Abstract: A maintenance management side manages machine information and the installed number of machines such as a copier, a printer, a facsimile, a digital multi-functional apparatus, and a scanner, and exchanges the usage number for each machine for a point value, based on the machine information and the installed number of machines. A service is provided to the user based on the point value. In addition, the service to the user can be utilized through each machine provided at the user side.

Abstract: A system for describing and analyzing service-related human experience in organizational or commercial environments based on a hierarchical model of needs (e.g. Maslow's hierarchy of needs) is provided herein. The system may include a classifier configured to classify experience states based on a predefined hierarchical model of needs, to yield a classification; a modeler configured to model a real-life environment into a model that includes a set of process instances associated with users; and an experience notation generator configured to: extract experience-related data associated with the users from the model, based on the classification; and represent the experience-related data of each one of the process instance as a non-textual time series, based on the classification. Optionally, the time series may be used to produce reports using an analyzer. The reports may be applied to a remedy engine to generate recommendations for improving the human experience.

Abstract: Systems and computer-implemented methods include a validation phase in which validation projects are submitted to an online crowdsourcing system. The validation projects each have different combinations of the two validation control parameters, payment per human intelligence task (“HIT”) and number of solutions per HIT. By analyzing the solutions for the validation projects, final control parameters can be selected from the validation project having the best combination of high quality, low cost, and short time to completion. The final control parameters can be submitted along with a final project to the online crowdsourcing system. In addition, a novel outlier detection algorithm enables the system to detect outlier workers based on the distribution of non-experts' agreement probabilities, reject outlier workers' results, and thus save labeling cost.

Abstract: A system being monitored generates alerts directed at participants as events to be resolved occur. As a participant resolves an alerted event, the system logs the steps taken by the participant to resolve the event and stores the event resolution log associated with the event. From that event resolution log, a template for a workflow process can be automatically generated. When similar events occur again, the participant for those future events can be provided with the prior stored event resolution log and/or automatically generated templates for a workflow processes corresponding to the stored event resolution log. Iterative generation and editing of templates can be provided for, wherein subsequent event resolutions for similar events are used to modify the workflow process templates developed from previous event resolutions. Events can include conditions being met in data stored by the system or events representing the lack of occurrence of expected events.

Abstract: Hacking a rental computer to use it beyond purchased rental time is prevented by plugging a time card with internal counter into a DIMM socket of the motherboard and encrypting the register locations of the time card with the private key of the motherboard to bind the time card to the motherboard. Thus, if the time card is not detected at boot or if it is removed during operation the computer is disabled. The counter counts down the rented time period as it receives clocking signals, and at the elapse of the purchased period disables the computer.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system for handling scheduled lending and self-returning of articles to which RFID tags are attached. The system includes a body. The body includes, on a front surface thereof, a display for displaying a method of using the system, handling processes, and processing results, a speaker, a receipt issuing unit, a manipulational information input unit, an external antenna for transmitting/receiving information to/from the RFID tags, and a plurality of article depositories having respective internal antennas for transmitting/receiving information to/from the RFID tags.

Abstract: A system includes a central server in communication with public agencies through a private network and with local service-providers through a public network. The central server executes a profiling module configured to exchange standardized information with a local service-provider over the public network and with a public agency over the private network; an invoicing module in communication with the profiling module, the invoicing module being configured to process claims submitted by the local service-providers; a compliance module in communication with the profiling module, the compliance module being configured to monitor compliance with contracts between the local service-providers and the public agencies; a demand module in communication with the profiling module for forecasting demand for services; and a procurement module in communication with the profiling module for entering into contracts with the local service-providers.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including systems and computer program products, for a services architecture design that provides enterprise services having foundation layer functionality at the level of an enterprise application. The design includes a set of service operations, process components, and optionally deployment units. Suitable business objects are also described.

Abstract: A method to be performed in a procedure of manufacturing a product includes receiving, in a computer system, a request to initiate a manufacturing procedure including at least a first physical operation modeled as a manufacturing-type operation in the computer system and a second physical operation modeled as a warehouse-type operation in the computer system. Information to be used in the manufacturing procedure, identifying the manufacturing-type operation and the warehouse-type operation, is generated in response to the request. Using the information, the manufacturing procedure including the first and second physical operations is initiated. A post-manufacturing procedure for a product can include a manufacturing-type operation and a warehouse-type operation. A computer system includes an operation management module for managing a manufacturing-type operation and a warehouse-type operation. The computer system includes initiation components for initiating the operations.

Abstract: A system includes a central server in communication with public agencies through a private network and with local service-providers through a public network. The central server executes a profiling module configured to exchange standardized information with a local service-provider over the public network and with a public agency over the private network; an invoicing module in communication with the profiling module, the invoicing module being configured to process claims submitted by the local service-providers; a compliance module in communication with the profiling module, the compliance module being configured to monitor compliance with contracts between the local service-providers and the public agencies; a demand module in communication with the profiling module for forecasting demand for services; and a procurement module in communication with the profiling module for entering into contracts with the local service-providers.

Abstract: Disclosed is a technique for flow control. It is detected that a work request is being transferred to an in-memory structure. A maximum limit is compared with a number of work requests stored in the in-memory structure. If the number of work requests stored in the in-memory structure equals the maximum limit, a notification is sent that indicates that additional work requests are not to be sent.