46results about How to "Maximize return" patented technology

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 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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Various methods and systems for auctioning items such as golf tee times, restaurant reservations, concert tickets or hotel reservations are disclosed. Users can effectively bid on a large number of 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.

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.