Systems (18) enabling suppliers (10) to control the distribution of products to consumers (12) in a network environment (14) while accommodating the concerns of brick and mortar distribution channels (22) are described. Consumer orders for products are received, and consumer product orders are routed in accordance with fulfillment policies selected by the suppliers (10). The system includes a grap...

A system, method, and article of manufacture are provided for implementing business logic service patterns for allowing reuse of a business object in a component-based architecture. An attribute dictionary pattern is used for controlling access to data of a business object via an attribute dictionary. A constant class pattern is provided for ensuring correct data at an attribute level. The pattern...

An online purchase system (100) that provides a universally accessible, anonymous and secure online payment option for consumers. A user (103) pays cash and receives a serial number. The serial number may be imprinted on a cash card (111) or the like for convenience. The user accesses an online proxy system (107), which establishes a cash account (125) using the serial number and allows the user t...

According to an embodiment of the present invention, projects involving multiple parties are collaborated through a service accessed via a network such as the Internet. For example, a print job can be coordinated by having a buyer (1500), a vendor (1504), subvendors (1508), and clients of the buyer access a server through the Internet wherein all individuals involved with the print job works with ...

A method for selling literary work data through data communication means while satisfying the request of the purchaser for read and the request of the seller for prevention of copying is characterized in that in response to the request of a client for download of literary work data through data communication means to a server, the server sends a client program to the client to allow the client to ...

An information transmitter transmits to an information receiver contents data encrypted with a contents key, a contents key encrypted with an individual key specific to the information transmitter, and the individual key encrypted by a delivery key updated at a predetermined cycle and supplied. The information receiver decrypts the individual key with the delivery key, the contents key with the in...

A cooperative electronic publishing method and apparatus (102) is provided. The apparatus includes a subscribers database of subscriber email addresses, facsimile numbers or voicemail telephone numbers (240), a content database of pre-created content articles (224), with content articles of the content database being selectable by a publisher for inclusion in an electronic newsletter, and a commun...

The invention concerns a communication method comprising an operation which consists in receiving a series of pages coming from a first site of a computer network. Said method further comprises an operation which consists in storing data representing said succession of pages, outside said first site, and an operation which consists in associating a certificate of integrity with the stored data rep...

A gift exchange manager for managing a gift exchange conducted on a network (100) including a gift giver's computer, a recipient's computer, and a gift exchange computer (4) is provided. The gift exchange manager (5) comprises a database (11) including data for a plurality of gifts sorted into mutually exclusive price categories, and a computer program for running on the gift exchange computer. Th...

According to an embodiment of the present invention, projects involving multiple parties are collaborated through a service accessed via a network (116) such as the Internet. For example, a print job (200) can be coordinated by having a buyer (204), a vendor, sub vendors, and clients of the buyer access a server through the Internet wherein all individuals involved with the print job works with a ...

The present invention discloses a method for creating a custom designed direct mail advertisement and designing recipients thereof via the Internet and comprises the steps of: selecting from among one or more pre-defined designs (120) and templates for the front side of a direct mail advertisement; uploading templates (150), and logos (154), a design for the back side of the direct mail advertisem...

According to an embodiment of the present invention, projects involving multiple parties are collaborated through a service accessed via a network such as the Internet. For example, a print job (200) can be coordinated by having a buyer (204), a vendor (202), subvendors, and clients of the buyer access a server through the Internet wherein all individuals involved with the print job works with a s...

The present invention relates to a method for facilitating the issue and redemption of goods/services vouchers, such as gift vouchers. In the method and system of the present invention, the gift voucher is issued and transmitted over a computer network of a beneficiary, preferably via electronic mail. A claim number associated with the gift voucher is stored in a system database. The beneficiary m...

An information management system able to assist with the management and monitoring of a multiplicity of documents containing rights and/or obligations including due dates, arising out of a plurality of primary documents. The system includes a database adapted to store in an electronic and searchable format the plurality of primary documents, in addition to an electronic diary system linked to the ...

A method for effecting auctioning of products using the Internet, the method allowing a seller to post to a web site a product for sale and information on the product. The product being sold in fractional quantities as determined by the seller. The fractional quantities being sold at a fixed price or a flexible price at the determination of the seller. Buyers have the option to bid on one or more ...

A life information guidance system which is convenient to use for residents in, e.g., an apartment house, contributes to lightening the work load of superintendence by a superintendent company of the apartment house, and has a shopping function enabling a dealer to perform their business efficiently, comprising (1) a user terminal installed in a building where the users are living, (2) a first ser...

An electronic method for purchasing a commodity by which payment on credit is simple and reliable when a commodity is purchased by on-line shopping over the Internet. Only when a user purchases a commodity by credit for the first time, the user is required to input necessary items through a terminal, and a contract is made by exchanging the contracts using the inputted data. The server stores da...

Disclosed is an advertisement method using e-mails over Internet. The method comprises the steps of displaying at least one advertisement toward an addresser of the e-mail, allowing the addresser to select his or her desired advertisement mail, displaying advertisement information corresponding to the selected advertisement mail, assigning compensation information corresponding to the displayed ad...

A system providing economic transactions via a telephone network, in which a buyer (2) and a seller (3) can be connected in speech contact or like contact with each other over a telephone network, and reach a consensus relating to an established economic transaction via said connection. This economic transaction shall be confirmed and finalised over the telephone network with the aid of a control ...

A system and method for facilitating communication between a plurality of buyers (10) a plurality of suppliers (12) is provided. The communication system provides for coordinated message and response tracking within an electronic marketplace environment. Members of an electronic community, buyers (10) and suppliers (12), may submit information to a central database (16) maintained by a service pro...