Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention manage multiple requests to allocate real world resources in a multi-user environment. A set of resource availability information is stored in a first durable data file for each resource in a plurality of resources provided by a database environment. The database environment is shared between a plurality of users. A decision context is associated with a second durable data file. The decision context is associated with a user interacting with the database environment. The decision context exists for a defined duration of time. A least one resource is determined to have been temporarily allocated to the decision context for the defined duration of time. The second durable data file is updated to indicate that the at least one resource has been temporarily allocated to the decision context. The first durable data file is updated to indicate that the at least one resource is currently unavailable.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention manage multiple requests to allocate real world resources in a multi-user environment. A request for interacting with a database environment comprising records of allocations of a plurality of resources is received from a user in a plurality of users. The database environment is shared between the plurality of users. A set of action choices available for the request is provided to the user via the user interface. A set of resources required by each action choice is identified. The set of resources is associated with a decision context. The decision context exists for a period of time. The set of resources are allocated to the user for a duration of the decision context. The allocating prevents the set of resources from being allocated to other users for the duration of the decision context irrespective of a set of actions performed by the other users.

Abstract: A reservation management system includes at least one processing node that includes a memory and a processor. The at least one processing node further includes a set of reservation processing and transaction modules that manage and process reservation requests and inquiries. At least one general purpose database is communicatively coupled to the at least one processing node. The at least one general purpose database includes a set of pre-allocated tables of fixed length records. At least one persistent storage device is communicatively coupled to the at least one processing node. The general purpose database persistently stores the set of pre-allocated tables of fixed length records on the at least one persistent storage device.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention manage multiple requests to allocate real world resources in a multi-user environment. A request for interacting with a database environment comprising records of allocations of a plurality of resources is received from a user in a plurality of users. The database environment is shared between the plurality of users. A set of action choices available for the request is provided to the user via the user interface. A set of resources required by each action choice is identified. The set of resources is associated with a decision context. The decision context exists for a period of time. The set of resources are allocated to the user for a duration of the decision context. The allocating prevents the set of resources from being allocated to other users for the duration of the decision context irrespective of a set of actions performed by the other users.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention manage multiple requests to allocate real world resources in a multi-user environment. A set of resource availability information is stored in a first durable data file for each resource in a plurality of resources provided by a database environment. The database environment is shared between a plurality of users. A decision context is associated with a second durable data file. The decision context is associated with a user interacting with the database environment. The decision context exists for a defined duration of time. A least one resource is determined to have been temporarily allocated to the decision context for the defined duration of time. The second durable data file is updated to indicate that the at least one resource has been temporarily allocated to the decision context. The first durable data file is updated to indicate that the at least one resource is currently unavailable.

Abstract: A reservation management system includes at least one processing node that includes a memory and a processor. The at least one processing node further includes a set of reservation processing and transaction modules that manage and process reservation requests and inquiries. At least one general purpose database is communicatively coupled to the at least one processing node. The at least one general purpose database includes a set of pre-allocated tables of fixed length records. At least one persistent storage device is communicatively coupled to the at least one processing node. The general purpose database persistently stores the set of pre-allocated tables of fixed length records on the at least one persistent storage device.

Abstract: A method for determining the phytolithic organic carbon yield of a plant type at a location or region comprising: a) taking a sample of a plant type growing in the location or region; b) quantifying phytolithic organic carbon in the sample; c) quantifying a total biomass of the plant type growing at the location or region; and d) determining a total amount of phytolithic organic carbon for the total biomass of the plant type at the location or region.

Abstract: A method of providing data relating to carbon sequestration, including the steps of: a) taking a soil sample at a selected location where a plant type has grown or is growing; b) isolating phytoliths from the sample; c) quantifying phytolithic organic carbon in the sample from the plant type to provide data; and d) providing a projection for the data to support a carbon credit claim for the plant type growing at the location.

Abstract: A method for determining the phytolithic organic carbon yield of a plant type at a location or region comprising: a) taking a sample of a plant type growing in the location or region; b) quantifying phytolithic organic carbon in the sample; c) quantifying a total biomass of the plant type growing at the location or region; and d) determining a total amount of phytolithic organic carbon for the total biomass of the plant type at the location or region.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for processing requests in a data processing system. While the principles of the invention are not limited to a particular domain, they are particularly suitable for use in an electronic trading system. By way of example of one aspect of the invention, a method for directing requests to at least one node in a system comprising multiple nodes and a plurality of requests comprises associating a number to each request, assigning at least one number to each node so as to balance a load across the nodes, and sending a request to a node based on the number associated to the request. Various other aspects are disclosed.

Abstract: Provision for scalable cleansing and value enhancement of data in the context of a multi-source multi-tenant data repository. The source data comes from multiple sources and on multiple topics. Evolutionarily tracked source data tags are used to hold tracking information reflecting the nature and sources of each change to the data, as it is affected during the various stages of data processing. The stages of processing include validation, normalization, single-source cleansing and cross-source processes. Various rules are applied during these stages, and evolutionarily tracked source data tags are used to record sources and agents of all changes to the data. As information is processed, transformed, and added to the repository, corresponding evolutionarily tracked source data tags are stored in association with the various information elements. The information contained in these tags can be used to enforce data entitlements in a multi-tenant data repository environment.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and software for responding to a request for an on demand dataset by configuring and then executing a workflow process tailored to the requester's needs. The generated workflow gathers identified information from a repository, organizes its format and delivers it to the requester. The on demand dataset request specification is structured to allow independent specification of (1) data to be included, (2) policy on which value sources to use; (3) delivery mode—including real-time, batched, and one-time query modes, (4) output format, and (5) delivery and communications protocols and other on demand dataset properties. This separation of concerns allows a wide variety of on demand data set requirements from different requesters to be met. Delivery of information from an outsourced multi-source multi-tenant data repository to its tenants is a context in which the method is useful.

Abstract: A multi-source multi-tenant reference data utility and methods for forming and maintaining the same, delivering high quality reference data in response to requests from clients, implemented using a shared infrastructure, and also providing added value services using the client's reference data. Included are data cleansing and quality assurance of the received data with full tracking of the sourcing of each value, storage of resulting entity values in a repository which allows retrievals and enforces source based entitlements, and delivery of retrieved data in the form of on demand datasets supporting a wide range of client application needs. An advantageous implementation has additional services for reporting on data quality and usage, a selection of value adding data driven computations and business document storage.

Abstract: Forming and maintaining a multi-source multi-tenant data repository on behalf of multiple tenants. Information in the multi-source multi-tenant data repository is received from multiple sources. Different sources and different data quality enhancement processes may yield different values for attributes of the same referred entity. Information in the multi-source multi-tenant data repository is tagged with annotations documenting the sources of the information, and any data quality processing actions applied to it. Tenants of the multi-source multi-tenant data repository have entitlement to values from some sources and to the results of some quality enhancement processes. Aspects of the method maintain this entitlement information; employ evolutionarily tracked source data tags; receive requests for information, locate the requested information, apply any sourcing preference, enforce entitlements and return entitled values to the requester.

Abstract: A a user is enabled to specify policy information for use by a persistence manager in determining how to persist information relating to a data item so as achieve a desired level of reliability. The user is permitted to specify at least two behavior requirements to be associated with information to be persisted. The first behavior requirement is specifiable for a first system state, and the second behavior state is specifiable for a second system state. The behavior requirements are interpretable by the persistence manager to determine a persistence behavior necessary to conform with the policy information.

Abstract: A business method allows a reference data facility to provide high quality reference data to multiple customers. The reference data service is predicated on establishing independent contractual arrangements or subscriptions between multiple customers and multiple data vendors. The reference data facility receives value streams from the multiple data vendors and delivers reference data based on those value streams to the multiple customers, depending on the independent contractual arrangements or subscriptions that entitle the customers to receive values from some subset of the data vendors. The reference data facility insures that no customer receives data or benefits from the knowledge of data content from a vendor with whom they do not have a contractual arrangement or to whose data they are otherwise not entitled.