Abstract: A method for planning under uncertainty is disclosed. The method includes steps of processing a stochastic programming formulation based on forecast values of at least one of product and service configurations, and determining a resource requirements plan for one or more planning periods in a non-deterministic bill of resources of at least two levels.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for determining a proposed cost for use of sensor resources and selecting a method of processing of sensed data are presented. Such a method includes the steps of: predicting a state of an environment, obtaining at least one criterion related to the use of the sensor resources comprising one or more data sensors, determining the proposed cost for use of the sensor resources, acquiring the sensed data from the one or more data sensors, determining a characteristic of the sensed data, and selecting the method of processing the sensed data according to the determined characteristic and the predicted state. The at least one criterion is based upon the predicted state. The determining of the proposed cost is based on the at least one criterion. One or more of steps are implemented on the processor device.

Abstract: A DeepQA engine is enhanced to provide a digital medical investigation tool which assists a medical professional in researching potential causes of a set of patient conditions, including clues, facts and factoids about the patient. The DeepQA engine provides one or more answers to a natural language question with confidence levels for each answer. If a confidence level falls below a threshold, the enhanced DeepQA engine performs a crowd sourcing operation to gather additional information from one or more domain experts. The domain expert responses are provided to the medical professional, and are learned by the enhanced DeepQA system to provide for better research of similar patient conditions in future queries.

Abstract: A DeepQA engine is enhanced to provide a digital medical investigation tool which assists a medical professional in researching potential causes of a set of patient conditions, including clues, facts and factoids about the patient. The DeepQA engine provides one or more answers to a natural language question with confidence levels for each answer. If a confidence level falls below a threshold, the enhanced DeepQA engine performs a crowd sourcing operation to gather additional information from one or more domain experts. The domain expert responses are provided to the medical professional, and are learned by the enhanced DeepQA system to provide for better research of similar patient conditions in future queries.

Abstract: Market demand is estimated for a firm under crisis, beginning with an operational demand forecast of a firm as input, correcting that forecast to account for the impact of a pandemic or other extraordinary market-disrupting circumstance, and providing a corrected operational demand forecast as output. The correction to account for the impact of an extraordinary market-disrupting circumstance is based on an estimated economic impact of the disruption and an estimated reduction of the firm's sales force attributable to the disruption.

Abstract: A DeepQA engine is enhanced to provide a digital medical investigation tool which assists a medical professional in researching potential causes of a set of patient conditions, including clues, facts and factoids about the patient. The DeepQA engine provides one or more answers to a natural language question with confidence levels for each answer. If a confidence level falls below a threshold, the enhanced DeepQA engine performs a crowd sourcing operation to gather additional information from one or more domain experts. The domain expert responses are provided to the medical professional, and are learned by the enhanced DeepQA system to provide for better research of similar patient conditions in future queries.

Abstract: A first linear combination of a local moving aggregated quantity derived from a WIP distribution and a global aggregated quantity derived from the WIP distribution is calculated for each range for a given product type in a manufacturing line. The first linear combination serves as a first throughput target for the range and product. A second linear combination of a standard deviation of the non-zero portion of the WIP distribution and the global aggregated quantity is calculated for the product type in the manufacturing line. The coefficients of this second linear combination are predetermined. This second linear combination serves as a second throughput target. A throughput target for each range is determined by determining the minimum of the first throughput target, which can be different for each range, and the second throughput target, which is common across all ranges.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for optimizing consumption of one or more resources are presented. For example, a method may be implemented on a processor device and includes obtaining user preferences for the consumption of resources that include water and electricity, predicting the consumption of, and a first metric for the consumption of, the resources for each of a plurality of first time periods, determining a projected second metric for the consumption of the resources during a second time period according to the predicted consumption and the predicted first metric, and optimizing the consumption of the resources according to the projected second metric and the user preferences. The second time period includes the plurality of first time periods. The first metric is associated with the user preferences and at least one of the plurality of first time periods. The second metric indicates full or partial projected attainment of the preferences during the second time period.

Abstract: A first linear combination of a local moving aggregated quantity derived from a WIP distribution and a global aggregated quantity derived from the WIP distribution is calculated for each range for a given product type in a manufacturing line. The first linear combination serves as a first throughput target for the range and product. A second linear combination of a standard deviation of the non-zero portion of the WIP distribution and the global aggregated quantity is calculated for the product type in the manufacturing line. The coefficients of this second linear combination are predetermined. This second linear combination serves as a second throughput target. A throughput target for each range is determined by determining the minimum of the first throughput target, which can be different for each range, and the second throughput target, which is common across all ranges.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for determining a proposed cost for use of sensor resources and selecting a method of processing of sensed data are presented. Such a method includes the steps of: predicting a state of an environment, obtaining at least one criterion related to the use of the sensor resources comprising one or more data sensors, determining the proposed cost for use of the sensor resources, acquiring the sensed data from the one or more data sensors, determining a characteristic of the sensed data, and selecting the method of processing the sensed data according to the determined characteristic and the predicted state. The at least one criterion is based upon the predicted state. The determining of the proposed cost is based on the at least one criterion. One or more of steps are implemented on the processor device.

Abstract: Methods, systems and apparatus for optimizing consumption of one or more resources are presented. For example, a method that may be implemented on a processor device and includes obtaining user preferences for the consumption of resources that include water and electricity, predicting the consumption of, and a first metric for the consumption of, the resources for each of a plurality of first time periods, determining a projected second metric for the consumption of the resources during a second time period according to the predicted consumption and the predicted first metric, and optimizing the consumption of the resources according to the projected second metric and the user preferences. The second time period includes the plurality of first time periods. The first metric is associated with the user preferences and at least one of the plurality of first time periods. The second metric indicates full or partial projected attainment of the preferences during the second time period.

Abstract: A method (and system) for contact center management contract evaluation including determining a potential profitability/risk for contact center management based upon a proposed contract term between one of a client and a service provider, and a service provider and a vendor.

Abstract: A method for planning under uncertainty is disclosed. The method includes steps of processing a stochastic programming formulation based on forecast values of at least one of product and service configurations, and determining a resource requirements plan for one or more planning periods in a non-deterministic bill of resources of at least two levels.

Abstract: Method and system for strategic global resource sourcing in one aspect incorporates concurrently a plurality of qualitative and quantitative attributes that influence performance of sourcing strategy with respect to one or more quantitative measures, quantifies an impact of said qualitative attributes using said one or more quantitative measures, and optimizes the sourcing strategy with respect to said one or more quantitative measures subject to one or more constraints.

Abstract: The availability of relevant business resources, or supply, during a global crisis or disruption are estimated by using a forecast of a baseline supply of human resources and various forms of infrastructure and raw materials for a firm as input. That forecast is corrected to account for the impact of a crisis or other disruption, and a corrected forecast as output is provided. The corrected forecast reflects changes in the availability of business resources due to the crisis or disruption, dependencies between resources, as well as any mitigating effects resulting from the implementation of mitigation policies.

Abstract: Market demand is estimated for a firm under crisis, beginning with an operational demand forecast of a firm as input, correcting that forecast to account for the impact of a pandemic or other extraordinary market-disrupting circumstance, and providing a corrected operational demand forecast as output. The correction to account for the impact of an extraordinary market-disrupting circumstance is based on an estimated economic impact of the disruption and an estimated reduction of the firm's sales force attributable to the disruption.

Abstract: A system (and method) for allocating a contact to a vendor includes determining a real-time allocation of contact based upon one of a client-to-service provider payment structure, a service provider-to-vendor payment structure, and a real-time client contact handling demand.

Abstract: A method (and system) for contact center management contract evaluation including determining a potential profitability/risk for contact center management based upon a proposed contract term between one of a client and a service provider, and a service provider and a vendor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system making it possible to reduce a description of the impact of a disaster on the world at large to measurable, firm-specific operational and financial implications. This makes it possible to bridge the divide between disaster prediction and business planning by facilitating the translation of physical and other effects of a disaster on a business into a dollars-and-cents impact. The present invention also allows a user to evaluate the costs and benefits of various disaster mitigation plans and/or policies and to understand the combined effects of multiple mitigation plans.

Abstract: A method (and system) for allocating contacts to a vendor including determining an allocation of contacts to a vendor based upon one of a client to service provider payment structure, a service provider to vendor payment structure, and a client contact handling demand.