Abstract: Methods and systems for evaluating the utilization of resources in a system. Information that characterizes an allocation of resources in the system is received. Information that characterizes requests to the system is also received. Workflow in the system in response to the requests is simulated. Processes that are executed by the system in response to the requests are also simulated. Utilization of the allocation of resources is determined. The resources can be reallocated to improve the utilization as measured against a selected performance metric.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for evaluating the performance of a website. An agent with the website and interacts with the website using a behavior model of an example website customer. The agent interacts with the website according to the behavior model and gathers website performance data related to the interaction. The performance data is compared to a utility function for the behavior model. A rating is assigned to the website based on the comparison, and the rating is made available to potential website customers seeking information related to the website's performance.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a responsive online system that monitors a customer's biometric information to measure satisfaction levels. Preferably, the system automatically communicates information about a customer to the online system, without requiring explicit user action. The biometric information measured may be the electrical resistance of the customer's skin, finger pressure, pulse rate, audio or visual images, or other information. Because the system measures the customer's biometric information as the customer uses the online system, the system can respond dynamically and quickly to the user's stress levels.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for processing feedback from a user of a website. Feedback is received from the user relating to a current session of use of the website. Based on the feedback, a problem is diagnosed. Compensation for the user is determined, based on the problem, and the user is compensated at the level determined to be appropriate for the problem.

Abstract: A method and system enabling the trading of a right to purchase goods or services. The method includes and the system performs the steps of receiving an offer for a good(s) or service(s) and purchasing a re-sellable option for the good(s) or service(s). The re-sellable option provides the right to purchase a certain quantity of the good(s) or service(s) from a seller and the re-sellable option may be re-sold. The method may also include and the system may also perform the steps of offering a re-sellable option for a good(s) or service(s) and selling the re-sellable option for the good(s) or service(s).

Abstract: A method and system enabling the trading of a futures contract for the purchase of goods or services. The method includes and the system performs the steps of receiving an offer for a good(s) or service(s) and purchasing a re-sellable future for the good(s) or service(s). The re-sellable future is a contract to purchase a certain quantity of the good(s) or service(s) from a seller at a set price and at an expiration and the re-sellable future may be re-sold. The method may also include and the system may also perform the steps of offering a re-sellable future for a good(s) or service(s) and selling the re-sellable future for the good(s) or service(s).

Abstract: A method for purchasing rights to resell an item offers for sale a right to have purchased items, articles, or products shipped at a later date. The method offers for sale an item's ownership, without altering the physical location of the item. In other words, a customer pays to own the item without acquiring possession of the item. A merchant that sells the item, or the merchant's supplier, may retain possession of the item until the customer takes possession.

Abstract: A method and corresponding apparatus use a translation system and vocabulary models to translate between different role-based vocabularies for different users. The vocabulary models may be associated with different roles, each role having one or more vocabularies. The vocabulary models may be fixed and hard-coded so that the roles and the role-based vocabularies are predefined and cannot be altered. The vocabulary models may also be flexible, allowing new roles and/or role-based vocabularies to be added.

Abstract: Methods and systems for collecting session-related information used for evaluating an event are described. A session is conducted between a server and a client device. The session includes client interaction with a Web site. Selected information corresponding to the session is collected and stored. The information is collected over a sliding sampling period. The sampling period has a length measured from a start time that moves forward in time as the session is extended. The start time is anchored upon identification of an event, such that the sampling period is extended in length following the event.

Abstract: Data collection and display representative of at least one characteristic relevant to a viability product contained in a sealed package, via monitoring at least one characteristic associated with a state condition of said product. A viability state condition may be related to probability of degradation of the product. The monitoring may include analyzing data associated with at least one said characteristic and, based on said analyzing, determining at least one critical date of said product which may be displayed. When current state of viability can be predicted, freezing said display with said signal representative of an expiration or maturity state condition, or dynamically altering a display accordingly. Options for displaying a history of said characteristic may be provided.

Abstract: A messaging system that reduces communications bandwidth is disclosed. Difference messages are constructed at a sender from a message and prior state information. The difference messages include information describing the difference between the content of the message and a portion of prior state information, such as a prior message. The difference messages, including a prior message identifier, are sent to the receiver in place of the message. The message is reconstructed at the receiver using the corresponding difference message and the prior state information stored at the receiver. If the message reconstruction is unsuccessful, the sender is notified, and further required information is sent to the receiver.

Abstract: Data collection and display representative of at least one characteristic relevant to a product contained in a sealed package, via monitoring at least one characteristic associated with a state condition of said product and displaying a history of said characteristic. The state condition is related to probability of degradation of the product. The monitoring further includes the possibility of analyzing data associated with said characteristic and, based on said analyzing, determining a current state condition of said product which is also displayed. When said current state condition is violative of a predetermined rule, freezing said display with said signal representative of said current state condition or dynamically altering an expiration date.

Abstract: A communication framework supporting multiple communications protocols. The communications framework having a remote procedure call class providing an interface for an apply method, the apply method referencing a remote object, an operation to be performed, and an argument list. The communications framework also having at least one remote procedure call transport deriving from the remote procedure call class, each remote procedure call transport providing an implementation for the apply method whose interface is provided by the remote procedure call class. Other systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A communications framework operable to support remote method invocation in a distributed object environment. The communications framework supporting a base class having an interface definition for a virtual query_op method, the interface definition specifying that the query_op method accepts a reference to a specifier for an operation to be performed, and that the query_op method returns a reference to a dispatch function to be invoked to perform the operation provided as an argument to an invocation of the query_op method, wherein the dispatch function accepts as arguments a reference to a target object on which to perform the operation and a reference to an object containing a list of values passed to and returned from the operation. A target object derives from the base class and provides an implementation for the query_op method. Other systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: In a method of operating a computer system having a plurality of processes, creating a plurality of object references, each object reference corresponding to a target object. The processes optionally executing on a plurality of computers connected by a network. For each object reference, creating a table of binding information hints. The table is indexed by a particular transport protocol and each entry in the table of binding information hints includes information to be used to attempt to establish a connection from the process to the target object using the indexing transport protocol. Merging the tables of binding information hints upon receiving an object reference. Other systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: User code is operated in either a multithreaded or non-threaded programming environment by linking the code to different libraries. A standard thread library is linked with the code when operated in a multithreaded mode. A null thread library is linked to the code to operate in a non-threaded mode. The different libraries are linked to the user code through a common application programming interface allowing the same thread function calls to operate in either the multithreaded or non-threaded mode. The null thread library implements thread function calls as blocking functions which synchronize thread launches while eliminating the performance and memory overhead required in multithreaded processes.