2238 results about "Request for information" patented technology

A method of and system for finding and serving consumer product-related information on the Internet comprising a database serving subsystem which stores: a plurality of manufacturer identification numbers (MINs) assigned to a plurality of manufacturers of consumer products; a plurality of home-page specifying URLs symbolically linked to the plurality of MINs; a plurality of universal product numbers (UPN) assigned to a plurality of consumer products made by the plurality of manufacturers; and a plurality of product-information specifying URLs symbolically linked to the plurality of UPNs. During operation, a client subsystem transmits to the database serving subsystem, a request for information which includes the UPN assigned to the consumer product on which product-related information is being sought. The database serving subsystem automatically compares the UPN against the stored plurality of MINs, and automatically returns to the client subsystem, one or more of URLs symbolically linked to the UPN, if URLs have been symbolically linked to the UPN within the database serving subsystem. However, if no URLs have been symbolically linked to the UPN, then the database serving subsystem automatically returns the home-page specifying URL symbolically linked to the MIN contained within the UPN in the request. By virtue of this novel MIN-based search mechanism embodied within the database serving subsystem, client subsystems are automatically provided with the home-page of the manufacturer's World Wide Web (WWW) site in situations where product-information specifying URLs have not yet been symbolically linked with the UPN on any one of the manufacturer's products.

Method of and system for delivering consumer product related information to consumers over the Internet. The system and method involves creating an UPN-encoded Consumer Product Information (CPIR) enabling Applet for each consumer product registered within a manufacturer-managed UPN / URL database management system. Each CPIR-enabling Applet is encapsulated within an executable file and then stored in the UPN / URL database management system. Each CPIR-enabling Applet is searchable and downloadable by, for example, (1) retailers purchasing products from an electronic-commerce enabled product catalog, (2) advertisers desiring to link consumer product information to Web-based product advertisements, or (3) anyone having a legitimate purpose of disseminating such information within the stream of electronic commerce. After downloading and extraction from its encapsulating file, the CPIR-enabling Applet is embedded within an HTML-encoded document associated with, for example, an EC-enabled store, on-line auction site, product advertisement, Internet search engine or directory, and the like. Upon encountering such an Applet-encoded HTML document on the WWW, the consumer need only perform a single mouse-clicking operation to automatically execute the underlying CPIR-enabling Applet (on either the client or server side of the network), causing a UPN-directed search to be performed against the manufacturer-defined UPN / URL Database, and the results thereof displayed in an independent Java GUI, without disturbing the consumer's point of presence on the WWW. Preferably, the CPIR-enabling Applets are realized using Java(TM) technology, although it is understood that alternative technologies can be used to practice the system and methods of the present invention.

The invention provides a system and method of providing user interest to a potential feed publisher. The method includes providing at least one feed, providing at least one information request feed item in the feed, receiving request information associated with the feed; and providing the request information to a potential feed publisher. The invention further provides a method of providing time sensitive information on a multimedia device. The method includes receiving a multimedia file associated with feed formatted content at a multimedia device, receiving a time activator associated with the multimedia file and the feed formatted content at the multimedia device, storing the multimedia file in association with the time activator at the multimedia device, receiving an information request, determining a time factor, and selectively providing the multimedia file on the multimedia device based on the information request, the time factor, and the time activator.

A method includes outputting an alert corresponding to an information item. In some implementations, the alert is a sound. In some implementations, the alert is ambiguous (e.g., the sound indicates several possible information items). The method further includes receiving a speech input after outputting the alert. The method further includes determining whether the speech input includes a request for information about the alert. The method further includes, in response to determining that the speech input includes a request for information about the alert, providing a first speech output including information about the alert.

The present invention discloses a method and system for providing location-based services to a remote terminal that is connected to various types of communication systems. A tailored request for information is generated with the remote terminal. In addition, a geographic indicator associated with the remote terminal is also generated in the preferred embodiment. The tailored request for information and the geographic indicator are transmitted to a location-based application server. A structured response to the tailored request for information is generated with the location-based application server, wherein the structured response is based on the geographic indicator of the remote terminal. The structured response is the transmitted to the remote terminal using one of several different types of communication protocols and / or mediums.

An information service provider network includes a content gateway to process requests for information from a client terminal. The content gateway includes a router for receiving a request for information from the client terminal. The request includes a domain name and additional content. The router forwards the request according to the domain name to a selected one of a plurality of processors to further process the request. The selected one of the plurality of processors identifies an information source to satisfy the request in response to the additional content of the request.

Information missing from a database record is automatically identified and retrieved. In an embodiment, after the record is initially populated, a status such as complete, incomplete, missing, or verify is assigned to each field in the record. A request for information associated with the status is automatically generated, for instance asking a client to provide missing information or verify existing information. The request is transmitted to the client and solicits the client's response in any of a number of ways, for instance by email, phone, fax, or mail. The information is used to automatically update the record.

A cloud marketplace system can be configured to communicate with multiple cloud computing environments in order to ascertain the details for the resources and services provided by the cloud computing environments. The cloud marketplace system can be configured receive a request for information pertaining to the resources or services provided by or available in the cloud computing environments. The cloud marketplace system can be configured to generate a marketplace report detailing the resource and service data matching the request. The cloud marketplace system can be configured to utilize the resource and service data to provide migration services for virtual machines initiated in the cloud computing environments.

A system and method for tracking purchases in a location-based services system is disclosed wherein a request for information on a particular product is received from a consumer using a remote terminal. A geographically tailored response to the request is then generated with the location-based services system. At least one offer is then displayed to the consumer based on the geographically tailored response. An acceptance of a respective offer made by the consumer is then processed by the location-based services system and information is stored about the transaction in a usage data file or database.

The present invention involves systems and methods that allow participants in cryptocurrency networks to exchange cryptocurrency for traditional currency legally and safely without requiring the use of a traditional exchange or online brokerage as a fiduciary. The invention accomplishes this through the use of a decentralized identity verification protocol that allows a service provider to verify the identity of a participant and then publish an identity signature on the participant's cryptocurrency address or addresses. The invention enables full compliance with Country specific customer identification program and anti-money laundering requirements, and maintains the ability to independently satisfy requests for information or data retention requirements if requested by legally authorized parties, but does not require that the participant store the private keys or access controls to their cryptocurrency on an exchange or brokerage service.The invention serves to verify a participant's identity in full compliance with US Bank Secrecy and Patriot Act provisions or similar regulations where identification may be achieved through non-documentary or documentary identity verification procedures. After passing the applicable verification procedure, the service provider stamps the participant's cryptocurrency address with a transaction containing an identity signature. This identity signature within the transaction consists of a public indicator of the participant's Country and subdivision, a compliance level code, an ID type indicator, and an identity hash. The identity hash is created from the digests of cryptographic hash functions where the participant's personal information is used as an input. The service provider signs the transaction with their authorized private key that corresponds to their publicly accessible public key. This serves as a publicly verifiable confirmation that the identity associated with the address in question was validated by the service provider authorized to act on behalf of the regulatory authority.The participant may then purchase and sell cryptographic currency from and to a third party exchange or brokerage service legally and safely when using their verified cryptocurrency address. This is because the third party is able to confirm compliance by openly referencing and verifying the identity verification transaction present on the address. Subsequent transactions where the third party sells or purchases cryptocurrency for the verified participant are similarly stamped with a transaction conforming to the identity verification protocol. This allows the third party interacting with the verified participant's address to observe any regulations limiting the amount or frequency of transactions over a variable period of time. It follows that this address could be used with any third party or participant in the cryptocurrency network that observes the decentralized identity verification protocol, all without requiring the third party or participant to collect and verify personal information redundantly. The ability to verify an identity remotely also eliminates the need for the third party to act as a fiduciary holding the private keys or access controls to the verified address. Lawful requests for information by authorized authorities are served to the service provider as digitally signed transactions that may then be linked to the participant's identity and transactions, allowing the protocol to observe subpoenas or similar lawful requests for information. The encrypted personal information may be held in escrow by the service provider indexed to the verified cryptocurrency address for such purposes. An alternate embodiment would store the encrypted personal information in a decentralized network of other participants, with the information accessible for retrieval using the public key of the verified cryptocurrency address and decryption using the corresponding private key, decentralizing the process entirely except for the identity verification step.

An information handling system according to the invention comprises an input for receiving search requests seeking one or more specified files; a search engine for searching a database for names of files satisfying a received search request; and server logic for serving a results page comprising the names of files satisfying a received search request and a hyperlink associated with each file name. Each hyperlink in the results, when activated causes transmission of a request for the selected file that is associated with the link. The request for the selected file is directed to a file server controlling a database of files including the selected file. The file server responds to the request by serving a content (or media) file comprising a copy of the selected file with an embedded request for information for presentation to the person from whom the search request was received. When the user runs the downloaded content file the content file sends a request for service to a site (e.g., a reflector server) that responds by serving information such as advertising to the requester.

This invention relates to a computer-based method and system for facilitating the retrieval, classification, and distribution of information. In one embodiment, a method for providing information comprises providing a plurality of entities, each having an entity type, providing a plurality of relationships among the entities, each relationship having a relationship type and direction, and constructing an entity-relationship network comprising the entities and relationships. The method further includes receiving a plurality of information items, facilitating the association of the information items with at least one corresponding entity, receiving a request for information items associated with a selected one of the entities, determining a subset of the entities based on the selected entity, the relationships, the relationship types and the relationship directions, and providing the information items associated with the subset of the entities.

The invention provides a method for predicting which network objects are likely to be requested by a web user from a web server, such as that used in conjunction with an internetworking environment. A request made by a web user for a web object is parsed and dynamic values contained therein normalized. A prediction is made based on the normalized request, statistical measures, and other factors about what other web objects the web user is likely to request. The predictive information is then made available to the web server and the predicted net objects are pre-downloaded to the Web client. A pre-download statistics server may be used to record and provide statistics to assist in the prediction process. Examples described herein relate to web pages, but the invention is broadly applicable to many different types of requests for information (such as, for example, database queries and other libraries of information.)

Forming and maintaining a multi-source multi-tenant data repository on behalf of multiple tenants. Information in the multi-source multi-tenant data repository is received from multiple sources. Different sources and different data quality enhancement processes may yield different values for attributes of the same referred entity. Information in the multi-source multi-tenant data repository is tagged with annotations documenting the sources of the information, and any data quality processing actions applied to it. Tenants of the multi-source multi-tenant data repository have entitlement to values from some sources and to the results of some quality enhancement processes. Aspects of the method maintain this entitlement information; employ evolutionarily tracked source data tags; receive requests for information, locate the requested information, apply any sourcing preference, enforce entitlements and return entitled values to the requester. An outsourced reference data utility is one context where such a multi-source multi-tenant data repository is useful.

An aspect of the present invention is a method for routing content information to a mobile user or client application. The method preferably comprises re-directing a user request to one or more gateway servers provided via an overlay network. In another aspect, the present invention is an apparatus that includes a proxy service that intercepts content information requests to the Internet and re-directs the content requests to an overlay. Another aspect of the present invention comprises a location-based Uniform Resource Locator that includes a protocol semantic portion and a location-based resolver address portion that identifies one or more resources on a network based on the geographical location of the resources.

An information service provider network includes a content gateway to process requests for information from a client terminal. The content gateway includes a router for receiving a domain name server query from an originator associated with a request for information. The router including a database defining a relationship between domain names and addresses associated with accelerated servicing of requests. The router determines whether the domain name of the domain name server query is indexed in the database. The domain name is qualified in response to the domain name being in the database. If qualified, the router sends an address to the originator of the query corresponding in the database to the domain name. The address is to a processor associated with the router that performs accelerated services on the request.

A mobile information network browser device with audio feedback capability that is capable of transmitting a request for information via a wireless communication interface from one or more servers in an information network. The browser device further includes an audio interface capable of receiving data from the wireless communication interface that is responsive to the request for information. The browser device interfaces with a wireless communication network so that it may be used in a mobile vehicle, such as an automobile. Receiving the requested information in audio format relieves the user from having to view an output display screen to receive the information while trying to operate the mobile vehicle.

A knowledge management system allocating expert resources, method of allocating expert resources and program product therefor. Information requests are provided over networked devices, e.g., over voice and data networks. Data on experts may be stored in an expert database and data on requesters stored in a requestor database. A pairing unit identifies an appropriate expert matched to each request and requestor. The pairing unit includes a request / requestor characterization unit collecting request / requestor attributes, a matching unit matching request / requestor attributes with an expert, and a routing unit routing each incoming request to a selected matching expert.

A voice user interface for accessing data is provided. This method and system receives a set of variables from a voice recognizer processing a voice request for information in a backend system; processes an integration method using the set of variables returned from the recognizer and an unstructured grammar based on entries in the database fields of a backend system; requests backend data from the backend system using the integration method and the set of variables as applied to the unstructured grammar; and receives backend data from the backend system responsive to the integration method used to request the backend data. Processes are described that add data associated with a database to increase the accuracy of interacting with the database through a voice interface and create the unstructured grammar for improved voice recognition capabilities.

The present invention relates to the transferring of information on the Internet, comprising: means (40) for storing information, corresponding to information provided at an Internet content provider (60), at respective alternative addresses of said storing means; means (20) for intercepting an information request from an Internet user directed to an Internet content provider; means for determining whether or not the intercepted request is directed to an information content provider having an associated alternative address on said storing means (40); and means for directing the request to said alternative address if such an alternate address exists.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for generating an online listing, such as a yellow pages listing, that includes information about an object, such as a business, and also includes at least one image of the structure containing the object. For example, the image may be a digital image of the store front of a business taken at a street view. Additionally, a user may select an image from a plurality of images that the user perceives as being an appropriate representative image for the business. Based on votes received a default representative image may be identified that is provided in response to a request for information about the business.

In a wireless network including a base station, an application server, a position determining entity and a mobile phone, a method for using the mobile phone as a vehicle navigation device. The mobile phone detects a user activated request for driving directions and establishes voice and data communications links with the application server through the base station. The user vocally transmits the request and a destination location to the application server. Using wireless assisted GPS, the mobile phone determines its position and transmits its position to the position determining entity. The mobile phone receives the requested driving directions from the application server through the data communications link and provides audible driving directions to the user. In operation, the application server receives the request for position-related information, retrieves the position of the mobile phone from the position determining entity and processes the request for information in accordance with the position of the wireless device.

A method for configuring a thin client connected to a communications network includes the thin client sending a request for a network address to an address server. The address server sends an assigned network address back to the thin client together with a location of a configuration server. The thin client sends a request for configuration information to the configuration server. The request for configuration information includes information on the thin client. The configuration server generates a configuration file containing configuration information based on the received thin client information. The configuration file is then sent by the configuration server to the thin client, which uses the configuration file for configuration.

Techniques are described for use in inhibiting attempts to fraudulently obtain access to confidential information about users. In some situations, the techniques involve automatically analyzing at least some requests for information that are received by a Web site or other electronic information service, such as to determine whether they likely reflect fraudulent activities by the request senders or other parties that initiate the requests. For example, if a request is being made to a Web site based on a user's interaction with a third-party information source (e.g., another unaffiliated Web site) that is not authorized to initiate the request, the third-party information source may be a fraudulent phishing site or engaging in other types of fraudulent activity. If fraudulent activity is suspected based on analysis of one or more information requests, one or more actions may be taken to inhibit the fraudulent activity.

A Web interface and method for displaying directory information are disclosed. The Web interface for displaying directory information comprises a server for receiving a directory request, a request processor operatively connected to the server, wherein the request processor links directory data to a template file (214) in response to the directory request, wherein the template file (214) dynamically creates a response to the directory request, and a publisher for publishing the response. A method for displaying directory information in accordance with the invention comprises the following steps: receiving at least one information request; retrieving data from a directory responding to the information request; correlating the data with a template file to create a response, the template file comprising tags for controlling display of the data; and publishing the response.

A framework for information extraction from natural language documents is application independent and provides a high degree of reusability. The framework integrates different Natural Language / Machine Learning techniques, such as parsing and classification. The architecture of the framework is integrated in an easy to use access layer. The framework performs general information extraction, classification / categorization of natural language documents, automated electronic data transmission (e.g., E-mail and facsimile) processing and routing, and plain parsing. Inside the framework, requests for information extraction are passed to the actual extractors. The framework can handle both pre- and post processing of the application data, control of the extractors, enrich the information extracted by the extractors. The framework can also suggest necessary actions the application should take on the data. To achieve the goal of easy integration and extension, the framework provides an integration (outside) application program interface (API) and an extractor (inside) API.

An apparatus, including a shipment conveyance device, associated with a shipment, which is a shipping a container, pallet, or tote, a memory device, located at the shipment conveyance device, in which information regarding the shipment is stored, a global positioning device, located at the shipment conveyance device, which determines a position or location of the shipment conveyance device, a processing device which processes information regarding the shipment and / or shipment conveyance device in response to an occurrence of an event or in response to a request for information and generates a message containing information regarding the position or location of the shipment conveyance device and information regarding the occurrence of an event, a status of the shipment, a shipment temperature, or an impact or force on the shipment conveyance device, and a transmitter, located at the shipment conveyance device, which transmits the message to a communication device.

Financial Data Collector System that accepts a request from a financial messaging protocol server for financial account information, utilizes HTML Web page parsing to access a consumer's online financial account information from an Internet Web site, and returns the information in a message response. This system utilizes HTML parsing technology to emulate a consumer accessing online financial account information. Relevant data is parsed from the captured Web pages and download files, normalized, and returned in a formatted message response to the requester. This system provides a flexible, low cost, and quick to market implementation over existing solutions.