The present disclosure relates to methods, systems, and apparatuses for identifying related records in a database. The method includes receiving, via a network interface, a related records query, the related records query identifying at least one record stored in the electronic database, determining, based on transaction data, at least one related record that is related to the identified at least one record, determining, by a processor, that the at least one related record is unavailable, in response to determining that the at least one related record is unavailable, determining at least one keyword associated with the at least one related record, selecting at least one of one or more substitute records based at least in part on comparing the at least one keyword with a set of keywords associated with one or more substitute records, and providing the selected one or more substitute records as a response to the related records query.

The present disclosure relates to methods, systems, and apparatuses for identifying related records in a database. The method includes receiving, via a network interface, a related records query, the related records query identifying at least one record stored in the electronic database, determining, based on transaction data, at least one related record that is related to the identified at least one record, determining, by a processor, that the at least one related record is unavailable, in response to determining that the at least one related record is unavailable, determining at least one keyword associated with the at least one related record, selecting at least one of one or more substitute records based at least in part on comparing the at least one keyword with a set of keywords associated with one or more substitute records, and providing the selected one or more substitute records as a response to the related records query.

A method of locating a target in a geographical space includes providing information to searcher users searching for the target, and potentially selecting among multiple targets for location, and providing rewards to the searchers after locating the target. The target may be a virtual object, and the method may use augmented reality features in locating the virtual object. The method may also provide for participating users who are not actively searching for the target, but may team with a searcher to receive a reward if the searcher locates the target, and who may potentially assist the user in locating the target. Participating users may be eligible if they are located in a designated participation area. The method may further provide for observing users who can observe progress of searchers in searching for the target but are not involved in the search or reward.

An embodiment of an information processing system includes a user terminal carried by a user; and a server being capable of communicating with the user terminal. The user terminal is comprised of: an obtaining unit configured to obtain product information and expiration information related to an expiration date of a product from the product; and a display controller configured to cause a display to show information containing an offered price of the product, which is acquired from the server. The server is comprised of: a price determination unit configured to determine the offered price of the product based on the product information and the expiration information acquired from the user terminal; and a price information providing unit configured to provide information that contains the offered price of the product determined by the price determination unit, to the user terminal.

Features are disclosed for providing items from an item store to an item store consumer. An item store organizer can request an item store from an item redemption system based on item store parameters. The item store organizer can receive a single use token from the item redemption system to provide initial access to the item store. The item redemption system can validate the item store consumer based on the single use token. The item redemption system can further validate redemption requests from the item store consumer based on the item store parameters. The item redemption system can fulfill the redemption request based on payment information of the item store organizer and shipping information of the item store consumer. The item redemption system can transmit redemption information to the item store organizer based on fulfilling the redemption request.

A computerized system for transacting the purchase and sale of consumer motor fuels between motor fuel merchants and retail consumers through software on a mobile or desktop connected device for periods in the future through the simultaneous execution of multi-party, multi-layered contingent transactions and pricing algorithms to ensure that all inter-related motor fuel merchant transactions are simultaneously transacted upon a retail consumer purchase execution. Motor fuels include refined products such as gasoline and diesel fuel, renewable fuels (e.g. ethanol, biodiesel), natural gas (including liquefied natural gas), jet fuel and electricity.

The present invention relates to the field of Internet of Things (IoT), and provides a gas pricing method based on a compound IoT and an IoT system. The method is applied to the system. The system includes a user platform, a service platform, a plurality of management sub-platforms, a sensor network platform and a plurality of object sub-platforms; and each of the object sub-platforms includes a gas meter. According to the gas pricing method based on the compound IoT and the IoT system, a user can sense the benefit of gas saving directly from a fee, thereby helping push a gas-saving social morality.

The Power Buy System includes a computer based platform wherein sellers and buyers log into a website having a pre-configured Power Deal listing on an item. The pre-configured Power Deal listing may set forth one or more tier pricing based on quantity. The pre-configured Power Deal or the new Power Deal may be activated upon commitment from a first buyer. The buyer is provided tools to encourage other social media contacts to purchase an item in order to aggregate a larger buyer collective and sellers are allowed to offer a lower price than what is stated in the buy now price to further encourage additional buyers participation so that more items may be sold.

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for the maintenance of a virtual credit card pool for airline passenger vouchers. An example system includes server(s) that are configured to determine a target distribution of virtual credit cards within the virtual card pool for a current date-and-time. The server(s) are configured to, in response to determining that the current date-and-time corresponds with a predefined restocking time, for each card value: identify a current number of virtual credit cards within the virtual card pool; identify a threshold number of virtual credit cards based on the target distribution; compare the current and threshold numbers; in response to determining that the current number is less than the threshold number, transmit a request for virtual credit cards having the card value to an external server; and add the requested virtual credit cards to the virtual card pool upon receipt.

The present invention relates to a vending machine, more specifically a vending machine that includes: a money deposit opening, into which a particular currency may be deposited; a money return opening; an input part configured to receive a user input from a user for product selection; a product dispenser opening configured to dispense a product selected by the user; and a product competition module configured to determine a ranking of products in consideration of a sales record of products during a predetermined period, and configured to perform a control to offer a benefit in correspondence to a ranking of the product selected by the user.