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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 6138106 | Dynamically changing system for fulfilling concealed value gift certificate obligations A system and process for redeeming concealed value gift certificates with concealed value products. The gift certificates, purchasable by a buyer, represent a value stored in a database and concealed from the subsequent recipient/redeemer. Gift products a... | 10/24/2000 |
| 6128599 | Method and apparatus for processing customized group reward offers The present invention is an apparatus for providing and managing a customized reward offer to an affinity group sponsor based on the aggregate performance of members of the group. The apparatus includes a processor configured to accesses historical aggreg... | 10/03/2000 |
| 6119099 | Method and system for processing supplementary product sales at a point-of-sale terminal A POS terminal determines an upsell to offer in exchange for the change due to a customer in connection with a purchase. The point-of-sale terminal preferably maintains a database of at least one upsell price and a corresponding upsell to offer a customer... | 09/12/2000 |
| 6119093 | System for syndication of insurance A system is described for facilitating a syndicated sale of an insurance policy. The system employs a processor and a storage device connected to the processor, and a data receiving device and data output device connected to the processor. The processor e... | 09/12/2000 |
| 6088444 | Method and apparatus for value-based queuing of telephone calls A priority call queuing system allows the called site to exercise control over the position in a phone queue of an incoming call, based upon an economic value assigned to the incoming call. When the incoming call is received, an interactive voice response... | 07/11/2000 |
| 6049778 | Method and apparatus for administering a reward program In accordance with the present invention, a central controller stores a series of registrations, each of which corresponds to a purchaser of a product. The central controller calculates a measurement of product success, such as the number of products sold... | 04/11/2000 |
| 6024640 | Off-line remote lottery system An off-line remote lottery system which enables players to purchase instant-type lottery game outcomes from a randomized prize datastream in a central computer and view the outcomes on remotely disposed gaming computers which do not require an on-line con... | 02/15/2000 |
| 6018718 | Method and system for processing customized reward offers The present invention is a method is for providing and managing a customized reward offer to a holder of a financial account. The method includes the step of accessing historical account data associated with the financial account. The method further inclu... | 01/25/2000 |
| 6014641 | Method and apparatus for providing open-ended subscriptions to commodity items normally available only through term-based subscriptions A system for providing an open-ended subscription to commodity items normally available on a term basis includes a central agent that serves as the front-end for commodity suppliers. This central agent maintains databases containing information associated... | 01/11/2000 |
| 6014439 | Method and apparatus for entertaining callers in a queue A system for entertaining a caller placed in a queue of a call center is disclosed that allows the caller to access a plurality of entertainment options while on hold. The entertainment options permit the caller to (i) place a call to a third party while ... | 01/11/2000 |
| 6012983 | Automated play gaming device A method and device for automated, repetitive play of a gaming device, such as a slot machine. A player enters player identifying information and player parameter selections at a gaming device. The gaming device stores the player parameter selections and ... | 01/11/2000 |
| 6010404 | Method and apparatus for using a player input code to affect a gambling outcome A method and apparatus for using player input codes (e.g., numeric, biometric or physical) to affect the outcomes of electronic gambling devices, such as slot machines. The player inserts money into the slot machine and enters an input, e.g., a lucky numb... | 01/04/2000 |
| 6006205 | Credit card billing method and system An improved credit card billing method and system is disclosed which permits multiple items purchased as part of a single transaction or order to be separately billed on a credit card in accordance with a payment schedule designed to minimize inquiries re... | 12/21/1999 |
| 6001016 | Remote gaming device A method and system for remote play of a gaming device, such as a slot machine. A player enters play preferences at a remote wagering terminal. The remote wagering terminal transmits the play preferences to a slot network server that stores the play prefe... | 12/14/1999 |
| 5999596 | Method and system for controlling authorization of credit card transactions A method and apparatus for controlling credit card use. As described in one aspect of the disclosure, a method is disclosed for facilitating communication between a first person (e.g., an account holder) and a second person (e.g., a user) so that the firs... | 12/07/1999 |
| 5995976 | Method and apparatus for distributing supplemental information related to printed articles A method for readers of standard-length articles in magazines, newspapers, or similar printed media to purchase supplemental information on portions of information in the articles from publishers that print the articles, operators of electronic databases ... | 11/30/1999 |
| 5978467 | Method and apparatus for enabling interaction between callers with calls positioned in a queue The call handling system incorporating the invention is directed at: queuing a call when no agent is available to service the call; giving the caller an option to monitor (but not participate in) other caller conversations with similar queries, or to list... | 11/02/1999 |
| 5967896 | Method and apparatus for controlling a gaming device having a plurality of balances In accordance with the present invention, a gaming device includes a plurality of balances. The gaming device receives monetary input such as currency or a transfer from an account, and in turn increases one or more balances. The balance increased depends... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5970470 | System and method for establishing and managing subscription purchase agreements including commitments to purchase goods over time at agreed upon prices A system and process for distributing a product in accordance with a subscription purchase agreement that includes the establishment by a customer of an account with a seller of a product, the assignment of a customer identification number to the account ... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5970478 | Method, apparatus, and program for customizing credit accounts An apparatus, method, and program for customizing credit accounts and calculating an appropriate price for this customization. Customers with existing credit accounts and customers applying for new accounts can customize various parameters of their accoun... | 10/19/1999 |
| 5949044 | Method and apparatus for funds and credit line transfers A financial tender transfer system allows a transferor to transfer credit or make payment to a transferee by debiting the credit card of the transferor and crediting the credit card of the transferee. The financial tender transfer system gives the transfe... | 09/07/1999 |
| 5949875 | Parallel data network billing and collection system A billing and collection system comprising an access management computer for enabling payment for a service provided over a data network to be made for a telephone connection to a shared revenue billing network where the telephone connection to the billin... | 09/07/1999 |
| 5947747 | Method and apparatus for computer-based educational testing Methods and apparatuses are disclosed for computer-based evaluation of a test-taker's performance with respect to selected comparative norms. The system includes a home testing computer for transmitting the test-taker's test results to a central computer ... | 09/07/1999 |
| 5945653 | System and method for establishing and executing functions to affect credit card accounts and transactions A system and process for establishing a function having a corresponding function identifier. The function is adapted to be processed during a transaction such as a point-of-sale transaction that may involve a credit card. The system and process involve id... | 08/31/1999 |
| 5946388 | Method and apparatus for priority queuing of telephone calls A PBX/automatic call distributor (ACD) system allows callers to exercise control over their rank order within a phone queue. The ACD accesses a call database and develops offers to be made to callers, based upon a caller reaching a particular position in ... | 08/31/1999 |
| 5926796 | Method and apparatus for selling subscriptions to periodicals in a retail environment A system comprises a point-of-sale (POS) terminal, a POS controller, a retail subscription system. The POS terminal allows a cashier to enter subscription sales data into the POS controller. The POS controller maintains databases on available subscription... | 07/20/1999 |
| 5923763 | Method and apparatus for secure document timestamping The invention relates devices and methods for creating a cryptographically assured timestamp that can be verified by a party that was not present during the creation of the timestamp. The timestamp is applied to physical documents, and other substrates ca... | 07/13/1999 |
| 5921864 | Electronic word puzzle game An electronic word puzzle game, the game playable on a game computer having a processor for executing at least one program from associated memory, a display and an I/O interface, comprising: at least one puzzle phrase in the associated memory; a game prog... | 07/13/1999 |
| 5909486 | Method and apparatus for awarding and redeeming prepaid telephone time A slot card issued by a slot club, or a membership card in another incentive award program, that is also capable of being used as phone calling card is provided. Free calling time is credited to the member's card account in response to the playing of the ... | 06/01/1999 |
| 5884272 | Method and system for establishing and maintaining user-controlled anonymous communications A system for establishing anonymous communications includes a plurality of party terminals, a plurality of requester terminals, and a central controller. The system receives and stores party data about respective parties. Upon receiving criteria for parti... | 03/16/1999 |
| 5884270 | Method and system for facilitating an employment search incorporating user-controlled anonymous communications A system for facilitating employment searches using anonymous communications includes a plurality of party terminals, a plurality of requestor terminals, and a central controller. The system receives and stores employment data about prospective employment... | 03/16/1999 |
| 5871398 | Off-line remote system for lotteries and games of skill An off-line remote lottery system which enables players to purchase instant-type lottery game outcomes from a randomized prize data stream in a central computer, and view the outcomes on remotely disposed gaming computers which do not require an on-line c... | 02/16/1999 |
| 5862223 | Method and apparatus for a cryptographically-assisted commercial network system designed to facilitate and support expert-based commerce The present invention is an expert matching method and apparatus for managing communications between an expert having particular qualifications and an end user seeking a solution to an expert request. In a preferred embodiment, the apparatus of the presen... | 01/19/1999 |
| 5828751 | Method and apparatus for secure measurement certification The invention relates to methods and apparatuses for acquiring a physical measurement, and for creating a cryptographic certification of that measurement, such that its value and time can be verified by a party that was not necessarily present at the meas... | 10/27/1998 |
| 5825863 | Prepaid limited usage calling card The present invention provides a system that embodies an apparatus and method for enabling prepayment of telephone call charges in connection with a calling-card, the authorized called telephone number(s) being selectable by the cardholder so that the cal... | 10/20/1998 |
| 5797127 | Method, apparatus, and program for pricing, selling, and exercising options to purchase airline tickets An apparatus, method, and program for determining a price of an option to purchase an airline ticket, and for facilitating the sale and exercise of those options. By purchasing an option, a customer can lock in a specified airfare without tying up his mon... | 08/18/1998 |
| 5794207 | Method and apparatus for a cryptographically assisted commercial network system designed to facilitate buyer-driven conditional purchase offers The present invention is a method and apparatus for effectuating bilateral buyer-driven commerce. The present invention allows prospective buyers of goods and services to communicate a binding purchase offer globally to potential sellers, for sellers conv... | 08/11/1998 |
| 5779549 | Database driven online distributed tournament system A method and a system for a distributed electronic tournament system in which many remotely located players participate in a tournament through input/output devices connected to a central controller which manages the tournament. The method includes the st... | 07/14/1998 |
| 5768382 | Remote-auditing of computer generated outcomes and authenticated biling and access control system using cryptographic and other protocols A computer device and method for encoding a message corresponding to an outcome of a computer game, and a computer device and method for decoding the message to detect a fraudulent outcome. The computer device used to generate the encoded message includes... | 06/16/1998 |
| 5737414 | 900 number billing and collection system and method for on-line computer services A billing and collection system for enabling payment for a service provided over a data network by billing a customer for a telephone connection to a shared revenue billing network where the telephone connection to the billing network regulates access to ... | 04/07/1998 |
