A computerized information apparatus useful for providing information to a user via a display. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a processor apparatus, and speech input apparatus, touch screen input and display apparatus, and at least one computer program configured to run on the processor apparatus, the at least one program being configured to provide a user with contextually relevant content without an affirmative request for such content, but rather based on context divined from one or more free form words spoken by the user, whether while searching for information or otherwise. In one variant, the context determination is performed by a remote networked server after having been provided digitized speech samples via wireless interface. In another variant, the context is determined based on soft function key inputs from the user while requesting information. A virtual database structure enabling rapid context determination is also disclosed.

A method, computer program product, and computer system for identifying, by a computing device, that a product of a plurality of products has a likelihood of being wasted. A recipe of a plurality of recipes that includes the product may be identified. One or more attributes of the recipe may be scored. A rating may be assigned to the recipe based upon, at least in part, the one or more attributes of the recipe. The recipe may be returned as a suggestion to use the product before the product is wasted based upon, at least in part, the rating assigned to the recipe.

A method, computer program product, and computer system for identifying, by a computing device, that a product of a plurality of products has a likelihood of being wasted. A recipe of a plurality of recipes that includes the product may be identified. One or more attributes of the recipe may be scored. A rating may be assigned to the recipe based upon, at least in part, the one or more attributes of the recipe. The recipe may be returned as a suggestion to use the product before the product is wasted based upon, at least in part, the rating assigned to the recipe.

A wireless device is enabled to provide offers. The wireless device receives card data for a financial account card and stores the card data in a memory associated with the wireless device. Responsive to using the card data in a transaction at a first merchant location, the wireless device receives transaction line-item data from a computing system associated with the first merchant location. The wireless device determines merchant information for a second merchant location and determines an offer associated with the second merchant location based on the line-item data and the merchant information for the second merchant. The wireless device presents the offer when the wireless device is near the second merchant location.

A system and method for targeting digital advertisements are provided. The system (100) includes one or more processors (102) configured to gather information corresponding to search parameters used by a first user device (200), identify a company to which the first user device (200) corresponds to or a company in which user of the first user device (200) is employed, and customize advertisement at least based on the search parameters and insight derived about the identified company.

An improved computerized ecommerce method, optimized for smaller merchants such as florists who often provide seasonal perishable gifts that require local delivery, and who often desire to form cooperative networks with local merchants offering related gift services, as well as other related merchants such as other florists in more distant locations. The web server based method allows merchants to easily set up non-static (time variable) websites that automatically provide schedule driven promotions. New products can be quickly uploaded from smartphones, and sophisticated time and location aware algorithms can compute accurate delivery costs and make such costs transparent to customers. Other participating merchants can be easily added to the system to form local and distant cooperative merchant networks. The system simplifies customer use of promotional offers by cross checking customer URL versus promotion lists. Recipient gift appreciation is optimized by providing interfaces to allow customer designed gift cards and messages.

Systems, methods, and devices for power-efficient discovery of infrastructure services on a network are disclosed. In one aspect, a method for using advertising windows to transmit service information on a network is disclosed. The method includes transmitting timing information regarding an advertising window during which information on services offered by one or more nodes on the network will be advertised. The method further includes during the advertising window, transmitting information on services offered by one or more nodes on the network.

A computerized information and display apparatus useful for providing information to a user via a display. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a processor apparatus, touch screen input and display device, and speech input apparatus, and at least one computer program configured to run on the processor apparatus, the at least one program being configured to enable an user to intuitively operate the apparatus to rapidly converge on a desired organization or entity which they wish to locate, via speech input of only a name or a part of a name. The information and display apparatus is particularly useful in time-pressured mobile transport vehicle environments, and when the user is unfamiliar with the operation of the apparatus.

Various types of Intelligent Ad Auction and Response Latency Timeout compliance techniques are described which may be implemented at Advertising Service Provider Systems and ad servers for intelligently handling ad requests in online and mobile electronic data networks.

A service provider may receive transaction information from a plurality of merchant devices for a plurality of point of sale (POS) transactions conducted between buyers and merchants. The service provider associates the transaction information with respective buyer profiles. The service provider may subsequently receive an indication of a first item selected by a particular buyer for a current POS transaction being conducted with a particular merchant. The service provider may determine a particular buyer profile to associate with the current transaction. Based at least in part on the particular buyer profile or the other buyer profiles, the service provider may determine a second item that has been purchased frequently together with the first item. The service provider sends a communication to the particular merchant to indicate that the particular merchant may wish to offer the second item to the particular buyer for inclusion in the current transaction.