Abstract: A method in a computer system for efficiently modeling a market corresponding to a set of competing products includes receiving product attribute selection data associated with the set of competing products from an interactive user interface, automatically generating a hierarchical market structure based on the received product attribute selection data, so that the hierarchical market structure is descriptive of hypothesized competitive relations within the set of competing products, and displaying a graphical representation of the hierarchical market structure on the interactive user interface.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that determine whether a sender/recipient using an electronic messaging service (e.g., SMS messaging service or MMS messaging service) is located in a defined home zone. A communication network in one embodiment includes a messaging system, such as an SMSC or an MMSC, and a home zone system. If the messaging system receives an electronic message from a sender to a recipient, then the home zone system determines a location of the sender/recipient. The home zone system also determines whether the sender/recipient is located in a home zone. If the home zone system determines that the sender/recipient is located in a home zone, then the messaging system forwards the electronic message to the recipient. If the home zone system determines that the sender/recipient is not located in the home zone, then the messaging system blocks the electronic message.

Abstract: The invention describes process for demetallation of vegetable oils and animal fats to reduce metal content below 1 ppm to make them suitable for hydroprocessing feedstocks. The process comprises acid treatment with very low concentration of acids, utilizing synergistic effect of phosphoric acid and citric acid, followed by counter-current treatment with clay without intermediate step of water washing and treatment with ion exchange resin.

Abstract: A method of managing components of an AES includes: a) providing an application developer with access to a workflow designer engine via a developer portal, wherein the workflow designer engine and developer portal are in operative communication with an AES; b) activating a network application manager of the workflow designer engine in response to the application developer selecting a manage network application function via the user device in conjunction with a graphical user interface (GUI) controlled by the developer portal; and c) creating a new network application using archetypes of the workflow designer engine and repositories of the developer portal in response to the application developer defining at least some parameters for the new network application in conjunction with the GUI. An associated apparatus includes a workflow designer engine server with a workflow designer engine module; and a developer portal server with a developer portal module.

Abstract: Systems and methods for authenticating applications that access web services. In one embodiment, a web service gateway intercepts a request for a web service from an application, and determines if the application is authorized by a service provider based on information provided in the web service request. If the application is authorized, then the web service gateway identifies a profile for an end user that initiated the web service using the application, and determines if the web service is allowed for the end user based on the profile. If the web service is allowed for the end user, then the web service gateway determines that the application is authenticated, converts the web service request to a protocol used by a server that provides the web service, and transmits the web service request to the server.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that provide notification of waiting voicemail messages between different types of communication networks. A first communication network as described herein includes a voicemail server to store voicemail messages for a user of a communication device. A second communication network provides phone service to the communication device but uses a different signaling protocol than the first communication network. In order to notify the user of the waiting voicemail message in the voicemail server, a subscriber server (e.g., an HLR) in the first communication network receives a voicemail waiting indicator in the signaling protocol of the first communication network, identifies the signaling protocol of the second communication network, and converts the voicemail waiting indicator to the signaling protocol of the second communication network. The second communication network may then provide notification of the waiting voicemail message to the user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed that allow for storing of data messages (e.g., text messages or multimedia messages) in a data message mailbox. If a data message is sent from a sender to a recipient, then the communication network receiving the data message attempts to deliver the data message to the recipient. If unsuccessful in delivering the data message, then the network stores the data message for the recipient. If the communication network later receives a request to retrieve the stored data message from the recipient, then the communication network delivers the stored data message to the recipient.

Abstract: The present subject matter describes a gasification system (100) for gasifying a variety of feedstocks. A first stage gasifier (105) receives a feedstock either from a first group of feedstocks or a second group of feedstocks or both. The first stage gasifier decomposes the received feedstock to produce a first product. A second stage gasifier (115) is connected to the first stage gasifier (105) for receiving the first product. In addition, the second stage gasifier (115) receives a feedstock either from a third group of feedstocks or a fourth group of feedstocks or both. The second stage gasifier (115) gasifies the first product and the received feedstock to produce syngas.

Abstract: An exemplary application access manager apparatus includes at least one computing device. A digital data storage comprises a relationship establishment program, an application access program and a revenue allocation program. A processor is configured to execute the relationship establishment program to apply a plurality of rules that govern a relationship between a user desiring access to at least one application and at least one of a service provider or an application provider. The processor is configured to execute the application access program to obtain information regarding any access by the user of the application. The processor is configured to execute the revenue allocation program to determine how to charge the user for any access to the application and to allocate any revenue to at least one of the service provider or the application provider.

Abstract: A method for providing an application with an interface to a composite network service. The interface is provided by an application enablement suite (AES) associated with a service composition framework (SCF) that includes an exposure engine and an application program interface (API) container that matches up to a request from the application for the composite network service. The API container includes an arrangement of composite service logic, composite enabler logic and composite normalization logic.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel process for desulfurization of diesel with reduced hydrogen consumption. More particularly the subject invention pertains to an integrated process comprising diesel hydro de-sulfurisation (DHDS) or diesel hydrotreatment (DHDT) with reduced severity to desulfurize high sulfur (1.0-2.0 wt %) diesel stream to a much lower level of sulfur content of 350-500 ppm in the depleted diesel stream, followed by a novel adsorption procedure for effecting deep desulfurization to reduce overall sulfur content to less than 10 ppm with reduced hydrogen consumption, as compared to high severity DHDS or DHDT procedures of the prior art.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing service management across different technology networks. A centralized telecom serving system (TSS) includes a plurality of interface gateways, a central adapter, and a common interface. When in operation, a first interface gateway receives a first service request from a first network, and converts the first service request from a signaling interface used in the first network to the common interface. The central adapter receives the first service request over the common interface, and processes service management logic to identify multiple services that trigger on the first service request and determine a sequence for providing the multiple services. For each service, the central adapter generates a second service request in the common interface, and transmits the second service request to a second interface gateway that is coupled to a second network.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for deep desulphurization of cracked gasoline with minimum octane loss of about 1-2 units. In this process full range cracked gasoline from FCC, Coker, Visbreaker etc is sent to Diolefin Saturation Reactor for selective saturation of diolefins. After saturation of diolefins, the stream is sent to Splitter for splitting into three cuts i.e Light Cut (IBP-70° C.), Intermediate Cut (70-90° C.) and Heavy Cut (90-210° C.). The Light Cut which contains majority of the high octane olefins and mercaptan sulfur is desulfurized with caustic treatment using Continuous Film Contactor (CFC). The sulfur in the Intermediate Cut is also predominantly mercaptans and the cut can be desulfurised by caustic treatment using CFC along with Light cut or separately desulfurised before being sent for isomerization. The Heavy Cut containing mainly thiophinic sulfur compounds is treated either by using conventional HDS process or reactive adsorption process.

Abstract: A method of processing short message service (SMS) calls for a subscriber's communication device in a communication network is provided. The method comprises: receiving an SMS request involving the communication device at a short message service center; accessing a family access control database storing family access control information received for the communication device; and determining whether the short message service request should be allowed or denied based on the information found in the database.

Abstract: The techniques introduced here provide for enabling deduplication operations for a file system without significantly affecting read performance of the file system due to fragmentation of the data sets in the file system. The techniques include determining, by a storage server that hosts the file system, a level of fragmentation that would be introduced to a data set stored in the file system as a result of performing a deduplication operation on the data set. The storage server then compares the level of fragmentation with a threshold value and determines whether to perform the deduplication operation based on a result of comparing the level of fragmentation with the threshold value. The threshold value represents an acceptable level of fragmentation in the data sets of the file system.

Abstract: The invention describes process for demetallation of vegetable oils and animal fats to reduce metal content below 1 ppm to make them suitable for hydroprocessing feedstocks. The process comprises acid treatment with very low concentration of acids, utilizing synergistic effect of phosphoric acid and citric acid, followed by counter-current treatment with clay without intermediate step of water washing and treatment with ion exchange resin.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for selectively exposing subscriber data include maintaining subscriber data at a digital data storage, wherein the digital data storage is protected by a service provider firewall. A request to expose subscriber data from a third-party requestor is received. Selected subscriber data and a security condition associated with the request are determined, wherein the security condition is based on an identity of the third-party requestor. The selected subscriber data is retrieved if the security condition is satisfied, and the selected subscriber data is transmitted to the third-party requestor.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatuses for privacy management comprise maintaining a database of subscriber data and subscriber consent rules associated with the subscriber data, receiving a consent request for selected subscriber data, determining a consent rule associated with the selected subscriber data, wherein the consent rule is determined based on user-type criteria, and transmitting a parameter associated with the selected subscriber data if the consent rule is satisfied.

Abstract: Various exemplary embodiments relate to a method and related network node including one or more of the following: an application storage that stores code defining an application, wherein the code is received by the prototyping suite from the developer device; a testing controller configured to effect performance of at least one test in association with the application to produce at least one test result; a certification controller configured to analyze the at least one test result to determine whether the application meets a certification requirement of a first plurality of certification requirements; and an application marketplace server configured to provide the application to at least one other device when the certification controller has determined that the application meets each certification requirement of the first plurality of certification requirements.

Abstract: In a telecommunications network, method and apparatus for blocking unwanted messages (spam). Messages are first examined by a fast process which uses rules and data tables to determine whether a message can be passed or is potentially a spam message. If the message is potentially a spam message, the message content is analyzed by a deep process. Advantageously, most messages can be passed or blocked quickly and extensive data processing is required only for the few messages which cannot be categorized by the fast process.