18111results about "Visual presentation" patented technology

A method and apparatus for distributing, generating, and redeeming discount Virtual Coupons TM , rebate or gift certificates or the like which may be used on conjunction with a frequency card program or the like. Virtual Coupons TM may be distributed electronically, for example, in the form of a diskette or CD-ROM software. Software on the diskette or CD-ROM may prompt a consumer to call a 1-800 number for a validation number or code. During the phone call, telemarketing personnel may request consumer demographic and or identification information which may be entered into a centralized database. Once the software is validated, a consumer may print out a list selected Virtual Coupons TM displayed on a Graphical User Interface (GUI). When a product is purchased, the UPC code of the product may be compared electronically with a list of Virtual Coupons TM authorized for a particular consumer. An appropriate coupon discount may then be applied and the Virtual Coupon TM may be considered "redeemed". Once redeemed, consumer ID information and Virtual Coupon TM information may be retrieved electronically and used to update a central database. Accurate data may then be produced illustrating which consumers or groups of consumers are redeeming which Virtual Coupons TM . Such data may be used for marketing purposes or to generated further diskettes for distribution targeting specific consumers or groups of consumers with specific classes of Virtual Coupon TM offerings. The use of Virtual Coupons TM eliminates or reduces fraud, and allows a frequency card discount to be applied only a limited number of times.

An interactive system adapted for use in a shopping venue, comprises: an interactive and intelligent source of information, for example supplemental information related to articles available for selection by shoppers in a shopping venue, and not otherwise available to the shoppers during shopping; and, a plurality of interactive, mobile apparatus which shoppers can move throughout the shopping venue and use for transmitting queries to the interactive source of information and use for receiving information transmitted from the interactive source of information, whereby shoppers can receive information useful for evaluating the articles when making article selection decisions, and at least some of the received information can be formulated to influence the article selection decisions. At least some of the information transmitted to the shoppers can be responsive to the queries. An artificial intelligence unit can evaluate the queries and select information for inclusion in responses to the queries.

A system and device for harvesting various frequencies and polarizations of ambient radio frequency (RF) electromagnetic (EM) energy for making a passive sensor (tag) into an autonomous passive sensor (tag) adapted to collect and store data with time-stamping and some primitive computation when necessary even when an interrogating radio frequency identification (RFID) reader is not present (not transmitting). A specific source of ambient RF EM energy may include wireless fidelity (WiFi) and/or cellular telephone base stations. The system and device may also allow for the recharging of energy storage units in active and battery assisted passive (BAP) devices. The system could be a “smart building” that uses passive sensors with RF EM energy harvesting capability to sense environmental variables, security breaches, as well as information from “smart appliances” that can be used for a variety of controls and can be accessed locally or remotely over the Internet or cellular networks.

Systems, methods, and devices for conducting sales transactions are provided. Embodiments include handheld, portable, electronic, point of purchase devices configured to acquire identification information from articles to be purchased, to determine a purchase price, and to acquire payment information for the purchase price. The point of purchase devices may include one or more input devices such as a near field communication device, a camera, a scanner, and a biometric sensor for acquiring the identification information and/or the payment information. In some embodiments, the near field communication device may be detachable from the point of purchase device. The point of purchase devices also may contain communication interfaces, such as a near field communication interface, a local area network interface, a short message service interface, and a personal area network interface, for transmitting the information to an external server.

A method of displaying an image with a display device includes receiving a first set of image data for a first image. A first sub-frame and a second sub-frame corresponding to the first set of image data are generated. A bit-depth of the first and the second sub-frames is reduced based on a first set of quantization equations, thereby generating a first dithered sub-frame and a second dithered sub-frame. The method includes alternating between displaying the first dithered sub-frame in a first position and displaying the second dithered sub-frame in a second position spatially offset from the first position.

An electronic apparatus includes first and second display devices having first and second display screens held in first and second housings, respectively. The second display screen is provided with a sensor which generates an output signal determining an input area in response to an external predetermined input to the second display screen. The first and second housings are connected together by a connecting mechanism so that an opening angle between the first and second housings can be adjusted. A first interface image is displayed on the second display screen. An instruction input to the interface image is determined on the basis of a sensor output signal. In response to the instruction input, a second display image is displayed in place of the first display image. In response to the instruction input, a second interface image is displayed in place of the first interface image.

A technique for effecting electronic commerce using a data network is described. The data network includes a plurality of subsystems which, together, form an integrated system for receiving customer orders for selected items via a data network, fulfilling the customer orders, and delivering the ordered products to the customers. Moreover, according to a specific embodiment, the integrated nature of the system architecture of the present invention allows the on-line merchant to provide a guarantee to the customer that the ordered items will be available to be delivered to the customer at the specified delivery date, time, and location.

Electronic display devices and methods are described. In one embodiment, a display device comprises a housing and a display area provided within the housing to display content for a user. Memory is provided within the housing to hold data that is to be rendered into user-viewable content. An electrophotographic assembly is provided within the housing and is configured to electrophotographically render user-viewable content from the data that is held in the memory. A loop of material is disposed proximate the electrophotographic assembly and is configured to receive electrophotographically rendered content and present the content for user viewing within the display area. A control area is provided on the housing and includes one or more user-engagable structures to permit a user to interact with the device. The control area is positioned on the housing to accommodate one-handed use of the device. In one embodiment, the control area is provided on a sidewall that extends between front and back faces of the housing. The user-engagable structures can comprise any suitable user engagable structure, with an exemplary structure comprising a rocker-type switch which accommodates one-handed use of the display reader.

A dynamic credit card is provided in which a secure credit card number (e.g., a secret/hidden credit card number) is encoded based on a timing signal (e.g., an internal counter) to provide a dynamic credit card number. This dynamic number may be displayed to a user via a display (e.g., so that online purchases can be made) or written onto a magnetic stripe such that the number may be processed by traditional credit card merchants (e.g., swiped). At a remote facility, the dynamic number may be decoded based on time (and/or a counter/key number/equation) or the facility may have the secure number and perform the same function as the dynamic credit card (e.g., encode using time data as a parameter to the encoding equation) and compare the resultant dynamic number to the dynamic number received. Thus, a dynamic credit card number may change continually or periodically (e.g., every sixty seconds) such that credit card numbers may not be copied by thieves and used at later times. A dynamic verification code may be utilized in addition to, or in lieu of, a dynamic credit card number.

An electronic device, which comprises: at least two parts foldable in relation to each other, which can be turned into a first position and into a second position around a rotation axis; and a flexible display device, which extends over at least two foldable parts, covering them either entirely or partly. The flexible display device comprises: a folded position, to which the display device settles in the first position, and in which it folds around a first direction, which is parallel in relation to the rotation axis; and a curved position, to which the display device settles in the second position, and in which it curves around a second direction, which is transverse in relation to the rotation axis. A flexible display device can also be used with an electronic device.

An apparatus has a communications device associated therewith. In another aspect of the present invention, a pallet is made from thermoformed polymeric sheets with an attached communications device. A further aspect of the present invention provides a radio frequency identification device attached to an apparatus. In still another aspect of the present invention, a communications device is incorporated into one or more sheets of a pallet or other container prior to forming. Methods of making and using a thermoformed pallet and container, having a communications device, are also provided.

A secure, modular and movable interactive two-way telecollaborative video conferencing and imaging enclosure for conducting business or privileged medical, legal, or other confidential matters in private, being particularly equipped for remote monitoring of physiological attributes of one or more users by medical specialists and remote interaction between users and medical specialists.

A system and method for facilitating, coordinating and managing the operation of a competitive marketplace via the Internet. The system and method collect bids for market services from a plurality of customers, calculators a clearing piece for the market service and calculates settlement information based on the clearing piece calculated and the bids collected.