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Patent Marketplace: E-Commerce Patents for Sale

Multi-User Collaboration with Presence Awareness: Four U.S. Patents and Two U.S. Patent Applications

This portfolio is a potential asset for companies engaged in website hosting, web-conferencing and teleconferencing, instant messaging/chat engines, online gaming/gambling, e-commerce, web publishing and law enforcement.

The novel technology in this portfolio provides a more efficient and productive online collaboration tool for multiple users connected through a network by providing real-time updates of content and user comments to all the users. The portfolio describes the use of a light-eight synchronization technique which allows all users to be presenters at the same time. Cursor movements can be tracked and made visible to other website visitors, leading to “presence awareness.”  The technology provides a unique solution in which multiple users can collaborate instantaneously, creating the perception of a live presence. Each user can see not only someone’s message, but watch how it is created, and sense the state of mind of the creator. This technology can considerably enhance online collaboration platforms such as web hosting, conferencing, instant messaging and online gaming through improved presence awareness techniques.

Patent No. Title
7,765,261 Method, apparatus, system, medium and signals for supporting a multiple-party communication on a plurality of computer servers
7,765,266 Method, apparatus, system, medium, and signals for publishing content created during a communication
7,950,046 Method, apparatus, system, medium, and signals for intercepting a multiple –party communication
8,060,887 Method, apparatus, system, and medium for supporting multiple-party communications

Application No. Application Title
2008/0244461 Method, apparatus, system, medium, and signals for supporting pointer display in a multiple-party communication
2008/0242422 Method, apparatus, system, medium, and signals for supporting game piece movement in a multiple-party communication

For more information about this patent, contact Rich Ehrlickman at rich@ipofferings.com or 845-368-8300.

Digital Rights Management Patent: U.S. Patent No. 6,920,567 “System and embedded license control mechanism for the creation and distribution of digital content files and enforcement of licensed use of the digital content files” and its foreign counterparts

This patent is a fundamental patent in Digital Rights Management and has 70 forward reference citations. The patent describes a system and a method for controlling the use of files that contain digital content. More specifically the patent describes a method for constructing and distributing digital content files.

The patented technology provides a solution for supporting order processing, credit card processing and product distribution methods that involve multi-tier, multi-channel distribution of digital content files and back-end processing systems. Systems developed based on the patented technologies will help in authorized circulation of digital content and will enable a user to distribute the content with specific license characteristics.

Player-Focused Sports Ticketing: Four-Patent Portfolio Also Includes Travel Bookings and Advertising Related to Sports Events

U.S. Patent No. 7,637,809 “Systems and methods for providing a player's ticket”
A player's ticket references at least one player and allows the player's ticket holder to attend all sporting events played in by the player referenced on the player's ticket. Information about a tournament, including the players, the tournament draw, and historical data, is acquired and used to determine the probabilities of the player winning matches in the tournament. Different possible allocations of admissions for the player's tickets to matches of the tournament are determined based on the tournament draw and how many of that player's tickets are provided for the matches. One of the allocations of seats of the possible allocations is chosen based on the probabilities of the player winning matches in the tournament that aids in determining the likelihood of accommodating all the player's ticket holders for each match.

U.S. Patent No. 7,762,881 “Systems and methods for providing match-up player's ticket features”
One type of player's ticket references at least one player and allows the player's ticket holder to attend all sporting events played in by the at least one player referenced on the player's ticket. Another type of player's ticket references at least one player and at least one potential opponent, and allows the ticket holder to attend all sporting events played between the at least one player and at least one opponent. A player's ticket option references at least one player and at least one potential opponent and allows the player's ticket option holder to exercise the option to obtain a player's ticket that allows attending all sporting events played between the at least one player and the at least one potential opponent referenced on the player's ticket option.

U.S. Patent No. 7,831,452 “Systems and methods for providing enhanced player's ticket features”
A player's ticket references at least one player and allows the player's ticket holder to attend all sporting events played in by the player referenced on the player's ticket. A player's ticket option references at least one player and allows the player's ticket option holder to exercise the option to obtain a player's ticket that allows attending all sporting events played in by the player referenced on the player's ticket option.

U.S. Patent No. 7,850,523 “Systems and methods for providing a player's ticket”

A player's ticket references at least one player and allows the player's ticket holder to attend all sporting events played in by the player referenced on the player's ticket. Information about a tournament – including players, tournament draw and historical data – is acquired and used to determine the probabilities of players winning matches in the tournament. Event admissions for the player's ticket may be allocated by determining a probability distribution for accommodating all of the player's ticket holders and determining a profitability of the player’s ticket.

Vending Machine Coupon Device Increases Flexibility, Individuality and Visibility for Advertisers: U.S. Patent No. 6,990,392 “Apparatus and method for providing items of value in cooperation with operation of a companion device”

The invention covered by this patent enables sellers of products and services to convey a marketing message, or indicia of value or items of value, to an audience. One advantage of this invention is that it provides more individuality for advertisers. A remote communication capability with an associated memory and control capability is particularly desirable for creating a cost-effective flexible apparatus.

The invention may be used with a variety of companion devices:

Geographic Coupon List Locator: U.S. Patent No. 7,424,447 “List-based selection system and methods for using same,” U.S. Patent No. 7,848,962 and Patent Applications US2010106590A1, US2010106591A1 and US2010106602A1

This patent portfolio describes a system and method for identifying and locating user specified items in a geographic area. The system consists of a portable user device through which the user inputs the list of required items.

Patents 7,424,447 and 7,848,961 have been SOLD!

Device for Providing Speech Driven Control of a Media Presentation: U.S. Patent No. 6,975,994

This patent provides an important competitive advantage in the rapidly growing market for computer projection systems. It teaches a means of incorporating speech recognition commands into the projector (or display) itself and/or the remote control so you can say “Focus,” “Zoom,” “Blank Screen,” “Menu,” “Help,” Magnify,” “Big Cursor” or “Small Cursor,” and have it happen instantly. With today’s systems, you have to press the Menu button on the device and navigate through a confusing set of hierarchical commands.

With this invention, just say what you want! Even if a user has voice recognition on his or her PC, it can’t intelligently communicate with a projector, and doing so would be a complex task requiring knowledge of the ever-changing and non-standardized way in which devices are controlled by the limited logic in the projector’s board.

This invention allows a projector or remote control manufacturer to incorporate speech right into the device and control device functions. A second-level function can be added so the projector and voice system can command the PC to advance to the next slide, change programs, run video, etc. The patented invention teaches how to integrate a voice chip into a limited-function machine with limited logic at a low cost, and interface with the functionality needed by a user of Powerpoint or other presentation graphics or slide shows, which today is confusing and found across multiple systems, none of them easy to use. This new capability can create a significant competitive advantage for the manufacturer that adds speech recognition to its projector or display product(s).

Controlling Access to Data Repository - Cloud Computing: U.S. Patent No. 6,466,983 and 6,587,858

Patent No. 6,466,983, titled “Systems and methods for controlling access to data maintained in a repository,” and Patent No. 6,587,858, titled “Systems and methods for the control of dynamic data and request criteria in a data repository,” relate to the content control, identity management and transmission authorization of online access into data repositories and related to web based server storage.

Specifically, the patents cover an application that provides access security for an online repository by establishing access controls using rules established by the data owner. Such repositories are primarily seen in enterprises, organizations and educational institutes, which store large amounts of data on servers. The benefits offered by this portfolio will be useful for cloud based applications, e-commerce companies and online backup services that store huge amounts of data and look to reduce the storage footprint yet remain committed to providing controlled access to such data.

Prepaid Cash Card for Online Purchases: U.S. Patent No. 7,082,416B2 “Method of Using Prepaid Cash Card for Making Purchases on the World Wide Web”

This patent describes a method for using a prepaid cash card to make purchases online while restricting his personal information from being distributed, flashed or leaked while making the purchase. This includes purchasing a card having a unique identification code and a predetermined cash balance. The account associated with the card is activated by providing only the identification code and not any personal information.

For most online purchases, the customer has to provide some type of personal identifying information. If that information is sold or intercepted, it can result in unsolicited telephone calls and junk mail, or – worse yet – unauthorized purchases charged to the customer’s account!

There is a significant and growing market for the technology that will improve secrecy and security for e-commerce, online retailing, online selling of digital products, online booking of hotels and airfare, and other web-based transactions.

U.S. Patent No. 7,082,416B2 includes claims describing the method for achieving the above mentioned goals. Some of the features claimed by the patent are:

This patent has significant potential application in online transaction technology. The patent addresses various shortcomings of security issues which include defrauding customers by accessing their personal information, identity theft (now the fastest growing crime in the U.S.), and unsolicited approaches by other vendors. This patent is very promising in terms of the scope of the claims and their applicability to new-age online transaction technology!

Database Management Tracking: U.S. Patent No. 6,532,459“System for finding, identifying, tracking, and correcting personal information in diverse databases”

This patent describes a system and method for updating a database.

Our market research analysis shows that there is a huge market for these patented technologies in various application areas such as online reputation management (ORM), identity theft protection and online identity management (OIM). The analysis also shows that versions of the patented technology have been implemented in the market.

Standards Agnostic Transaction Processing: U.S. Patent No. 7,737,848 “Method and middleware for standards agnostic transaction processing”

This patent covers technology related to signaling and communication systems. This patent describes a middleware and associated technology that processes inputs received from multiple sources or devices using a ‘standards agnostic’ approach. Specifically, the patent relates to a method for accepting transactions from any source input device and providing processing paths to transaction databases or other output devices.

Personalized Online Purchasing: U.S. Patent No. 7,328,177 “System and method for interactive, computer assisted personalization of on-line merchandise purchases”

The patent inventive claims cover a system and method for online shopping where the merchant website contains a smart wizard for assisting the shopper with shopping recommendations and suggestions from user defined inputs, where the online shopper can select an item recommended or bypass the recommendation and purchase another item for sale on the site.

The patent asset has significant life remaining, being issued on February 8, 2008 with an excellent priority date of July 20, 1999. The analysis also shows that the patented technology has been implemented in the market. The patent claims are estimated to cover almost 30% of the online market today and will grow over time as more and more companies employ online shopping assistants or smart wizards to assist buyers.

Rating-Based Sorting and Displaying of Reviews: U.S. Patent No.7,895,127 and U.S. Patent Application 13/029,734 “Rating-based sorting and displaying of reviews”

This portfolio is a potential asset for companies engaged in providing online reviews of a product, service and/or market participant. It covers technology related to searching, sorting and displaying online reviews in the order specified by the potential customer. To cater to the growing need for flexible display of online reviews and the growth in e-commerce, this portfolio enables customers or users to view the reviews about a product, service or market participant in an order specified by them, especially since the order specified by the user will likely be different from the default order.

Some important features of this patented technology include:

Displaying the reviews in the different order on a second display page in response to the customer request

Patent 7,895,127 has been SOLD!

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