98 results about "Franchise" patented technology

A program for purchasing homes is disclosed. The program is primarily intended for individuals with a poor or sub prime credit rating that precludes them from qualifying for conventional home loan financing. The individuals improve their credit rating as part of the program. The program is preferably operated as a franchise in which franchisees initially purchase homes on behalf of the individuals, lease the homes to the individuals according to a contract entered prior to purchasing the home and, upon successful fulfillment of the lease, the home is sold to the individual using conventional financing. The fulfillment of the lease-to-own contract assists in improving the individual's credit rating and assists in positioning the individual to qualify for conventional home loan financing.

A system, method and computer program product are disclosed for cost reporting using a network-based supply chain management framework. Data is received utilizing a network. This data relates to goods required by a plurality of stores including a product identifier parameter, and a first cost parameter. A second cost parameter associated with a franchise mark-up is also received so that a total cost can be calculated based on the first cost parameter and the second cost parameter. The total cost is displayed utilizing the network with TCP / IP protocol.

An intranet providing a multiple-carrel public-access kiosk is disclosed. The intranet provides free access to foreign and domestic informational e-commerce intranet sites as well as e-mail and public service educational and informational materials. The kiosk accepts anonymous pre-paid cards issued by a local franchisee of a network of c-commerce intranets that includes the local intranet. The franchisee owns or leases kiosks and also provides a walk-in e-commerce support center where e-commerce support services and goods, such as pre-paid accounts for access to paid services at a kiosk, can be purchased. The paid services provided by the carrel include video-conference and chat room time, playing and / or copying audio-visual materials such as computer games and music videos, and international e-commerce purchase support services such as customs and currency exchange. The third-party sponsored public service materials include audio-visual instructional materials in local dialects introducing the user to the use of the kiosks services and providing training for using standard business software programs. Sponsors include pop-up market research questions in the sponsored public service information and receive clickstream date correlated with the user's intranet ID and answers to the original demographic questions answered by the user.

Public wireless communications will increasingly extend into wireless LAN (WLAN) environments in order to meet the ubiquitous access, high data rate, and local services demands of future Internet appliances. By relying on IP-level services mechanisms, the Public Access Mobility LAN (PAMLAN) can simultaneously support different air interfaces, franchises for multiple services providers, and a multi-segment LAN environment including handoffs. The PAMLAN supports virtual operator LANs representing different network services providers, authorization and accounting mechanism, support of multiple air interfaces, and local IP mobility. A router associated with each base station realizes this highly distributed IP networking environment, and a QoS-enabled switched Ethernet core supports virtual networks and QoS services.

An apparatus and method for rapid translation of geographic latitude and longitude into any of a number of application-specific location designations or location classifications, including street address, nearest intersection, PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) zone, telephone rate zone, franchise zone, or other geographic, administrative, governmental or commercial division of territory. The speed of translation meets call-setup requirements for call-processing applications such as PSAP determination, and meets caller response expectations for caller queries such as the location of the nearest commercial establishment of a given type. To complete its translation process in a timely manner, a memory-stored spatial database is used to eliminate mass-storage accesses during operation, a spatial indexing scheme such as an R-tree over the spatial database is used to locate a caller within a specific rectangular area, and an optimized set of point-in-polygon algorithms is used to narrow the caller's location to a specific zone identified in the database. Additional validation processing is supplied to verify intersections or street addresses returned for a given latitude and longitude. Automatic conversion of latitude-longitude into coordinates in different map projection systems is provided. The memory-stored database is built in a compact and optimized form from a relational spatial database as required. The R-tree spatial indexing of the memory-stored database allows for substantially unlimited scalability of database size without degradation of response time. Maximum performance for database retrievals is assured by isolating the retrieval process from all updating and maintenance processes. Hot update of the in-memory database is provided without degradation of response time.

An apparatus and method for rapid translation of geographic latitude and longitude into any of a number of application-specific location designations or location classifications, including street address, nearest intersection, PSAP (Public Safety Answering Point) zone, telephone rate zone, franchise zone, or other geographic, administrative, governmental or commercial division of territory. The speed of translation meets call-setup requirements for call-processing applications such as PSAP determination, and meets caller response expectations for caller queries such as the location of the nearest commercial establishment of a given type. To complete its translation process in a timely manner, a memory-stored spatial database is used to eliminate mass-storage accesses during operation, a spatial indexing scheme such as an R-tree over the spatial database is used to locate a caller within a specific rectangular area, and an optimized set of point-in-polygon algorithms is used to narrow the caller's location to a specific zone identified in the database. Additional validation processing is supplied to verify intersections or street addresses returned for a given latitude and longitude. Automatic conversion of latitude-longitude into coordinates in different map projection systems is provided.The memory-stored database is built in a compact and optimized form from a relational spatial database as required. The R-tree spatial indexing of the memory-stored database allows for substantially unlimited scalability of database size without degradation of response time. Maximum performance for database retrievals is assured by isolating the retrieval process from all updating and maintenance processes. Hot update of the in-memory database is provided without degradation of response time.

A recruiting tool for leveraging social and business contacts of existing employees, contractors, franchisees and the like is disclosed. The system provides an application for evaluating contact data of employee contacts available through existing social networks or other applications. The application compares the contact data to opportunity description data and, if any of the contacts appear to possess the proper qualifications, matches those contacts to the opportunity of the employer. Feedback is provided to the employee identifying these matched contacts. The employee may then use the application to alert the matched contact of the opportunity, and to submit a referral to the employer relating to the matched contact. Additional system features and options for parties in the role of the employer, the employee, and the matched contacts are disclosed.

The present invention describes a computer-implemented system and method for creating and managing a task list for multiple franchise locations in an online work management system accessible to users. In some embodiments of the invention, users create multiple baselines with multiple tasks based on location attributes than can be combined into a unique, dynamic master task list for a particular location. Embodiments of the invention allow tasks to be associated with a timeline of franchise preparation, a subset of tasks to be selected based on keyword or filtering by various attributes, adding additional tasks to a particular franchise master list based on various attributes, adding tasks to multiple locations at the same time dynamically based on various attributes, restricting task list access based on user community or group, altering user access and tasks dynamically based on changing baseline characteristics, and providing a master task list dynamically on a user interface.

A method and system for utilizing impressions, including advertising logo's and other licensable advertisements, for placement upon commodity-based products (like disposable cups, packaging, plates, utensils and the like), such that licensing revenue or other advertising revenue offset the cost of manufacture of such commodity-based products as well as the cost of purchase of such commodity-based products (to the point of potentially zero) by those non-franchised entities like delicatessens, diners, restaurants, and the like, and even potentially the ultimate purchaser of the food or beverage therein contained, by which a library of licensable impressions are maintained and a system and method is employed to control the library, commodity-based manufacturers and commodity-based purchasers, including demographic data, geographical data, customer lists, and / or data related to a targeted audience of potential purchasers of materials to whom advertisements are thereby directed.

A method and apparatus for compensating a plurality of participants selling, leasing or managing property or originating loans. The method includes the steps of forming a multi-level sales force, collecting royalty fees from each participant, placing the collected fees in a revenue sharing pool, and distributing royalty fees from the pool based upon the sponsorship level of each participant relative to the other participants. A data processing system including a computer processor with memory and a data processing program for controlling distribution from the revenue pool is also disclosed.

A contracts exchange system includes a liquid contracts exchange, traders trading on the exchange, a securities exchange listing shares of the trader, thereby enabling access to the capital markets, and a surety guaranteeing obligations of the trader. Methods are provided for transferring risk to the capital markets, for operating a liquid contracts exchange, for paying obligations under an exchange traded contract, for calculating sureties, for auditing traders, detecting errors, mistakes or fraud in a trader's financial statements, for assuring compliance by a trader, for estimating a franchise value of a trader, for making a contract tradable on an exchange, and for managing traders in the contract exchange system.

A method and system provided for a single-action with which the customer places an order and receives goods by the single action of connecting an electrical vehicle (EV) to a charging station according to the business terms associated with this invention, the affiliated organizations that purchase or support the operation of the invention participate in a business “franchise” operation whereby all affiliated organizations increase their revenues as the volume of EV charging events increases.

This invention relates to a method and system for exchanging reward earned from transactions for voucher or stored value for transactions and method of redeeming the voucher or stored value, the system including a primary unit provided at a place where a service provider is located, and a secondary unit provided at where a franchisee is located. When a purchase is made by the consumer at a franchisee designated by the service provider, reward will accumulate and the reward may be exchanged for voucher or stored value when the reward is accumulated to a predetermined amount. In exchanging for the voucher or stored value, the voucher or stored value must be registered at the primary unit of the service provider or deposited in a stored value account. During redemption of the voucher or stored value, the validity of the voucher or balance of the stored value is first automatically affirmed to deter counterfeiting activities.

The present invention relates to an integrated business processing system in which a conventional Internet web server-based unidirectional remote control system can be improved to a bidirectional PC remote control system in a one-to-one PC access state, a variety of functions, such as a table for writing letters and drawing figures, etc., can be added, and a variety of business processing can be smoothly performed through the association of a client PC system, a consultant PC system, a franchise head office system, an assistant business PC system in terms of a business task, a construction site business processing PC system, an custom-built and material development PC system, a company head office warehouse and factory PC system, and a developing country production factory and export / import management PC system, which are based on a unidirectional or bidirectional PC remote control business processing system. To this end, integrated business processing system using a bidirectional PC remote control base, wherein a client PC of an Internet PC remote control system including a PC main body and a general monitor connected to the PC main body, and a consultant PC of the Internet PC remote control system including a PC main body and multiple monitors of a main monitor and an auxiliary monitor having a liquid crystal tablet or a general tablet, which is connected to the PC main body and is capable of performing two or more writing and drawing functions, are connected using communication means of wired / wireless wires or satellite Internet, and a remote control client module, a remote FIP client module and a remote CHAT client module are constructed for the remote control, and are adapted to analyze a corresponding protocol and distribute and transmit each thread through a TCP / IP communication port, wherein the consultant PC first opens a consultant access administrator window of the PC remote control system, displays the consultant access administrator window on the monitor, and informs the client PC of a remote access request using a general telephone, so that the client PC can make access through a client adaptor or an access program through a website; and after a client is accessed through Internet remote control by clicking on a client access menu of the Internet remote control system base, the client PC remotely accesses the client PC and remotely accesses the consultant PC by manipulating the PC main body of the client PC under remote control authority.

Pluralarity of network controlled retail display receiver is attached to the shelf carrying items whose information such as price and other attributes need to be displayed. The display receiver wakes up to see the information change bit indicator and its addresssed group. If detected, receiver captures the packet, decodes it and rrefresh its man machine interface. The receiver gets command from the controller either placed in the store or through digital terrestrial / satellite broadcast networks. The invention allows consistant management of similar items information placed in retail stores of same franchise, geographically apart.

A real estate business method and system integrating multi-level network marketing, franchise management and web tools provides an opportunity for members of the general public to receive training in and assist in negotiating and transacting contracts for the sale of real estate. A website provides a multi-level interface over which sales of and investment in real estate are managed. The business method and system include a business affiliation of various organizations including a website organization for hosting the website, a seminar organization for providing training in real estate transactions, a franchise management organization for providing storefront franchises to graduates of the seminars, and various service organizations to assist in operating the real estate affiliation, including an investment property management organization. The seminars provide training in the methods of the business affiliation, in particular the location and purchase of properties with equity in excess of the purchase price or with positive cash flow. Certified graduates are offered franchises for storefronts and / or seminar training programs and can access higher levels of the website, which provides special tools for the graduates' use.

The business method according to the present invention concerns with spatially distributed configurable vending machines and their network, especially those which produce FMCG products, like beverages, hot drinks, cocktails, soups, soaps, perfumes, etc. The configurable vending machine can produce products in different phase, proportion, appearance, look and feel, etc. regarding its configuration set up. The different configurations are generally called recipe, formula which are stored in files in Internet servers. These files can be accessed by authorized persons, who can modify, delete, create new and share with other authorized users via an Internet based online community portal. The invention describes how the configurable vending machines and its network can be managed and the communication among consumers, resellers and franchise owner. The IT back office system automatically organizes product development, market survey, marketing communication, and logistics processes and serve information about actual trends, consumption, stock status in real-time. Variety of advantages are obtained by using the method invented, like a higher integration among B2C, B2B and C2C domains (processes) yielding shorter product development cycles, lower sales and development costs, and better market knowledge.

A navigation system includes an improved interface for accessing points of interest. Popular chains and franchises are accessible via a separate search, which can be accessed more efficiently and quickly. The list of popular chains can then be used to access the main database of points of interest.

A comprehensive web based system which requires no software installation on behalf of the respective restaurant operators and which enables customers to place catering orders and scheduled pickup online. A website is established for the franchise owner which independently posts chain restaurant websites with unique catering information for each of the multi-location restaurants location restaurant websites by geographic location for menu review and online placement of catering orders to the selected restaurant. The multi-location restaurant operators are provided with respective online access to the respective chain restaurant websites for permitting them to receive catering orders and to independently modify their respective unique website catering information.

Aspects of the invention relate generally to providing useful search results from chain business queries. More specifically, various algorithms may be used to identify chain businesses and queries for chain businesses. Chain businesses may include, for example, various types of businesses which are associated with other businesses with the same name, such as chain restaurants, car rental locations, pharmacies, banks, retail stores, or other franchise businesses. This information may be used to rank and filter search results as well as incorporate other useful features in order to improve a user's search experience.

A store front stock shelf 300 installed together with a sales processing device 200 at a position of cash register detects a stock status of cigarette packs STP housed therein, and produces store front stock data SSD. A user operation terminal 100 installed together with the sales processing device 200 at the position of cash register acquires, from the store front stock shelf 300, store front stock data SSD of cigarette packs STP selected on the commodity selection screen TSG displayed in a switchable manner in response to enter operation by the ordinary user, and makes the touch panel display, in a switchable manner, a commodity selection screen TSG presenting “in stock” if the cigarette packs STP are in stock. In this way, a franchise add-on system capable of simplifying and smoothening purchase of even over-the-counter commodities not readily accessible by the ordinary users, such as cigarette packs STP, and capable of improving LTV and retention, can be provided.

The present invention relates to a real-time service system and method using an interactive data communication for implementing a high quality real time interactive service of a DVD class for various contents with by means of smooth interactive communication between a service provider and a user. The system comprises: a plurality of digital set-top boxes of users for replaying service contents selected by the user in real time through a television by being supplied through a telephone line of a very high-data rate digital subscriber line (VDSL); a number of system operating device installed by a predetermined region unit and connected to the plurality of digital set-top boxes of the users in a corresponding region via a telephone line of the VDSL for supplying the service contents required at a corresponding set-top box in real time by the interactive data communication with an arbitrary digital set-top box; and a service providing device for storing various service contents received from a contents providing device and for supplying the corresponding service contents to a corresponding system operating device in real time in response to a service content request from the system operating device inputted through the Internet. It can overcome the limit of a conventional Internet network in speed by employing VDSL transmission method through a system operating device of a system operator as a franchise of a cyber marker and, at the same time, enables a smooth interactive communication between a service providing device of a service provider and a digital set-top box of a user, thereby realizing a high quality real time interactive service of a DVD class for various contents.

The present invention provides a method for providing transaction card customization image review, wherein image review is performed by an image reviewer using an online extranet provided by a transaction card franchiser. The method comprises the steps of logging onto the online extranet using a web browser, selecting an image administrator application from a licensed product list of the transaction card franchiser, selecting a customized image for review, and approving or rejecting the customized image, wherein information pertaining to approving or rejecting the customized image is automatically saved in a database of the transaction card franchiser.

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 franchise Application Service Provider (ASP) server is disclosed. The franchise ASP server includes a token generating function unit that generates a token on the basis of transaction-related information included in a payment request upon receiving the payment request from a payment terminal, and generates a net key for payment on the basis of the generated token and a franchise identifier, a token processing unit that processes the generated token in conjunction with a smart safe for receiving the net key for payment from a buyer terminal having received the net key for payment, and a token confirmation unit that receives a confirmation request of the token from the payment terminal and confirms whether the token has been processed.

The invention provides a method for monitoring and monetizing an investment security in a business. An investment entity provides capital in return for a share of business entity's revenue. Preferably, the business entity is a potential or current licensee or franchisee of a licensed or franchised business that would be under the obligation to pay a licensor or franchisor a fee that also is based, at least partially, on revenue. In this way, the share of the business entity's revenue received by the investment entity may be validated by comparing it to a revenue-based fee paid to a third-party (i.e., the licensor or franchisor).

Franchising an on-demand wallpaper printing business comprises a number of steps. Franchisees are provided with an on-demand printer. The printer is built into a cabinet in which is located a media path which extends from a media loading area to a printhead and from the printhead to a dispensing slot. The printer has one or more printer input devices which communicate with a processor to capture data regarding one or more customer requirements such as a customer selected pattern, or roll length or width. The franchisee may be provided with patterns in a digital storage medium that can be read by the printer, in lieu of new inventory. This enables the franchisee to print a roll of wallpaper, onto a web of blank media, on demand.

The present invention generally relates to computer implemented methods for providing a compatibility rating. In particular, the present invention relates to a process that is computer implemented in which an entrepreneur obtains a score (e.g., a numerical expression) of their probability of having a prosperous and profitable experience with a business opportunity, franchise, direct sales company, or independent business idea provider (hereinafter referred as a ‘business opportunity provider”) based on shared compatibility.

An online competition may track performance of real life commodities. The competition may organize groups of franchises into leagues. The competition may also group the franchises into teams of franchises where performance of each franchise may contribute toward a team performance total. The team performance total may be used to determine a winner amongst a group of teams assembled into a competition.

A system includes a data storage device having franchisor approved product information. The system includes a franchisor network interface by which a franchisor can communicate with the data storage device and approve the product information, and a franchisee network interface providing network access by a franchisee to the franchisor approved product information. Product selecting and ordering by the franchisee is based upon the approved product information. The system also includes a third party network interface providing a third party access to the product orders and by which the third party manages access of the franchisor approved product information by the franchisee. The third party network interface permits the third party to communicate a product order to a manufacturer. The system further includes a manufacturer network interface by which the manufacturer can communicate with the data storage device to process the received product order in accordance with the approved product information.