520 results about "Product selection" patented technology

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.

An entertainment system has a personal computer as the heart of the system with a large screen VGA quality monitor as the display of choice. The system has digital satellite broadcast reception, decompression and display capability with multiple radio frequency remote control devices which transmit self identifying signals and have power adjustment capabilities. These capabilities are used to provide context sensitive groups of keys which may be defined to affect only selected applications running in a windowing environment. In addition, the remote control devices combine television and VCR controls with standard personal computer keyboard controls. A keyboard remote also integrates a touchpad which is food contamination resistant and may also be used for user verification. Included in the system is the ability to recognize verbal communications in video signals and maintain a database of such text which is searchable to help identify desired programming in real time.

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.

In accordance with the method, system and program of the present invention, multiple broadcasts of products are detected in a common transmittable data format at a portable computer system associated with a particular user from multiple retailer server systems when the portable computer system is within a particular proximity of multiple diverse store locations each respectively associated with one of the multiple retailer server systems. The broadcasts of products are analyzed at the portable computer system according to consumer preferences for the particular user. Output of a selection of products from among the multiple broadcasts of products is controlled to an output interface controlled by the portable computer system, in response to the analysis, such that a portable computer system may manage product selections from multiple diverse store locations for a particular user according to the consumer preferences for the particular user.

A financial advisory system is provided. According to one aspect of the present invention, return scenarios for optimized portfolio allocations are simulated interactively to facilitate financial product selection. Return scenarios for each asset class of a plurality of asset classes are generated based upon estimated future scenarios of one or more economic factors. A mapping from each financial product of an available set of financial products onto one or more asset classes of the plurality of asset classes is created by determining exposures of the available set of financial products to each asset class of the plurality of asset classes. In this way, the expected returns and correlations of a plurality of financial products are generated and used to produce optimized portfolios of financial products. Return scenarios are simulated for one or more portfolios including combinations of financial products from the available set of financial products based upon the mapping.

A method of locating a product in a store using a mobile device is provided. The mobile device communicates with a store server through a local area network and retrieves location information for the product. Low granularity product and location information is received at the device from a store server as the user enters the store. Higher granularity location information is later received at the device depending on position of the device in the store. Pre-stored product choices in a shopping list application may be used to navigate to locations of successive products in the list.

A system architecture and method are provided that allow a retailer to provide a unique shopping experience to their customers. The customers, who belong to multiple affinity groups and have a purchasing history, are provided coupons via a wireless mobile device at the time they enter a zone on or about a retail location. The customer may use their wireless mobile device to select coupons or incentives for items that they wish to purchase in the store and thereby receive a discount. Retailers and product manufacturers may incentivise customers to purchase their goods at or near the point of product selection.

A system architecture and method are provided that allow a retailer to provide a unique shopping experience to their customers. The customers, who belong to multiple affinity groups and have a purchasing history, are provided coupons via a wireless mobile device at the time they enter a zone on or about a retail location. The customer may use their wireless mobile device to select coupons or incentives for items that they wish to purchase in the store and thereby receive a discount. Retailers and product manufacturers may incentivise customers to purchase their goods at or near the point of product selection.

A method of optimizing a product includes the step of accessing an event record having a summary of a sequence of events that transpired during a preliminary product selection process. The summary includes an identification of the user and a preliminary designation of the product. A user profile associated with the user includes at least one characteristic corresponding to the user. Based on characteristics in the user profile, a formatted display is generated. User response to formatted displays is used to update characteristics in the user profile. An iterative process, in which the updated user profile is used as a basis for generating subsequent formatted displays to which a user responds, repeats until the user indicates that the product is optimized.

Embodiments of the invention can include systems and methods for dispensing consumable products. In one embodiment, a product dispenser is provided. The product dispenser can include a user interface operable to receive consumer inputs and to present product selection information. In addition, the product dispenser can include a reader configured to obtain identification information associated with a consumer. The product dispenser can include a controller in communication with the reader and user interface, and operable to execute a set of instructions to receive from the reader identification information associated with a consumer. The controller can also be operable to execute a set of instructions operable to retrieve consumer information based at least in part on the identification information, and provide product selection information at the user interface based at least in part on the consumer information.

A method, program product and system for organizing and disseminating information on products featured in entertainment productions. The invention includes a database for storing a catalogue of product information on products featured in entertainment productions. A server is programmed to perform the steps of: authorizing access to the user, accepting a search request from the user, querying the database based on said search request, displaying the products identified from the catalogue on a display screen of a user computer using visual indicators related to entertainment productions, receiving a product selection from said user, and displaying detailed product information on a display screen of a user computer based on the product selection.

This invention is a vending machine and components parts that include a sophisticated positioning system, gripper and trays for improved efficiency in product retrieval and delivery. Following product selection, the positioning system quickly transports the gripper through the X-Y plane to the front of a tray queue containing the selected product. The gripper is extended in the Z-direction, and its fingers grasp the foremost product container in the queue. The gripper then retracts, and the positioning system transports the gripper carrying the product container to a delivery port. The gripper then releases the product which slides down a chute into a delivery bucket that is then tilted outward for customer pick up. Unique product storage trays are provided which work in conjunction with the gripper to allow only the foremost product to be removed from a tray queue. A specially designed door is provided to accommodate the X-Y positioning system. A unique cabinet is also provided that includes an adjustable ventilation system, and a conveniently located compact, easily removable modular climate control unit. Related methods are also disclosed.

A method for selecting a target list of customers for making cross sell offers to, for a financial product is provided. The method includes obtaining customer-level information related to one or more members from a historical database. The method then includes building one or more response models and one or more profit models for one or more subsets of members, using the customer-level information. Then, the method includes generating one or more response scores and one or more profit scores for one or more members from a target population, using the one or more response models and the one or more profit models. Finally, the method includes determining a target list of customers for making cross-sell offers to, based on the one or more response scores and the one or more profit scores using an optimization methodology.

The invention discloses a distributed heterogeneous virtual resource integration management system comprising a heterogeneous resource virtualization engine, a heterogeneous virtual resource access API (Application Programming Interface) and a cloud service platform, wherein the heterogeneous resource virtualization engine is used for allowing resource nodes to complete self-service virtual machine deployment, providing virtualization product selection strategies for users according to corresponding conditions of the resource nodes, and assisting the users in completing the set and deploying virtualization by virtue of an automatically-customized template, a visual process editor, an integration software development kit and Web service interfaces convenient for the users to operate, thereby changing the resource nodes to virtualization resource nodes; the heterogeneous virtual resource access API is used for registering the virtualization resource nodes to a distributed resource management center; and the cloud service platform is used for distributing new virtual servers, reconfiguring another virtual severs and recovering other virtue servers. The distributed heterogeneous virtual resource integration management system can be used for managing widespread virtual resources from various heterogeneous virtual products in a concentrated and comprehensive manner.

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.

In accordance with the present invention, a computer-based tool helps a person choose a product from among many possible products. This assistance, sometimes referred to as product brokering, can be useful in electronic commerce for facilitating customer selection of products. An embodiment of the invention enables product selection by a person even if the person is unable to precisely or even explicitly specify what product features or characteristics the person desires. The person is presented with a relatively small set of possible products for comparison, and the computer-based tool solicits opinions from the person about the presented products. The computer-based tool extracts information about product characteristics that appeal to or repulse the person, and uses the extracted information to present the person with additional product choices. With each iteration of product presentation by the computer-based tool and expression of preferences by the person, an optimal product is identified.

The invention provides systems of acquiring actual real-time shopper behavior data during product selection by a shopper in a store. More specifically, disclosed herein are systems of using a communications network, a First Moment of Truth device and a data collections device to track actual real-time shopper behavior data relating to the presumed locations of shoppers in a store, the time spent and location of time spent by a shopper while considering a product for selection and products chosen for purchase.

This invention relates generally to systems and methods for delivering products-on-demand to individuals and, more particularly, to delivery via vending machines. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the method of the instant invention is initiated when a customer makes an initial product selection. Based the customer's product choice, a determination is made as to whether or not that product qualifies for an alternate product offer. If it does not so qualify, the customer's original selection will be dispensed and the transaction ends. On the other hand, if the product does so qualify, the customer will be presented with an offer message that suggests that he or she should try an alternative product. Typically, the product that is offered as an alternative will be the one whose sale is most beneficial to the vending machine operator, e.g., the one yielding the greatest profit. If the customer accepts the alternate offer, the alternate product will be dispensed. However, if the customer declines the alternate product offer, the originally requested item will be vended. The particular circumstances under which an alternate product offer is presented to the customer are quantified by representing them as a collection of rules, the evaluation of which depends preferably on previously collected sales data.

The invention provides a small and medium-sized enterprise network financing system and method. The system comprises a small and medium-sized enterprise information input subsystem, a financing product input subsystem, a credit risk evaluation subsystem, a financing product selection subsystem, a small and medium-sized enterprise financial management subsystem and a small and medium-sized enterprise post-loan risk management subsystem. The small and medium-sized enterprise information input subsystem carries out the input of small and medium-sized enterprise basic information and small and medium-sized enterprise financial information; the financing product input subsystem carries out input of financing product information; the credit risk evaluation subsystem carries out credit risk rating on small and medium-sized enterprises and financing products through a small and medium-sized enterprise credit rating module and a financing product risk rating module; the financing product selection subsystem intelligently selects corresponding small and medium-sized enterprises and financing products; the small and medium-sized enterprise financial management subsystem carries out the input of financial revenue and expenditure data of the post-loan small and medium-sized enterprises; the small and medium-sized enterprise post-loan risk management subsystem carries out post-loan risk evaluation on the small and medium-sized enterprises regularly according to the financial revenue and expenditure data through the small and medium-sized enterprise credit rating module.

A method for simulating an appearance of make-up and fashion accessories on an image of a consumer and for marketing such products includes compiling a database of a plurality of products having appearance information for each product, acquiring a base image of a consumer having a plurality of pixels, identifying a product application area in the base image having a blending region, whree the product application area and blending region thereof being are by sets of pixels of said base image, receiving a product selection from a consumer, retrieving appearance information associated with a selected product from the database, modifying the appearance information of the product application area according to the appearance information of the selected product, blending the blending region with the base image by modifying appearance information of pixels of the blending region according to appearance information of the selected product and according to appearance information of associated pixels of the base image in the blending region, displaying a composite image of the base image as modified and blended in the application area and the blending region thereof, and providing means to display an alternative product within the product application area.

A method for product selection assistance includes receiving a product category selection, matching the product category selection against a product database to determine a plurality of matched products, and displaying a product matrix. The product matrix includes a product entry for each of the matched products. The product entries include a model identifier, a model price, and at least one product configuration parameter associated with the matched products. The method also includes presenting a product configuration question, receiving a product configuration answer, and responsively updating the product matrix based on the product configuration answer to eliminate at least one product entry in the product matrix.

One or more embodiments of the program are directed to a plurality of methods for monetizing online personalized beauty product selections utilizing a technology for content-targeted Internet advertising on a virtual makeover website. Methods comprise: (1) categorizing facial features to select product advertisements for co-branding in a product palette; (2) an auction for webpage advertisement placements related to a user's facial features; (3) transforming a makeover “look” to advertise alternative products to produce the new look under different lighting conditions; (4) a gifting system to allow sale and gifting of products used to produce a makeover, where the makeover image may be packaged with the selected products in a gift package; and (5) recapturing users who would cancel a sale with an offer of less expensive comparable products.

Techniques for selecting a product are disclosed. A user-specific product value specific to a user is determined for each of at least a subset of a set of a plurality of products. The user-specific product value is based at least in part on a user-specific product attribute value associated with a product attribute specific to the user. A product is selected from the set of a plurality of products, the selection is based at least in part on the determined user-specific product values.

A dispenser for dispensing restricted goods such as pharmaceuticals by an pharmacist to a purchaser with a prescription includes a cabinet containing an inventory storage system, a purchaser transaction module, a reject system and a control system. The inventory storage system includes product storage in rows and columns. The purchaser transaction module including an audio communication link from the dispenser to the pharmacist, a payment transaction system in the dispenser to verify payment for the product and an issue tray in the dispenser that is locked until the pharmacist releases the product to the purchaser. The reject system securely removes product to a reject hopper at any time after the product is held by the product selection device but prior to the pharmacist releasing the product from the issue tray. The control system includes means to enable the pharmacist to view the prescription and the purchaser. The control unit includes a product identification system that identifies and stores the location of each product by its row and column and cooperates with a product selection device that verifies that the product selected is correct and holds and carries the product from its storage location to one or more of a printing location, viewing location and issue tray all located within the dispenser. The pharmacist is able to actuate the reject system or unlock the issue tray.

Methods and systems for a fuzzy logic engine (FLE) for an interactive product selector. In an embodiment, the interactive product selector provides a user with purchase decision questions (PDQs) regarding a product / service specified by the user. The PDQs can attempt to measure the user's product / service requirements. In an embodiment, the PDQs can be presented in radio button or check-box format, and as the user selects different options within the radio button or check-box PDQs, information is provided to the user and the options are recorded or otherwise tracked by the FLE. The FLE computes individual fuzzy sets for the PDQs according to the user's option chronology, and assigns membership grades to individual options. In an embodiment, the individual membership grades are associated with products / services based on feature, scaled, and thereafter averaged to compute a master fuzzy membership grade for a product / service. Higher master fuzzy membership grades can indicate a product / service more closely related to the user's requirements. The user can be presented with products / services in descending order of master fuzzy membership grade.

A vending system restricts, limits and / or controls access and / or to various products, and tracks purchases, use or consumption of those products by an individual, group, class or classification, and implements continued decisions regarding future access within the context of a hierarchy of policy enforcement or guideline recommendations. The individual or group is associated with a unique identification, captured by an input device, such that product selection availability is based upon identity, product type, quantity limits, serving recommendations and nutritional guidelines, user preferences, governance and access restrictions. Subsequent tracking of the dispensing of products, permits the system to compare consumption and make future decisions regarding access to products.

A computerized method and apparatus for providing a borrower with a choice of products relating to new debts or changes to a portfolio of debts. The method can include collecting borrower information using a user interface, building scenarios of debt products currently available to the borrower, evaluating the scenarios of debt products using (i) payment models for the scenarios determined based on interest and loan information and (ii) the borrower information, and selecting one or more of the scenarios based on the evaluation of the scenarios.