A machine-implemented social networking system builds up and repeatedly refreshes a hierarchy tree containing topic nodes. New nodes are added as new topics emerge in online public forums. Each topic node can link to an on-topic real time chat room whose occupants are currently discussing the topic of the node. A chat room can be pointed to by more than one node if the room is discussing multiple topics. Rooms can migrate from node to node as room topic dynamically changes. A system user who explicitly or inferentially wishes to be invited into a chat room which is on-topic with what the user is currently focused upon can do so by use of a node-seeking automated process. The process operates in the background and seeks out nodes of the hierarchy tree that currently have topics appearing to be the same as or similar to what topics the user appears to have in mind. Content browsing experience of the user is enhanced by addition of an invitations displaying subsystem that automatically invites him or her to co-compatible chat rooms currently discussing the topic(s) the user appears to have in mind. One of the many topics that a user may inferentially have in mind is that of being at a given location as reported by the user's GPS and wondering what best to do at that location and time.

social network driven indexing system for instantly clustering people with concurrent focus on same topic into on-topic chat rooms and/or for generating on-topic search results tailored to user preferences regarding topic

Disclosed is a Social-Topical Adaptive Networking (STAN) system that can inform users of cross-correlations between currently focused-upon topic or other nodes in a corresponding topic or other data-objects organizing space maintained by the system and various social entities monitored by the system. More specifically, one of the cross-correlations may be as between the top N now-hottest topics being focused-upon by a first social entity and the amounts of focus ‘heat’ that other social entities (e.g., friends and family) are casting on the same topics (or other subregions of other cognitive attention receiving spaces) in a relevant time period.

Social-topical adaptive networking (stan) system allowing for group based contextual transaction offers and acceptances and hot topic watchdogging

The Customer Activated Multi-Value (CAM) card provides a customer with a primary use as a transaction card which can be further activated to have a secondary use as a credit card. The CAM card can be activated as a transaction card or as a transaction card with a credit card feature. Activation of the CAM card as a transaction card allows the customer to purchase goods and services from one specific vendor and to establish a relationship with that vendor for the goods or services rendered (for example, telephone calling card or gasoline product purchasing card) while enjoying reward benefits based on those to purchases. Activation of the credit feature of the card allows the customer to interact with any merchant that accepts traditional credit cards such as VISA®, MASTERCARD®, AMERICAN EXPRESS®, or DISCOVER®. The combination of features allows a customer to purchase various goods and services from several different merchants. If the customer chooses to activate the CAM card as both a transaction card and a credit card, the customer is given the benefit of using the card in both manners described above.

Customer activated multi-value (CAM) card

A system and method for integrating the Internet front end-sign on processes of the various systems of a financial institution which allows a customer to view and access its various financial accounts with the institution. During the initial sign up for the online access. to its accounts, a customer creates his/her User ID and password online during the same session. Once the customer has signed on (password) and verified ownership of at least one account, the system displays all of the customer's accounts that are available for access via the Internet website. The online ownership verification uses only a single account of the customer and the ownership verification criteria associated with the account. The account used for verifying a customer is first determined based on the accounts selected by the customer for accessing online. From the selected accounts, the system of the present invention creates a verification hierarchy with respect to the accounts. When determining the verification to use for the single ownership verification, the present invention selects the account from the hierarchy with the most stringent requirements.

System and method for single sign on process for websites with multiple applications and services

A system and method for funding a collective account via aggregating usage of electronic tags is disclosed. The system and method promotes the use of electronic tags, and the funding of collective accounts that may be associated with charitable or other philanthropic causes. Further benefits may be realized by replenishing the prefunded account that serves as the source of funds for the electronic tag to an affinity account that also benefits the charitable or other philanthropic cause.

System and method for funding a collective account by use of an electronic tag

Systems and methods are disclosed, especially designed for very compact hardware implementations, to generate random number strings with a high level of entropy at maximum speed. For immediate deployment of software implementations, certain permutations have been introduced to maintain the same level of unpredictability which is more amenable to hi-level software programming, with a small time loss on hardware execution; typically when hardware devices communicate with software implementations. Particular attention has been paid to maintain maximum correlation immunity, and to maximize non-linearity of the output sequence. Good stream ciphers are based on random generators which have a large number of secured internal binary variables, which lead to the page synchronized stream ciphering. The method for parsed page synchronization which is presented is especially valuable for Internet applications, where occasionally frame sequences are often mixed. The large number of internal variables with fast diffusion of individual bits wherein the masked message is fed back into the machine variables is potentially ideal for message authentication procedures.

Accelerated throughput synchronized word stream cipher, message authenticator and zero-knowledge output random number generator

An arrangement, system, and methods for creating and distributing authenticated personal information for users of network services and participants in social surveys, and in chat rooms and other forums. A trusted organization verifies that personal information presented by a user is correct, and authenticates the information in an encapsulated form as 'certified profiles' within a smart card or other secure portable hardware device issued to the user. Certified profiles are authenticated by digital signatures of the trusted organization and the profile users. Personal information in certified profiles can be in raw and/or in statistically-processed and abstracted form, and can be tailored by the user for specific needs to include whatever personal information is required, and to exclude all other personal information. By the use of unique aliases, it is possible for users to anonymously access restricted network sites and participate in surveys, while still satisfying recipients that supplied personal information is accurate, and for surveys that the user has not responded to the same survey more than once. Users enroll for certified profiles via trusted enrollment vendors who market the service to the public and also make hardware and software available to users for managing, maintaining, and distributing the certified profiles.

Certified abstracted and anonymous user profiles for restricted network site access and statistical social surveys

A system for multi-factor security involving multiple secure devices that distribute the secured functions of the system over the different devices, such that the loss or theft of any one of them does not compromise the overall security of the system. Moreover, a configuration of devices is also secure even if one of them has been attacked by malicious software agents, such as 'keyboard sniffers'. A novel contactless smart card reader (200) is presented that incorporates a transceiver antenna (220) within a keypad (210) of a device used with contactless smart cards (100). When the card (100) is pressed against the device's keypad (210), the transceiver (220) of the device establishes a session with the smart card (100). A variety of systems are presented, including those using mobile telephones, computer-interfaced card readers, personal digital appliances, and television set-top box remote controllers.

Amir Ingher

Papers

Accelerated throughput synchronized word stream cipher, message authenticator and zero-knowledge output random number generator

Certified abstracted and anonymous user profiles for restricted network site access and statistical social surveys

Multi-Factor Security System With Portable Devices And Security Kernels