Apparatus and methods related providing city services, such as parking, are described. Methods and apparatus for providing parking rewards programs are described. The methods and apparatus can include maintaining accounts for participants in the rewards program, tracking purchases of parking and other participant activities and determining parking awards based upon the activities. The parking rewards programs can be used to incentivize behaviors that balance the use of the parking space commodity according to the needs of different stakeholders, such as the city, residents, merchants and visitors. For example, parking awards and the criteria used for earning awards can be used to encourage particular behaviors while a parking space is being utilized, such as shopping, the use of public transportation or efficient trip planning.

In general, the subject matter described in the specification can be embodied in methods, systems and program products for a verified participant database system that verifies information on potential participants for surveys and promotions that require numerous participants with certain characteristics. Among other features, the verified participant database system aggregates and preferably verifies information, for example, the demographic and purchasing information, of potential participants by receiving permission to obtain information from third-party sources.

Various implementations include wearable audio devices and related methods for controlling such devices. In some particular implementations, a computer-implemented method of controlling a wearable audio device configured to provide an audio output includes: receiving data indicating the wearable audio device is proximate a geographic location associated with a localized audio message; providing a prompt to initiate playback of the localized audio message to a user of the wearable audio device; and initiating playback of the localized audio message at the wearable audio device in response to actuation of the prompt by the user.

An automated vending system includes a physical item storage unit, and a plurality of land-based transportation mechanisms, or vehicles, arranged to store a predicted number and assortment of items to vend. A processing resource can communicate with the plurality of transportation vehicles, and is arranged to support a machine learning module. A plurality of data sources is arranged to provide data to the machine learning module to determine a plurality of respective actions for the plurality of transportation vehicles. The processing resource can communicate respective control instructions to the plurality of transportation vehicles. A selected transportation mechanism which receives the control instruction can operate in response to the control instruction in order to convey the item to a determined vending location.

Quantitative evaluations of friction within a customer experience may be provided to reduce abandonment and improve conversion of transactions. One or more transactions may be identified. One or more personas corresponding to the one or more transactions may be identified. One or more customer friction factor (CFF) scores corresponding to the one or more transactions may be determined. A given CFF score may be a quantification of an aspect of a given transaction that has a negative impact on a customer experience associated with the given transaction. The one or more CFF scores may be compared with one or more valid comparisons relating to the same industry and the same transaction type. One or more friction points may be identified based on the comparison of the one or more CFF scores. Addressing a friction point may reduce abandonment and improves conversion associated with transactions.

Systems and methods for sending targeted items in a delivery network. Items can be targeted to geographical areas or routes based on attributes or criteria of the delivery points in the geographical areas or routes.

A system that de-identifies personally identifiable information, translate it into segments and deliver relevant content based on relevant segments and auto-correct itself. User data gets ingested in the platform by direct system integration or partner's data integration. Generates a relevant segment from multi-touchpoint attributes such as location visitation, media consumption, series of media consumption, etc. Match relevant segment from the content delivery system and score the demand generated segments and create a matching score in real-time. Based on the highest matched score generated by the system, the system pushes relevant content in real-time. Optimizes content based on NLP and classification of the content. Generate a de-identifiable key for the user to map with segments and deliver content. Generate segments like Geographical segments, Political Issues, Political Boundaries (constitutional boundaries), Technology, Voter profile, Demographics, Behaviours, and interests, etc from multiple content delivery interaction at the unique de-identifiable key level in realtime.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for utilizing forward market pricing to facilitate operational decisions are disclosed. An example method may include interpreting an energy resource utilization requirement for a task system, and interpreting a behavioral data source, comprising entity behavioral data for an entity associated with the task system. The method may also include forecasting a forward market price for an energy credit resource in response to the energy resource utilization requirement and the behavioral data source. Then, in response to the forecast of the forward market price for the energy credit resource, adjusting an operation of the task system or executing a transaction.

A system for identifying a point of interest to a user while on a land based journey is disclosed. The system comprises a cloud-based database soring a plurality of location based points of interest, an internet accessible mobile communications device, and an internet accessible, cloud-based application programming interface (API). The API is adapted to permit the mobile communications device to access the cloud-based database. The mobile communications device is adapted to selectively retrieve from the cloud-based database, a location based point of interest within a user selected distance from a geographical position, and display to the user the retrieved point of interest.

An information processing apparatus includes a control circuitry that judges that a mealtime of a user is included between a schedule time of departure of a mobile object that travels while carrying the user and a schedule time of arrival of the mobile object, estimates a location where the mobile object is traveling during the mealtime, and generates search conditions of restaurant search for extracting restaurants located within a first distance from the estimated location where the mobile object is traveling and located a second distance away from at least one of a point of departure and a destination of the mobile object, from restaurant information associated with location information.