Quotables
"It is my heart-warmed and world-embracing Christmas hope and aspiration that all of us, the high, the low, the rich, the poor, the admired, the despised, the loved, the hated, the civilized, the savage (every man and brother of us all throughout the whole earth), may eventually be gathered together in a heaven of everlasting rest and peace and bliss, except the inventor of the telephone. "
Mark Twain ; Christmas greetings, 1890
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8175963 | Methods and systems for accepting offers via checks In accordance with one or more embodiments, a method and system are provided for facilitating the processing of at least one check in accordance with an offer which the account holder may accept, in one example, via a check being presented by the account holder as p... | 05/08/2012 |
| 8131799 | User-transparent system for uniquely identifying network-distributed devices without explicitly provided device or user identifying information A technique for uniquely identifying devices without explicitly provided device or user identifying information in a networked client-server environment, e.g., the Mobile Internet. In one aspect, a system retrieves a profile of a client device, retrieves all device ... | 03/06/2012 |
| 8126771 | System and method for managing customized reward offers In accordance with some embodiments of the present invention, a method is provided for managing reward offers. A first performance target that is associated with a financial account is determined. Transaction data that is associated with the financial account is rec... | 02/28/2012 |
| 8121922 | Method and apparatus for providing and processing installment plans at a terminal According to some embodiments, a central controller receives a selection signal. If the selection signal indicates acceptance of any installment plan, use of the accepted installment plan for the financial account is authorized. Thereafter, bills may be generated th... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8121899 | Method and apparatus for managing subscriptions A subscription system allows a customer to establish a subscription to a product with one or more retailers (e.g., by establishing the subscription through a controller or central system). In one embodiment, a subscription may be established after receiving informat... | 02/21/2012 |
| 8112359 | Pre-sale data broadcast system and method In one embodiment, a method for promoting the sale of a substitute product at the point of sale (POS). Upon the presentation of an original product for purchase by a consumer at a POS terminal, various manufacturers may decide to offer a substitute product to the co... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8109438 | Game presentation in a retail establishment According to one embodiment, a game presentation such as a virtual slot machine may be displayed by a display device associated with a point of sale (POS) terminal. ... | 02/07/2012 |
| 8103520 | Method and apparatus for selecting a supplemental product to offer for sale during a transaction According to some embodiments, a supplemental product or service may be offered to a user during a transaction, either in addition to products and/or services the user is purchasing, or as a replacement to one or more of the products and/or services that the user is... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8100749 | System and method for conducting and playing a supplemental lottery game A system and method is provided by which players participating in a primary lottery drawing may elect to participate in a second, or derivative lottery drawing (a “meta-game”). In one embodiment, a meta-game is conducted by first registering a plurality of lotte... | 01/24/2012 |
| 8099360 | Method and apparatus for issuing and managing gift certificates The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for issuing and redeeming a gift certificate drawn on a credit card or other financial account. In some aspects, issuing a gift certificate may comprise receiving a request for a gift certificate, determining a... | 01/17/2012 |
| 8042809 | Lottery game card and method for conducting a lottery game A lottery game incorporates player direction in determining the outcome of the game and allows a player to reveal one or more elements in a lottery game area according to rules associated with the lottery game. According to one embodiment of the invention, the playe... | 10/25/2011 |
| 8041667 | Method and system to manage multiple party rewards using a single account and artificial intelligence A system for managing an account having at least one sub-account, including: a memory element, a processor, and an interface element for at least one specially programmed general-purpose computer. The memory element stores a transaction history for the account, an i... | 10/18/2011 |
| 8037321 | Method and apparatus for the secure storage of audio signals In one embodiment, a method, system and apparatus for recording audio is provided so that the recording can be authenticated. The system may be implemented as a central server that is accessed via one or more lines for audio communication, or as a stand-alone unit. ... | 10/11/2011 |
| 8001043 | 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 accounts, in exch... | 08/16/2011 |
| 7991698 | Method and apparatus for executing cryptographically-enabled letters of credit A method and apparatus for executing electronic transactions using cryptographically-enabled accounts stores cryptographically-enabled account information and instructions, receives a cryptographically-encoded permission certificate, and processes the received permi... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7988044 | Method and apparatus for promoting the selection and use of a transaction card One embodiment of the present invention provides for detecting a physical change at a transaction card, and, in response to detecting the physical change outputting content to attract the attention of a user. ... | 08/02/2011 |
| 7909326 | Systems, products and processes for conducting instant lottery games Methods, systems and apparatus are described for producing lottery products and conducting lottery games. In one embodiment, a method for producing a lottery product comprises producing a lottery sub-product that includes a concealed indication of a redemption value... | 03/22/2011 |
| 7895120 | Method and apparatus for issuing and managing gift certificates The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for issuing and redeeming a gift certificate drawn on a credit card or other financial account. The present invention includes a first aspect directed to a merchant card authorization terminal and a second aspe... | 02/22/2011 |
| 7895100 | Method and apparatus for providing and processing installment plans at a terminal A central controller receives from a POS terminal a purchase price and a financial account identifier. The financial account identifier specifies a financial account, such as a credit card account. The central controller, in turn, generates one or more installment p... | 02/22/2011 |
| 7887405 | 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 connection d... | 02/15/2011 |
| 7845555 | Game presentation in a retail establishment According to one embodiment, a game presentation such as a virtual slot machine is displayed by a display device associated with a point of sale (POS) terminal. The game presentation includes images of products for which product identifying codes are entered at the ... | 12/07/2010 |
| 7878894 | Systems and methods for allocating an outcome amount among a total number of events Systems and methods are provided for operating a gaming system. In one embodiment, an outcome amount associated with a total number of events is determined. For example, a total payout amount associated with a number of instant lottery tickets may be determined. Bas... | 02/01/2011 |
| 7867076 | Systems and methods for allocating an outcome amount among a total number of events Systems and methods are provided for operating a gaming system. In one embodiment, an outcome amount associated with a total number of events is determined. For example, a total payout amount associated with a number of instant lottery tickets may be determined. Bas... | 01/11/2011 |
| 7856379 | Pre-sale data broadcast system and method A method for promoting the sale of a substitute product at the point of sale (POS). At least one POS terminal communicates with a POS server which in turn communicates with various manufacturer servers to transmit information therebetween. Upon the presentation of a... | 12/21/2010 |
| 7850518 | Video content determinative Keno game system and method A keno game is tied to video content such that events in the video content determine the outcome of the keno game. The outcome determinative events are selected from a set of potential outcome determinative events and marked with cues when the video content is displ... | 12/14/2010 |
| 7841514 | Digital advertisement board in communication with point-of-sale terminals A price associated with a menu item is determined automatically based at least in part on revenue management information. A menu display is updated on an electronic display device such as a digital menu board to include the automatically-determined price. ... | 11/30/2010 |
| 7837549 | System and method for automated play of lottery games A method according to one embodiment of the present invention provides for receiving data indicating a request by a player for an automated session, in which the automated session comprises a plurality of lottery outcomes. The method further provides for determining... | 11/23/2010 |
| 7811166 | Products and processes for applying conditions to a lottery entry Products and processes are disclosed for receiving a lottery record associated with a sale of a lottery ticket. The lottery record includes a plurality of lottery numbers, and a condition for creating at least one entry that includes the lottery numbers in a lottery... | 10/12/2010 |
| 7246072 | System and method for reselling a previously sold product A seller, having previously sold a product to an original purchaser subject to a buyout-provision condition, determines if the buyout-provision condition is satisfied. If the buy-out provision condition is satisfied, the seller retakes the product from the original ... | 07/17/2007 |
| 7240021 | System and method for tracking and establishing a progressive discount based upon a customer's visits to a retail establishment A system and method for rewarding a customer's loyalty to a retail establishment and encouraging regular customer visits by offering a progressive discount on their purchases includes a point of sale (POS) controller that determines a loyal customer's discount. The ... | 07/03/2007 |
| 7194423 | Method and apparatus for determining a progressive discount for a customer based on the frequency of the customer's transactions A system and method are disclosed for determining and applying a discount to a customer's transaction. The discount is of a progressive nature, wherein the value of a customer's discount increases if the customer meets the conditions associated with the discount. Th... | 03/20/2007 |
| 7184990 | Method and apparatus for selling an aging food product An automated kitchen apparatus determines a time until expiration of a food product. In one embodiment, the kitchen apparatus determines the time until expiration by receiving a start signal indicating that a food product is available to sell. Such a start signal ma... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7179168 | Systems and methods for allocating an outcome amount among a total number of events Systems and methods are provided for operating a gaming system. In one embodiment, an outcome amount associated with a total number of events is determined. For example, a total payout amount associated with a number of instant lottery tickets may be determined. Bas... | 02/20/2007 |
| 7177835 | Method and device for generating a single-use financial account number A device for facilitating financial account transactions is described which includes a processing unit including a cryptographic processor. The device also includes an input unit, a display unit and a memory device connected to the processing unit. The memory device... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7162434 | Method and apparatus for facilitating the sale of subscriptions to periodicals A POS terminal receives a signal that indicates an item, for example, via a bar code scanner. The POS terminal ascertains whether the item is associated with an offer for a rebate. If so, a code is generated and output to the customer, such as on a printed receipt. ... | 01/09/2007 |
| 7111845 | System and method for playing a game including a mortgaging option A method and apparatus of playing a game provides a player with at least one option for playing at least one round of the game in accordance with at least one advantage and/or disadvantage. For example, a player may agree to play a current round of play and/or at le... | 09/26/2006 |
| 7090123 | Method and apparatus for promoting the selection and use of a transaction card One embodiment of the present invention provides for detecting a physical change at a transaction card, and, in response to detecting the physical change outputting content to attract the attention of a user. ... | 08/15/2006 |
| 7063618 | System to determine casino offers A system to determine a product to be offered to a casino player based on player data and on an approximate maximum price for which the product may be sold through a retail channel. Advantageously, a potential increase in a casino's profit due to a product offer can... | 06/20/2006 |
| 7056207 | Method and system for video poker One embodiment of the present invention comprises a method including steps of populating a primary set of card positions with a first set of initial cards, determining at least one discarded card from the first set of initial cards, replacing the at least one discar... | 06/06/2006 |
| 7052394 | System and method for conducting and playing a supplemental lottery game System and methods are provided for conducting and for playing a supplemental lottery game. In accordance with some embodiments, a system and method are provided for performing a meta-game award analysis, upon completion of a primary lottery drawing, by comparing ea... | 05/30/2006 |
