prices. Additionally, the entire system may be linked to an enterprise resource system.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system and method for dynamic product pricing. According to one embodiment, sale characteristics for a plurality of products are stored in a database. A user places a sale order including information associated with a product to be listed on a website, and a market price for the product is calculated based on the stored sale characteristics of the product. The sales characteristics include a queue of current list prices of the product as well as recent sale prices, with the queue having the number of the product available for sale at each different price. A suggested list price is displayed to the seller based on the market price. The seller is provided with a means for adjusting the suggested list price or listing the product at the suggested list price.

A system and method maximize profits by determining the optimal combination of sale price for a product and bids for advertising. The system and method address the non-linear relationship between product pricing and advertising through an advertising bidding system. In particular, a seller sells a product at a plurality of sale prices and buys the at least one advertisement by submitting a plurality of bid prices to the at least one advertising venue, resulting in a combination of bid prices for the at least one advertisement at each of the plurality of sale prices. Data from advertising with each of the at least one advertisement is collected. Then, a non-linear model for pricing and bidding is determined from the collected data, and an optimal price for the product and an optimal advertising bid for each of the at least one advertisement is determined from the non-linear model.

A point of sale system or other computer system stores a product pricing database in which a full price and discount prices corresponding to one or more discount pricing tiers are stored for each product available for sale. Each of the discount prices for a given product has an associated threshold purchase total that has to be satisfied before the discount price is applied to a transaction. When a transaction occurs, the purchase total for the transaction is first calculated on the basis of full retail prices for the products and the purchase total for the transaction is compared with one or more threshold purchase totals which correspond to the discount pricing tiers. If a discount pricing tier is applicable (e.g. the calculated purchase total for the transaction is at least equal to a threshold purchase total), the appropriate discount prices for each product in the transaction are retrieved and used to calculate a reduced purchase total for the transaction. Qualification for discount pricing can also be based on, for example, a customer's purchasing history, or the number of a certain type of product included in the transaction instead of the purchase total of a transaction.

A multiuse system for use with Wireless Display Tags (WDTs) includes, in one or more exemplary arrangements, techniques for automatically maintaining synchronicity between pricing data for a product and advertising, marketing or promotional data associated with that product, and for detecting the proximity and location of a customer within a category of goods displayed within a managed environment. A messaging format suitable for such low power operation among a large number of peers is also disclosed, as is a technique for integrating a plurality of smaller displays to yield a single large display. An access point capable of serving as a communications hub within such a network, while at the same time offering visual and audio surveillance capabilities, is also disclosed.

A console for the input and display of consumer product information such as pricing, etc. The console may be built into the handle of the shopping cart or as a retrofit application on existing handles. The console has a product information input device for numerical values such as product pricing, cost per unit, etc. The apparatus has a calculator and output display for such data. Some space on the console will likely be dedicated to a display panel for advertising. The console may be equipped with a bar code scanner as an alternate means of inputting such consumer data. The console should have an output display, such as a monitor, and / or a readout in order to display the product information such as: cost per unit. A video monitor may be used in connection with the console in order to provide advertising information related to products.

A dispensing system 10 and method is used to dispense a bulk product or to mix and to dispense bulk products on site and to price the products according to the quantity and distribution thereof. The dispensing system 10 preferably provides automated merchandising by providing up-to-date product information and by allowing customers to select and purchase one or more bulk products. The dispensing system can be located inside or outside and is preferably designed for self-service and cash-less transactions.

An item price notification system automatically interrogates product labels to determine product, pricing, and other unique data. The system uses a radio frequency (RF) radio frequency transceiver to generate an RF field to communicate with radio frequency identification (radio frequency transponders) transponders mountable to product display shelves. The radio frequency transponders contain information such as pricing information, nutritional information, and other unique data about the various products. As the RF radio frequency transceiver moves into proximity to various radio frequency transponders for a variety of products, the unique data are received by the RF radio frequency transceiver and are displayed for the user. The displayed data allows a user to make comparisons between products, and the system display and memory allow a user to store the unique data for those products and to make instant and cumulative product, price, and other comparisons.

A point of sale system or other computer system stores a product pricing database in which a full price and discount prices corresponding to one or more discount pricing tiers are stored for each product available for sale. Each of the discount prices for a given product has an associated threshold purchase total that has to be satisfied before the discount price is applied to a transaction. When a transaction occurs, the purchase total for the transaction is first calculated on the basis of full retail prices for the products and the purchase total for the transaction is compared with one or more threshold purchase totals which correspond to the discount pricing tiers. If a discount pricing tier is applicable (e.g. the calculated purchase total for the transaction is at least equal to a threshold purchase total), the appropriate discount prices for each product in the transaction are retrieved and used to calculate a reduced purchase total for the transaction. Qualification for discount pricing can also be based on, for example, a customer's purchasing history, or the number of a certain type of product included in the transaction instead of the purchase total of a transaction.

A system and method (100, 310, 510) of inventory tracking and custom ordering over a computer network (316). The system includes a multimedia user interface (318) delivered over the computer network to a user, and a configuration and pricing database (324) storing product pricing data according to user-entered product configuration. An inventory database (322) stores product availability data in inventory of retail sales facilities, in-transit from product manufacturing facilities to the retail sales facilities, in-plant at the product manufacturing facilities, and on a ordering bank at the product manufacturing facilities. The user is able to search, via the multimedia user interface (318), the inventory database (322) for the user-entered product configuration and receive pricing data and product availability data. A sales processor (332) is operable to receive, via the multimedia user interface (318), user reservation of an available product determined by the search. An order processor (352) is operable to receive, via the multimedia user interface, a custom order for a product not available in inventory from the user. A status processor (354) also provides the user product availability status report.

A product pricing system determines a product price. The system receives product pricing constraints and multinomial logit (“MNL”) calibration parameters. The system then generates a calibrated MNL model using the calibration parameters and encodes the MNL model and the product pricing constraints into a mixed-integer program (“MIP”). The system then solves the MIP to generate the product price.

A system supporting commercial transactions synchronizes e-Catalog data from any e-catalog into a users ERP system. A system for processing product information for supporting commercial transactions involves a first database for maintaining product information including product description, product vendor and associated product pricing information. A data processor in the system receives product information and updates the first database information to incorporate received product information in response to detection of matching records between the received product information and the first database information. A display processor initiates display of updated product information in response to user command. Further, a catalog system maintains and processes a catalog of product information supporting commercial transactions and includes a bidirectional communication processor supporting communication with a remote application. The system also includes a catalog database for maintaining product information including product description, product vendor and associated product pricing information. A catalog data processor employs the communication processor in receiving product usage information from a remote application, identifying differences between data in the received product usage information and the catalog database product information, and communicating product information to the remote application in response to the identified differences.

A computer-based method for determining a set of equity-indexed crediting parameters E for a lifetime-income equity-indexed deposit product provided to a set of owners having a set of dates of birth B, a rider charge C, a lifetime income percentage scale L, a set of profitability requirements R, a principal amount P, and an account value A. The method can include the steps of: establishing the values of C, L, R, P, A and E at a time when said deposit product is purchased; generating a set of yield curve and equity index scenarios consistent with valuation parameters; setting a trial value Ei for E; calculating the observed distribution D of profitability; comparing D with R; and, computing a revised trial value Ei+1 for E, where the steps of establishing, generating, setting, calculating, comparing, and computing are performed by at least one general purpose computer.

The invention discloses a buyer inquiry and seller quotation automatic matching system and method. The method comprises: S1, a seller registering basic information of a product through a product delivery module; S2, making a product pricing strategy through an inquiry strategy management module; S3, a buyer inputting a screening condition through a product screening module to obtain a target product; S4, submitting an inquiry sheet through an inquiry module; S5, an inquiry automatic processing module, according to the inquiry sheet information submitted by the buyer, querying a matched product price in a price strategy information data base, the product price and the inquiry sheet forming an offer; S6, receiving an quoted price of the offer, forming a transaction, or resubmitting the inquiry sheet and skipping to S4; and S7, the buyer and the seller tracking the state of the formed transaction in a transaction order management module. By using the system and method provided by the invention, automatic trading can be realized, the buying disadvantage under information asymmetry is eliminated, the rice adjusting capability under an information full transparent condition can be ensured, and large-scale matching transactions on the Internet can be guaranteed.

A system that determines markdown pricing for a plurality of items over a plurality of time periods receives a non-linear time-dependent problem, where the non-linear time-dependent problem comprises a demand model. The system determines approximate inventory levels for each item in each time period and, for a plurality of pair of items in a product category, determines coefficients for a change in demand of a first product at each of the plurality of time periods when a price of a second product is changed using initial prices and initial approximate inventory levels. The system generates an approximate MILP problem comprising a change of demand based on a sum of the determined coefficients. The system then solves the MILP problem to generate revised prices and revised inventory levels. The functionality is repeated until a convergence criteria is satisfied, and then the system assigns the revised prices as the markdown product pricing.

Systems, apparatus, interfaces, methods, and articles of manufacture that provide for insurance product pricing and safety program management such as, for example, utilizing vehicle telematics to determine product premiums, surcharges, and / or discounts and providing safety program management advice regarding how product pricing may be changed.

A system and method maximize profits by determining the optimal combination of sale price for a product and bids for advertising. The system and method address the non-linear relationship between product pricing and advertising through an advertising bidding system. In particular, a seller sells a product at a plurality of sale prices and buys the at least one advertisement by submitting a plurality of bid prices to the at least one advertising venue, resulting in a combination of bid prices for the at least one advertisement at each of the plurality of sale prices. Data from advertising with each of the at least one advertisement is collected. Then, a non-linear model for pricing and bidding is determined from the collected data, and an optimal price for the product and an optimal advertising bid for each of the at least one advertisement is determined from the non-linear model.