Abstract: Apparatus and methods for a market-based control framework to coordinate a group of autonomous thermostatically controlled loads (TCL) to achieve system-level objectives with pricing incentives is disclosed. In one example of the disclosed technology, a method of providing power to a load via a power grid by submitting bids to a coordinator includes determining an energy response relating price data for one or more energy prices to quantity data for power to be consumed by the load, sending a bid for power for a finite time period based on the energy response to the coordinator, and receiving a clearing price based on: the bid, on bids received from a plurality of additional loads, and a feeder power constraint. In some examples, the energy response is based at least in part on an equivalent thermal parameter model and a control policy indicating one or more power states for the load.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for merging downloaded data with a real-time data are disclosed. An example includes receiving downloaded item of data from a download connection with a data repository and real-time item of data from a real-time data feed with a data publisher. In response to determining that the downloaded item of data includes the most recent downloaded item of data from the download connection, the downloaded item of data is stored as the last downloaded item of data. In response to determining that the real-time item of data is the most recent real-time item of data received from the real-time data feed, the real-time item of data is stored as the last real-time item of data from the real-time data feed. In response to determining a match between the last downloaded item of data and the last real-time item of data the download connection is ended.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to reduction of computational resources of an electronic trading system required for management of electronic tradeable instruments via instantiation of data objects in a memory including both data inherited from and data linked to a master data object stored in an external data structure or database. The combination of both inherited and referenced attributes may uniquely define each instance to enable the electronic trading system to manage and process transactions for a large number of tradeable instrument variations with minimal computational resources. Thereby, the disclosed embodiments enable the listing en mass and scheduling of a large number of financial instruments for trading to cover, for example, various currency patterns, pricing sources and fixing times.

Abstract: Methods and systems for computing a risk metric on a network of processing nodes are disclosed. The method includes receiving a plurality of events at a plurality of processing nodes. The method further includes at a first processing node, processing on a first event and a known instance of a second event to determine whether the first event matches the known instance of the second event. The method further includes in response to determining that the first event does not match the known instance of the second event, terminating the processing without generating an output, and generating a first output event having a resulting probability computed based on a confidence value of the first event and a first probabilistic value of a first missing event, or in response to determining that the first event matches the known instance of the second event, generating the first output event having the resulting probability computed based on the confidence value of the first event.

Abstract: An integrated order management engine is disclosed that reduces the latency associated with managing multiple orders to buy or sell a plurality of financial instruments. Also disclosed is an integrated trading platform that provides low latency communications between various platform components. Such an integrated trading platform may include a trading strategy offload engine.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for sorting elements, such as bids in an auction environment or marketplace for the display of an advertisement on a web page. According to one implementation, a plurality of elements may be received over a network. For example, the plurality of elements may comprise a plurality of bids, each of which may include, for example, a bid price, a bid allocation, and a bid target. The received set of elements may be recursively partitioned into a plurality of element subsets. For example, the element set may be partitioned about a pivot selected from a sample set of elements chosen from the element set. A subset of elements may be identified from the element set as eligible elements (e.g., bids eligible for selection as a winning bid). Once the set of eligible elements has been identified, the recursive partitioning of elements may be terminated.

Abstract: Methods and systems are disclosed that enable the leveraging of financial instrument research at an individual financial instrument level but across multiple classifications of financial instruments to efficiently build an investment portfolio for an investor based on a desired portfolio objective through a plurality of graphical user interfaces (GUIs).

Abstract: Methods and systems for fictitious account generation on detection of account takeover conditions are described. A login attempt may be detected and determined to indicate fraud, such as when the login attempt is accompanied by many failed login attempts or is from an untrusted or known malicious endpoint. A fictitious account may be generated, which may include falsified account data and may limit account functionality to prevent unauthorized and fraudulent use of the account. The computing device that performs the login attempt may be routed and permitted to log in to the fictitious account, where the service provider or another computing entity may then monitor activity and usage of the fictitious account by the potentially malicious party. The fictitious account may be maintained so that other actors using the account may access the account and their activity also monitored.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for assigning values to objects includes receiving a plurality of values for each of a plurality of base objects including a first and second base object; receiving a plurality of values for a first composite object associated with the first and second base objects; generating and storing in the memory a solution set including combinations of values of the first and second base objects; for each combination in the solution set, generating first transaction results by computing transactions between the values of the first and second base objects; comparing each of the first transaction results to a first range of values including the values of the first composite object; and removing, from the solution set and from the memory, the combinations of the values of the first and second base objects corresponding to the first transaction results that are outside of the first range of values.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods and computer systems for an electronic transaction platform that enables the buying and/or selling of securities by users. The methods and systems relate to the arrangement and presentation of information in a graphical user interface during an electronic communication session for trading a financial instrument between an initiating user and one or more invitee users with the assistance of a dealer user or other intermediate entity. A liquidity score representative of a likelihood of successfully completing a transaction is determined and utilized to arrange information during the electronic communication session.

Abstract: A computer implemented system and method for providing cleaning and disinfecting services. A user interface provided on a client device by a computer system is configured to enable a customer and a specialist to input service parameters indicative of the cleaning service. A preliminary proposal is sent to a customer on receipt of request for cleaning service. The computer system acquires information on current location and availability of specialists within a certain perimeter around the customer's place where the cleaning service is required to be provided. A specialist is then selected and notified about the cleaning service job. Payment parameters are determined based on actual service rendered corresponding to updated service parameters upon completion of the cleaning service. The specialist is tracked on real-time basis all the time to determine the time spent on the job. Transactions are completed automatically and feedback options are provided on completion of the transactions.

Abstract: A Secure Environment Public Register (SEPR) provides a method and system that allows precious metals in the shape of ban(s) or units to be certified, specially numbered to provide exact linkage to an owner, allow secure movement of precious metals between secure facilities, and though Blockchain allow secure transfer of ownership between individuals and organizations. The SEPR allows gold and other precious metals to be easily held and traded in commerce with all the advantages of holding precious metals. The SEPR system allows exact audits of the metal bars on hand and avoids over-selling units since each bar is serialized and ownership is documented in a public register.

Abstract: Method and systems described herein may provide multifactor mutual authentication. A first server may provide a first party and a second party with at least two authentication components in order for the first party to authenticate the identity of the second party, and vice versa. The first authentication component may include a color-based authentication component, while the second authentication component may include a code-based authentication component. Both factors need to be validated in order for the authentication to be successful. The color-based authentication component, in combination with the code-based authentication component, may improve the speed with which the mutual authentication is performed.

Abstract: The demand-side platform (DSP) is a technological ingredient that fits into the larger real-time-bidding (RTB) ecosystem. DSPs enable advertisers to purchase ad impressions from a wide range of ad slots, generally via a second-price auction mechanism. In this aspect, predicting the auction winning price notably enhances the decision for placing the right bid value to win the auction and helps with the advertiser's campaign planning and traffic reallocation between campaigns. This is a difficult task because the observed winning price distribution is biased due to censorship; the DSP only observes the win price in the case of winning the auction. For losing bids, the win price remains censored. In this invention, we generalize the winning price model to incorporate a gradient boosting framework adapted to learn from both observed and censored data. This yields a boost in predictive performance in comparison to classic linear censored regression.

Abstract: A system for wagering comprises a memory and a processor. The memory stores a bet regarding a plurality of outcomes associated with financial market indicators. The bet comprises a first bet component indicating whether a value of a first financial market indicator will go up or go down in a first predetermined period of time, and a second bet component indicating whether a value of a second financial market indicator will go up or go down in a second predetermined period of time. The processor is coupled to the memory and is operable to determine an outcome of the first bet component, the second bet component, and the overall bet.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods and computer systems for an electronic transaction platform that enables the buying and/or selling of securities by users. The methods and systems relate to the arrangement and presentation of information in a graphical user interface during an electronic communication session for trading a financial instrument between an initiating user and one or more invitee users with the assistance of a dealer user or other intermediate entity. A cloud score representative of a likelihood of successfully completing a transaction is determined and utilized to arrange information during the electronic communication session.

Abstract: Technologies are disclosed herein for distributing information. The disclosed technologies determine an application element configured to receive information that is updated at a variable rate, the information pertaining to an object. Feature data is received that is associated with the object and data associated with use of the application element. The feature data includes a time horizon for the object and supplemental information associated with the object. Based on the feature data and the data associated with use of the application element, a first rate is predicted for sending the information about the object to the application element. The information is sent to the application element at the first rate.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for an on-line venue in which search results are displayed with rich media and qualified content and the ability to contact multiple of the sources anonymously or otherwise communicate what product or service they want to purchase by posting an interactive request that a number of sellers can then directly respond to. This enables a higher quality of web search results and for the buyer's to directly match their needs with qualified vendors. A buyer's request can be broadcast to relevant sellers or service providers that can be preselected by the buyer. Such embodiments may take the burden from a buyer in finding the right products and services by self-qualifying the request to proactive prospective sellers.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to implementation of a trading system, which may also be referred to as a trading system architecture, having improved performance which further assures transactional determinism under increasing processing transaction loads while providing improved trading opportunities, fault tolerance, low latency processing, high volume capacity, risk mitigation and market protections with minimal impact, as well as improved and equitable access to information and opportunities.

Abstract: The present embodiments relate to charting multiple markets. In some embodiments, charting multiple markets may include receiving market data for a plurality of tradeable objects. The plurality of tradeable objects may include an anchor object and at least one non-anchor object. The market data may include anchor object price data for the anchor object and non-anchor price data for the at least one non-anchor object. The non-anchor object price data may be converted based on the anchor object price data such that converted non-anchor object price data has a price scale of the anchor object price data. The anchor object price data and the non-anchor object price data may be displayed along a normalized price axis.

Abstract: In an approach, a processor obtains a target base strategy for selecting actions of a target agent. A processor obtains an adversarial base strategy for selecting adversarial actions of an adversarial agent. A processor calculates, for each candidate action among a plurality of candidate actions of the target agent, a risk measure of the candidate action based on the adversarial base strategy and a payoff to the target agent in a case where the target agent takes the candidate action and the adversarial agent takes an adversarial action based on the adversarial base strategy. A processor generates a target strategy by adjusting the target base strategy based on the risk measure for each candidate action.

Abstract: A method of optimizing transmission of requests for updated content from external data sources includes: storing a data object containing initial content received from at least one of the external data sources and associated with an expiry time; storing a set of optimization parameters; obtaining an instruction to request updated content corresponding to the data object; in response to obtaining the instruction, determining, based on the optimization parameters and the expiry time, whether to request updated content from the external data sources; when the determination is affirmative, transmitting at least one update request to at least one of the external data sources based on the initial content and the optimization parameters; and in response to transmitting the at least one update request, receiving and storing respective sets of updated content from the external data sources.

Abstract: A simulation method implemented at least in part at a node of a blockchain network enables detection of suspected malicious behaviour. When a purchase of a token of interest by a user is detected, information about other queued transactions awaiting committal to the blockchain is retrieved, and a batch of probing transactions is constructed using the information about the queued transactions. The batch includes a probing transaction representing a sale of the token by the user. At the node, the state of the blockchain is overridden so that the user's wallet and other wallets appear to contain bytecode executable to aggregate multiple transactions into a single call, and the batch of transactions is thus executed in a single call. The results are evaluated to determine whether the sale of the token by the user was successful. If the evaluation is not successful, remedial action may be taken.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for purchasing, accessing, consuming, and/or providing electronic content using an electronic bookshelf (eBookshelf) system. The eBookshelf system can be used by accessing a touchscreen-based user interface and/or local hardware controls and/or a remote control. A user's personal library of eBooks and/or any other electronic content can be displayed and/or aurally presented. In addition, the vast content of commercial retailers can also be displayed for browsing and purchase/rental. If the user identifies a content selection on the eBookshelf system that he/she wishes to consume, it can be readily transferred from the system to a personal content consuming device. Multiple eBookshelf systems can be attached to one another to extend the length and/or height of the eBookshelf. Accessing the eBookshelf system by a user ID allows multiple users to enjoy a personally customized version of the system.

Abstract: A system for trading commodities and the like comprising a computer, a communications link between the computer and the Internet, a database, accessible by the computer, containing a plurality of user files wherein each of the user files contains a plurality of transaction parameters corresponding to one or more indications associated with the user file. The transaction parameters govern the presentation and acceptance of indications associated therewith. The system further includes a database, accessible by the computer, containing a plurality of indications wherein each of the indications contains information corresponding to open bids or offers for commodities, and an indication selection submitted by a user over the communications link.

Abstract: Implementations of a computer implemented method and system to transform geolocation exchange unit specifications and transportation and freight and parking and tolling and curb management and transportation management association unit securities or derivative unit securities or unitization structure capacity units with two waypoints or a destination waypoint or a series sequence of waypoints into multi-modal objects which are tradable as commodities such as wheat, oil, corn, stocks, foreign exchange, fixed income or other forward or securitized markets and broadcast those unitized prices, indices and associated news over a plurality of electronic devices. The present disclosed invention relates to combining the concepts of objected oriented programming and navigation systems and social networking, price-time priorities queues, replacement costs, termination valuations, financial markets, commodity structuring transformation or unitization structures as a fungible asset classes or tradable markets.

Abstract: Disclosed are a system and method, also referred to herein as an architecture, for efficiently communicating a high volume of data from a server over an electronic communications network to geographically disperse recipients, where one or more of those recipients may receive a customized version of that data, e.g., content, timing and/or form. As the data is generated, timing information and/or changes to information regarding customizations is incorporated forming a data stream which is communicated to local data publishers (“LDP's”). Upon receipt, the LDP' s extract the data, customization, or timing information and act accordingly when transmitting the received data to the recipients. Customization is applied to update local control databases which specify the customizations for subsequently received data before transmission. By acting on the messages in real time, e.g.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing an exchange for physicals (EFP) may comprise receiving, with a matching engine module in communication with a processor, EFP data comprising an amount of securities to be traded and a price. The matching engine module may calculate a first delta percentage between the EFP data and an index based on the amount, the price, and an index value. The matching engine module may calculate a residual delta based on the first delta percentage and an index notional value. The matching engine module may attribute the residual delta to the securities.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques that facilitate the sale and exchange of plant growth systems to consumer plant growers. Particularly, a script offering system may act as an intermediary medium that allows merchants to advertise plant growth scripts to consumer plant growers via an electronic marketplace. In some examples, the script offering system may allow merchants to advertise plant growth scripts to consumer plant growers that have expressed an interest or need for a particular plant growth script. In other examples, the script offering system may allow a consumer plant grower to solicit merchant bids for the sale of plant growth script. A consumer plant grower may solicit bids for plant growth scripts that address specific needs identified via key word inputs or sensor data attributable to an existing plant growth operation that exhibits less than optimal plant growth.

Abstract: This disclosure describes techniques that facilitate the sale and exchange of plant growth systems to consumer plant growers. Particularly, a script offering system may act as an intermediary medium that allows merchants to advertise plant growth scripts to consumer plant growers via an electronic marketplace. In some examples, the script offering system may allow merchants to advertise plant growth scripts to consumer plant growers that have expressed an interest or need for a particular plant growth script. In other examples, the script offering system may allow a consumer plant grower to solicit merchant bids for the sale of plant growth script. A consumer plant grower may solicit bids for plant growth scripts that address specific needs identified via key word inputs or sensor data attributable to an existing plant growth operation that exhibits less than optimal plant growth.

Abstract: An electronic computer-implemented and interactive platform is described, which permits the offer, sale, and distribution of diamonds by sellers to purchasers and, as a result, into the overall diamond marketplace. Each diamond is scanned in order to create a three-dimensional (3D) virtual model that can include images and/or other data that digitally identifies that diamond, providing a “fingerprint” of the diamond. The purchaser may have highly confidential and proprietary information that specifies the critical details of its manufacturing process for each type of cut of polished diamond, referred to as polished diamond parameters (PDPs). A planning system is used to offload time consuming and computationally expensive planning operations from the manufacturer (or other purchaser), and does so prior to a purchase. The planning system and a matching process are used by the platform to enable the data in each PDP file to be applied to the 3D virtual model of each individual diamond.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a system for triggering cross channel data caching on network nodes. Historical event data and live event data of a user may be monitored to determine an expected event that includes one or more expected channels. An expected period of time for the expected event may also be determined. Relevant user data may then be identified from one or more systems of record and cached or otherwise compressed. One or more nodes of a network associated with each of the one or more expected channels are then identified. The cached data is then transmitted to virtual data structures associated with each of the one or more nodes. The cached data is then generally maintained in these virtual data structures on the network for the expected period of time.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to systems, media, and methods of accessing data from a test settlement file. An application programming interface (API) configured to permit alteration of one or more fields of test data in a test data file is exposed by a settlement generator. One or more fields of test data exposed by the API are altered. A test data file in a configurable format is generated based on the one or more fields of test data and alteration. The test data file is transmitted from the settlement generator to an orchestrator. A binary file, converted from the test data file, is transmitted from the settlement generator to a third-party processor. One or more pieces of data from a test settlement file are retrieved by the settlement generator, where the test settlement file includes processing results of the binary file received from the third-party processor.

Abstract: An example credit line adjustment system includes: at least one processor; and memory encoding instructions that, when executed by the at least one processor, causes the at least one processor to generate a graphical user interface including: a first section identifying a first credit line owned by a user, the first section providing a first credit limit amount for the first credit line, and the first section including a first control that receives input from the user to manipulate the first credit line; a second section identifying a second credit line, the second section including a second control that receives input to transfer at least a portion of the first credit line to the second credit line.

Abstract: A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium stores an information processing program for causing a computer to execute processing including: every time a plurality of data to be managed in a data lineage indicating histories of the plurality of data are updated, storing an update date and time in association with updated data; in response to an input of a designated date and time or a designated period, based on the update date and time stored in association with each of the plurality of data, determining data updated within a predetermined period including the designated date and time or within the designated period as data of interest; and generating a partial data lineage that is a part of the data lineage and includes a display object corresponding to the data of interest.

Abstract: Embodiments relate to a virtual newsroom system and a method thereof. The method comprises: receiving, through a user registration unit of a virtual newsroom system, a registration of a user; deciding through a registration approving unit of the virtual newsroom system, the registration of the user is approved or rejected; receiving through a content receiving unit of the virtual newsroom system, one or more content from an approved media person; approving, through an approving unit of the virtual newsroom system, the one or more content; publishing, on a publishing unit of the virtual newsroom system, the one or more content; and enabling, through a sales and purchase unit of the virtual newsroom system, sale, purchase and auction of the one or more content.

Abstract: A system and method for a trusted fulfillment agent network system is described. A network of trusted fulfillment agents is generated for a seller in an online marketplace. A transaction between a buyer and the seller corresponding to a listing of the seller in the online marketplace is accessed. A request is generated to the network of trusted fulfillment agents of the seller to fulfill a shipment of an item from the listing to the buyer on behalf of the seller.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods for improving interactions with and between computers in content providing, searching and/or hosting systems supported by or configured with devices, servers and/or platforms. The disclosed systems and methods provide a novel asset management and visualization framework that automatically generates and causes display of a unified asset centric analytics electronic interface. The framework composes selected data based on asset metrics and renders a display that conveys a unified, asset-centric analytics user interface. The framework is configured to track or monitor detailed metrics for a collection of assets, and filter, select, and present determined critical data within the UI, in some embodiments, as interactive, electronic cards and/or as an asset tree of information that is configured to be navigated upon display.

Abstract: A system and method including the steps of: generating an ephemeral ID (EID) with a client library, the EID comprises a temporary ID generated using a pseudorandom function that is configured to calculate the EID based on a linear congruential algorithm (LCG), wherein the EID changes or rotates for each loaded web page; transmitting the EID to a privacy mediation service; transmitting the EID to a programmatic advertising supply side platform where a buy side platform obtains the EID via real time bidding (RTB) calls, in which the privacy mediation service resolves the EID to a TID and return a behavioral profile or data encoded as audience segment to the buy side platform for bidding purposes.

Abstract: A disclosed system, method and computer readable storage medium includes mechanism for controlling cascade price movements in an electronic trading system. Price limits control the prices at which traders can place orders. An upper price limit prevents traders from placing orders above the upper limit and a lower price limit prevents traders from placing orders below the lower limit. The gap between the upper limit and the indicative marked price as well as the gap between lower limit and the indicative market price is controlled so as to cause a breaking effect on very rapidly changing market price.

Abstract: An information processing system includes processing circuitry. The processing circuitry is configured to: acquire profile information including a profile to be applied to print output from a first company system; manage the profile information acquired from the first company system; and distribute the profile information to a second company system to apply the profile information to a job executed by a printing machine of the second company system.

Abstract: A method for verifying regenerative management practices in agricultural parcels includes: determining a regenerative carbon footprint value for a parcel that comprises a difference of a regenerative carbon footprint and a baseline carbon footprint, where the baseline carbon footprint is derived by calculating greenhouse gas emissions based on simulating crops under current management practices, and where the regenerative carbon footprint is derived by calculating greenhouse gas emissions based on simulating crops under regenerative management practices corresponding to a plan proposed by a grower; approving and publishing carbon credits according to the plan; for key dates corresponding to each of the regenerative management practices, processing remotely sensed images against corresponding crop curves to determine compliance/noncompliance indicators corresponding to the key dates; and storing the compliance/noncompliance indicators database, and determining at a verification date compliance with the plan.

Abstract: The invention is a non-fiat-based system for bartering. More particularly, the system provides a number of ways to trade goods and services across a digital platform without the need or use of money and when necessary valuates the goods and services to provide exact to approximate exchanges in value. More particularly, a barter ranking engine for non-fiat based transactions is provided that takes the guess work out of each bartering transaction created by the invention.

Abstract: Information about participants in an auction are received and analyzed along with information about products to be auctioned and other information to generate an interest gauge. The interest gauge may reflect the interest of a buyer, a seller, an auction house or any other entity in the auctioning event. Based on the interest gauge, the operations of the auction can be augmented and/or modified to be optimal in view of revenue generation, products moved, and a balance between the two. For instance, the buyer interest gauge could be used to create packages of items to be auctioned in a combinatorial auction.

Abstract: A system and methods for controlled market data delivery are described. According to one example embodiment, upon detecting a preset threshold of updates in a queue at a gateway, a predetermined number of market updates may be processed before any data is sent to a client terminal. According to one method, update types may be used to control how many updates are processed before any data is sent. Also, once the number of updates to be processed is set, a market update having a higher priority update type may be used to trigger a change in the number of market updates that was set for processing.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods are provided herein for quantifying correlated risk in a network of a plurality of assets having at least one dependency, where each asset belongs to at least one entity. The method includes generating a dependency graph based on relationships between the assets, at least one dependency, and at least one entity, and executing a plurality of Monte Carlo simulations over the dependency graph. Executing a plurality of Monte Carlo simulations includes generating a seed event in the dependency graph, where the seed event has a probability distribution, and propagating disruption through the dependency graph based on the seed event. The method further includes assessing loss for each of the assets, and aggregating losses for two or more assets to determine correlated risk in the network.

Abstract: A computer system is provided that allows participants to submit agent data structures for processing. Each agent data structure includes a valuation function for a first resource and a property of a second resource. The computer system performs a dual sided evaluation process to determine when contra-sided agents match with one another. A match is determined by comparing results of valuation functions of the agent data structures.

Abstract: In various aspects, a computer receives bond market information in digital form via a network cloud from various combinations of a trading computer of an electronic trading platform and an information computer of an information source and the computer then transforms the bond market information into a bond market analysis. Accordingly, the bond market information, which is generally disorganized digital information existing on various combinations of the trading computer and the information computer, is transmitted to the computer via the network cloud and then transformed by the computer into an organized bond market analysis, which is also in digital form, and which may be displayed in various ways. The computer may automatically generate order information in digital form in response to the bond market analysis and the computer may communicate the order via the network cloud to the trading computer for execution.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to systems and methods for generating an optimal solution for determining a value for one or more base data objects. A plurality of solutions include one or more composite data objects transacted by a transaction system processor. The composite data objects include the one or more base data objects. An optimal solution is generated by using data indicative of a level of activity and a number of sources for each of the plurality of composite data objects.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for providing ttx-based categorization services and a categorized commonplace of shared information. Currency of the contents is improved by a process called conjuring/concretizing wherein users' thoughts are rapidly infused into the Map. As a new idea is sought, a goal is created for a search. After the goal idea is found, a ttx is concretized and categorized. The needs met by such a Map are prior art searching, competitive environmental scanning, competitive analysis study repository management and reuse, innovation gap analysis indication, novelty checking, technology value prediction, investment area indication and planning, and product technology comparison and feature planning.