Abstract:
A method, system, and computer program product for providing products to a user via an automated product dispensing machine is provided. In once embodiment, an automatic product dispensing machine in a micronetwork of proximally located diverse automatic product dispensing machines receives a request for an item. Responsive to a determination that the item is unavailable at a current automatic product dispensing machine, the automatic product dispensing machine provides a user with an alternative redemption product, such as, for example, a coupon that may be redeemed at another automatic product dispensing machine or at a nearby store.
Abstract:
A method for maintaining confidentiality of personal information during E-commerce transactions. The method includes: (1) compiling a profile of personal information within a depository for at least the buying party to an E-commerce transaction; (2) providing the buying party with a unique identifier linked to his profile for use during subsequent E-commerce transactions; and (3) in response to the buying party providing the identifier to a merchant, completing the E-commerce transaction at the depository without providing any of the buyer's personal information to the merchant.
Abstract:
A system and method for preventing credit card fraud by comparing the location of a given transaction with the location of a predetermined communication device is provided.
Abstract:
A method, system, and computer program product for presenting text from multimedia data to a user is provided. In one embodiment, multimedia data containing associated text data is received by a data processing system. The associated text data is extracted from the multimedia data. The associated text data is then outputted without outputting moving images from the multimedia data.
Abstract:
Facilitating customs planning and clearance including creating in an international customs server, in response to a signal communicated through a client device coupled for data communications through at least one internet connection to the international customs server, a master customs planning record; creating a related customs planning record wherein the related customs planning record is related to the master customs planning record; calculating duty on the goods described in the related customs planning record; storing the amount of the calculated duty in the related customs planning record; incrementing the total amount of duty stored in the duty total field in the master customs planning record; submitting, to the destination country, payment of the duty; creating, in dependence upon the related customs planning record, a customs declaration form for a destination country; and submitting the customs declaration form to a customs declaration forms database for the destination country.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a system and method of maintaining state information on a client. In response to a client request for a file located on a server, the file is transmitted from the server to the client. An unmodifiable cookie that specifies state information from the server is also transmitted to the client. The client then stores the unmodifiable cookie. A user is unable to alter the unmodifiable cookie on the client machine.
Abstract:
A method, system and program for ensuring the authenticity of electronic documents generated during E-commerce transactions. The method, means and program function include: (1) creating an electronic depository for storing electronic documents generated during an E-commerce transaction, (2) enabling an automatic receipt at the electronic depository of an electronic document created during an E-commerce transaction; (3) storing the electronic document in the electronic depository; (4) providing each party to the transaction with a document ID for later access to the electronic document; and (5) allowing later read-only access to the electronic document and preventing any modifications to the document once it has been stored.
Abstract:
A mechanism is provided for augmenting the mail header of a message with a list of digital signatures representing the chain of contributors to the message. The augmented header may also encode the actual contributions corresponding to each digital signature. The list is appended every time a message is forwarded. If a message has a portion with no corresponding digital signature or if one or more of the digital signatures is not trusted, the user may handle the message accordingly. Furthermore, a mail server or client may discard a message if the number of digital signatures exceeds a threshold to filter out unwanted messages, such as e-mail chain letters.
Abstract:
Facilitating customs planning and clearance including creating in an international customs server, in response to a signal communicated through a client device coupled for data communications through at least one internet connection to the international customs server, a master customs planning record; creating a related customs planning record wherein the related customs planning record is related to the master customs planning record; calculating duty on the goods described in the related customs planning record; storing the amount of the calculated duty in the related customs planning record; incrementing the total amount of duty stored in the duty total field in the master customs planning record; submitting, to the destination country, payment of the duty; creating, in dependence upon the related customs planning record, a customs declaration form for a destination country; and submitting the customs declaration form to a customs declaration forms database for the destination country.
Abstract:
Provided is a method, system, and program for accessing calendar information of users in a database for presentation by a personal information manager. Scheduled event records for users are maintained within the database. Further maintained in the database is information on a current location of wireless devices of users in the database, wherein one user is associated with each wireless device. Scheduled event records and the current location of a wireless device for a shadowed user are provided from the database to a device operated by a shadower user in the database.