Patents Examined by Susanna M Meinecke Diaz
  • Patent number: 8396735
    Abstract: This invention provides for a method of (or apparatus for) facilitating the delivery of advice to consumers using a server unit which can store and display the names and characteristics of experts and then rapidly assist in connecting the expert and consumer for real-time communication. The server can also have the ability to receive keywords from the consumer, match those keywords to one or more experts, and tell the consumer how to contact an expert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: UTBK, LLC
    Inventor: Randall B. Lauffer
  • Patent number: 8392335
    Abstract: A system and method for applying a people network representation to aid contact between a member of an organization and a target individual selects a contact path between the member and the target supported by analysis of the level of interaction between members of the organization based on network communications of the organization. Level of interaction is analyzed using network communications that take into account the recentness and frequency of interactions, such as email, ICQ, or phone interaction. To contact a targeted individual, for instance such as to obtain expertise in a desired area, the model of the people network allows determination of a contact path between the member and target which improves the likelihood of obtaining the target's expertise. A contact path from a member may include a suggestion to contact the target through one or more intervening organization members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: Versata Development Group, Inc.
    Inventor: Elliot Waingold
  • Patent number: 8370190
    Abstract: A method for collecting feedback from a user, involving determining a location of the user using a user device comprising location detection, sending a feedback request corresponding to an entity at the location to the user device, providing feedback data responsive to the feedback request, wherein feedback data is supplied by the user and includes rating information associated with the entity, and transmitting feedback data and the location from the user device to a remote database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Intuit Inc.
    Inventor: Chris Larson
  • Patent number: 8359224
    Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to algorithmic and/or programmatic approaches to identifying service candidates from among business process functions. In certain example embodiments, a method of analyzing functions of a business process model for possible exposure as service capabilities in a service-oriented business process system (SO-BPS) is provided. A business process model defined by a plurality of objects is received, with each said object having metadata attributes associated therewith. Business process analysis intelligence is obtained at design time for each said object. Process performance intelligence at run time is obtained for each said object. Indicators corresponding to the design time and run time gathered intelligence are stored together with the metadata attributes for the corresponding object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Software AG
    Inventor: Katrina Simon
  • Patent number: 8359264
    Abstract: A system and method for matching a loan consumer with lenders via the Internet includes receiving loan consumer application information. The application information is stored in a database. An internally specified filter is applied to the information to determine if the loan consumer meets a set of loan criteria. A subset of the information is submitted to a credit bureau. A credit report is generated based on the subset of information. A lender database is searched to match the customer information and credit report to ranked lenders. A query is transmitted to one of the lenders. A response is generated and received based on the query. Subsequent query and response steps are repeated only after receipt of the previous response, until all lenders have been queried. Only lenders who responded with an approval are presented for review by the customer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2013
    Assignee: Horizon Digital Finance, LLC
    Inventors: Dale Lowell Peterson, Gregory Todd Thibodeau, John South
  • Patent number: 8355941
    Abstract: Generating an optimal planning of building retrofit for a portfolio of buildings may include providing a plurality of objective functions that may be selected for maximizing cost reduction, maximizing green house gas emission reduction, or maximizing energy reduction, or combinations thereof. The objective function may be solved based on information including at least a retrofit cost for retrofitting a building, payback period specifying the length of time needed to recover the retrofit cost, a budget available for retrofitting the building, expected price of energy, estimated energy savings from retrofitting and estimated green house gas emission from retrofitting. The planning of building retrofit may be generated based on the solutions of one or more of the objective functions, which may provide for an optimal plan of building retrofit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Young Min Lee, Chandrasekhara K. Reddy
  • Patent number: 8346588
    Abstract: A computational network system that permits service a group of technicians access to the manufacturer network to provide their work capacity and availability for a specific area. A customer contacts the manufacturer via the computational network system, requesting a service call. Service call request processing results in assigning a service request/demand to a technician based on their qualifications, availability, and proximity. When a service technician is assigned, their availability is decremented. Cancellation of a service call yields an increment in the affected service provider's availability. This information is stored in a in an on-line database residing in the network system. Updates are dynamically reflected as they occur resulting in automated schedule administration of a customer's service requests/demands.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael J. Baumer, Thomas D. Hammack, Karthik Kulavalli, Regi Luke
  • Patent number: 8346625
    Abstract: A method, system, and computer-readable medium is described that provides automated gift registry functionality to assist a user in purchasing an item for a recipient. In particular, the system may track various information about a series of item purchases from one or more services through which items can be purchased. When such information about past item purchases is available, the system can then use the information to provide various automated gift registry functionality for users that want to purchase items for various recipients. Types of automated gift registry functionality provided by the system include making recommendations of items that are appropriate to be purchased for a specified recipient, assisting in preventing recipients from receiving inappropriate gift items by monitoring item gift purchases and item self-purchases, and responding to user requests to determine whether a specified gift would be appropriate for a recipient. In addition to information about past item purchases (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Zhengrong Song
  • Patent number: 8332309
    Abstract: Implied prices and their quantities are computed. Markets are characterized by exhaustively computing one or more combinations of other related markets. Each combination when summed in a particular way results in the market under consideration. In a described embodiment, the number of market combinations found is an exhaustive list of market combinations such that the market under consideration can be fully and completely characterized, such that each combination provides implied market information about the market under consideration. Implied market information can include implied prices and their quantities, which are computed for each combination and used accordingly in displays or used by automated or semi-automated trading tools.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Trading Technologies International Inc.
    Inventor: Assaf Pazner
  • Patent number: 8311877
    Abstract: A method for market segmentation analysis includes a computer collecting virtual universe data associated with interactions between avatars, entities, and objects in a virtual universe. The computer collecting the virtual universe data includes the computer recording portions of the virtual universe data as the interactions occur. The method includes the computer determining criteria with which to perform a market segmentation analysis on the virtual universe data. The method further includes the computer performing the market segmentation analysis on the virtual universe data, which includes the computer analyzing a plurality of groups of the virtual universe data. The groups are formed based on whether an avatar activity includes social activity and business activity in the virtual universe relative to a time of day. The method further includes the computer generating a report indicating results of the market segmentation analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Michele P. Brignull, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Jenny S. Li, Anne R. Sand, James W. Seaman, Johnnye R. L. Tamaru
  • Patent number: 8311868
    Abstract: To readily understand contents of business operations without burdening an operator, this invention provides a business analysis method including: obtaining information on operations of a user with respect to software programs selected by the user among the plurality of software programs operated by a computer; estimating one business content that is executed by the computer in each of time spans based on a combination of exploited identification information of the plurality of software programs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 10, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Ken Naono, Masashi Egi, Takao Sakurai
  • Patent number: 8306869
    Abstract: Methods and systems for managing the sale of commodities, such as tier-priced commodities, are described. Risk is managed by bundling with the commodity a financial instrument designed to indemnify against the risks associated with purchasing the commodity. The financial instrument may be an insurance instrument, for example. In one embodiment, bundled products are offered for sale to two or more bidders, at respective offer prices. The bidder that exceeds their respective offer price by the greatest amount is sold the bundled product. Different prices may be offered to different purchasers for respective bundled products. The offers, bids, and determination of who wins the bidding may be made by processors or computers coupled to networks, such as the Internet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Inventor: Robert M. Ford
  • Patent number: 8306848
    Abstract: A method of estimating a transit demand graph includes collecting conditional information that includes at least one condition that when satisfied converts at least one non-rider into a rider, generating a non-rider transit demand graph by satisfying one of the conditions, and generating a normalized transit demand graph from the non-rider transit demand graph and a rider transit demand graph. The riders use public transit and the non-riders do not use public transit. The non-rider transit demand graph shows the demand of the non-riders for a public transit route. The rider transit demand graph shows the demand of riders for the same public transit route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Milind Naphade, Sambit Sahu
  • Patent number: 8271305
    Abstract: An account management system has been developed that enables customer or client-related information to be stored, viewed and manipulated in a manner that reflects the relationship among different customers. The account management system includes an account data structure that defines accounts and relates customers to accounts so that the accounts include a group of related customers. In addition, a method of managing an underwriting account for an insurance policy has been developed. In particular, a method comprises the steps of establishing a plurality of participants; assigning each participant of the plurality of participants to an account; establishing business rules at an account level; and providing an underwriting decision for an account based upon the business rules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 18, 2012
    Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited
    Inventors: Gail E. McGiffin, Jason A. Birdsell, Jeffrey R. Rauch, Devdas Nandan, Patrick J. Corless
  • Patent number: 8265985
    Abstract: A goal management system stores at least first and second goals. The goal management system also stores a relationship between the first goal and the second goal. In one aspect, the goal management system detects modification of the first goal and, in response, causes the second goal to be automatically highlighted for alignment verification. In another aspect, the second goal is a parent goal to the first goal, and the relationship is stored as a parent link associating the first goal with the parent goal. The goal management system also stores an owner for the first goal. In response to detecting modification of the parent goal, the goal management system causes the first goal to be automatically highlighted for alignment verification in a display associated with the owner of the first goal, based on the parent link. Additional aspects relate to additional technological solutions which facilitate goal management through, for example, goal alignment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Versata Development Group, Inc.
    Inventors: Andrew W. Allemann, Shad W. Reynolds, Adam R. Hunter, Justin B. Petro
  • Patent number: 8255269
    Abstract: A processor-implemented system and method for optimizing a transaction between one or more users of a good or service and one or more suppliers of the good or service is disclosed herein. Information is received from a user indicative of conditions upon which the user intends to obtain the good or service within a given period of time. Information is received from a supplier indicative of conditions upon which the supplier intends to supply the good or service within a given period of time. The probability of the user obtaining the good or service within the given period of time is determined, and committed and non-committed users are aggregated into groups having common characteristics. An optimal transaction and a maximum transaction are determined based on information received from the users and suppliers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Inventor: Samir Aued
  • Patent number: 8255271
    Abstract: A computer implemented rating system for rating a company using at least one non-economic factor stored in a database populated with hierarchical data and metadata. The system displays at least a portion of the hierarchical data and a formula that generates a sustainability score, the sustainability score defining a rating of the company incorporating the at least one non-economic factor. The user can input at weightings into the system which associates each weighting with a respective non-economic factor. A processor computes the sustainability score using the formula by mathematically applying each associated user-input weighting to the respective non-economic factor. The system displays the sustainability score, and, in response to a user interaction, displays at least a portion of the hierarchical data including the metadata. The hierarchical data can include a second level of data which is used to compute the first level by applying weightings in a formula.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Thomson Reuters Global Resources
    Inventors: Peter Ohnemus, Henrik Steffensen, Dominique Habegger
  • Patent number: 8239247
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of this invention provide a method that includes estimating an empirical distribution of a metric for a company. The method includes estimating a distribution of the metric for a plurality of companies. The method further includes determining whether the company is an outlier, based on the empirical distribution of the metric for the company and the distribution of the metric for the plurality of companies, and generating at least one recommendation based determining whether the company is an outlier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: En Cheng, Anshul Sheopuri, Chitra Dorai, Milind Naphade
  • Patent number: 8234148
    Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for tracking and reporting electronic commerce activity over a web site that is stored on a first server coupled to a wide area network. The web page is programmed to include data fields reflecting commerce transaction activity and data mining code. The web page is uploaded to a visitor computer responsive to a request over the wide area network from the visitor computer. Commerce information is accepted within the data fields of the web page at the visitor computer to form a completed web page. The data mining code is operated on the visitor computer to obtain technical and commercial data and sent to a second server on the wide area network for logging and analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: Webtrends, Inc.
    Inventors: Elijahu Shapira, Victor Lu
  • Patent number: 8229782
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention distributes data via a network to remotely located individuals. Evaluation feedback by one or more of the individuals is transmitted to others so that the feedback may be used by others to quickly locate the more useful data. The evaluation feedback may be in the form of ratings of product reviews. The feedback helps customers by allowing the more useful reviews can be quickly located.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2012
    Assignee: Amazon.com, Inc.
    Inventors: Warren Adams, Kenneth L. Dinovo, Michael McDaniel, Ryan J. Snodgrass, Brian Robertson, Jennifer A. Jacobi