Abstract: A system and method for determining compliance for one or more information technology services may generate on the spot compliance reports based on real-time data. Compliance data may be retrieved or received from a variety of sources including incident diagnostic utilities, manual data entry and third-party software or applications. A compliance system and method may monitor the data being generated from each of the various sources in a real-time fashion, generating compliance information based thereon.

Abstract: An enhanced postal data modeling framework, in which postal data which describes characteristics of a mail sortation process is accessed, and the postal data is mapped to production management data which describes characteristics of a model production management process in an initial state and which is capable of being processed by a production management application. The production management data is input for processing by the production management application to produce forecasted production management data which predicts characteristics of the model production management process in a subsequent state, the forecasted production management data is modeled to forecasted postal data which predicts characteristics of the mail sortation process, and at least a portion of the forecasted postal data is provided to a user.

Abstract: A railcar asset management system proactively issues an alert or task when a pre-determined event occurs. The system may receive information regarding the location and status of a railcar from sensors on the railcar that may include a telematics sensing unit. A database in the railway telematics system stores the data regarding the railcar location and status information. The system determines whether an event has occurred and issues the proactive alerts and/or task. The system may communicate the proactive alert via e-mail, paging, PDAs or by cell phone and may provide interactive preconfigured web pages.

Abstract: Technology development initiatives are objectively evaluated using a framework that includes a set of evaluation parameters and scoring rules. Predefined evaluation parameter values are associated with the evaluation parameters. The evaluation parameters are also associated with scoring rules that can be used to generate score component associated with the evaluation parameters. The evaluation parameters are also grouped and the score components associated with the evaluation parameters are modified based on a scoring rule for the evaluation parameter group. The modified score components are used to generate final scores for the technology development initiatives, and the final scores are used to evaluate the technology development initiatives relative to other initiatives or relative to thresholds.

Abstract: The present description refers in particular to a computer-implemented method, an embedded system, and a memory. The method relates to extending the functionality of an embedded system, wherein the embedded system includes a firmware in a fixed non-volatile memory. The method comprises attaching an attachable non-volatile memory to the embedded system, wherein an extension is stored in the attachable non-volatile memory; recognizing the extension by the firmware; and executing a service on the embedded system by means of the extension.

Abstract: A system, application and product in data processing is disclosed for cross-dock and direct shipment processes. A default plant on an order is changed to a new plant in another country which is the same country as a customer but a different country than a selling organization. A cross dock partner function is entered to reflect a service provider location in a destination country. The cross dock partner is not a true vendor but rather a place holder for the service provider address used by a delivering warehouse to process the order and output appropriate sales documentation. The order is processed like any other order in the system.

Abstract: A project management system includes a database formed of one or more tables and a computing device having one or more modules configured to: receive data and an identifier of the data, store the data in one or more tables of the database based upon the data identifier, in which the one or more tables in the database are accessible by a database management tool, and produce one or more records corresponding to the data stored in the one or more tables, in which the one or more records are accessible by a project management tool.

Abstract: A computer based technique for providing a list of selectable computer solutions in a self-support environment. The technique includes sending a computer solution to the client computer in response to a request from the client computer for the computer solution from the list. The computer solution includes at least an automated solution.

Abstract: A plurality of icons are presented via a graphical user interface, each of the icons representative of a template component that incorporates component-specific constraints representative of best practices in integration software development projects. Configuration information in response to configuration prompts related to a selected icon is received. In order to enforce best practices on the integration software development project, the configuration information may be compared with the component-specific constraints such that an error indication is displayed via the graphical user interface whenever the configuration information does not compare favorably with the component-specific constraints. Receipt of the selection information also causes an instance of the template component corresponding to the icon to be created, with the resulting instantiated component configured according to the configuration information.

Abstract: One or more classification algorithms are applied to at least one natural language document in order to extract both attributes and values of a given product. Supervised classification algorithms, semi-supervised classification algorithms, unsupervised classification algorithms or combinations of such classification algorithms may be employed for this purpose. The at least one natural language document may be obtained via a public communication network. Two or more attributes (or two or more values) thus identified may be merged to form one or more attribute phrases or value phrases. Once attributes and values have been extracted in this manner, association or linking operations may be performed to establish attribute-value pairs that are descriptive of the product. In a presently preferred embodiment, an (unsupervised) algorithm is used to generate seed attributes and values which can then support a supervised or semi-supervised classification algorithm.

Abstract: An image processing system provides faster than real-time skin detection and localization. The system uses the highly optimized architecture of a graphics processing unit to quickly and efficiently detect and locate skin in an image. By performing skin detection and localization on the graphics processing unit, the image processing system frees the main system processor to perform other important tasks, including running general purpose applications. The speed with which the image processing system detects and localizes skin also facilitates subsequent processing steps such as face detection and motion tracking.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for interacting with a client user in a network-based environment during installation management in order to enhance visibility. A user is identified and information about the user is collected, wherein the information relates to the installation of a service. A profile of the user is built based on the collected information and a plurality of different contents are managed. The profile and the contents are analyzed in order to match attributes of the profile of the user and attributes of the contents. The contents which have attributes that match the attributes of the profile of the user are then selected and delivered to the user. The user is allowed to manually select which of the delivered contents are depicted on a display. The user is also allowed to selectively position the delivered contents on the display.

Abstract: A call flow guidance system helps a call center agent navigate the maze of complex call flows that apply to an enormous spectrum of caller issues, and further improves adoption rates and training timelines for the call center agents. Through the system, call center agents easily navigate multiple call flows and view information tailored to improve average handle time (AHT) and first call resolution (FCR). The system provides dynamic content attached to call flows and improve call flow navigation by implementing links that bridge nodes between display sections of a particular call flow and links that cross from one call flow to another.

Abstract: A system and method for facilitating, coordinating and managing the operation of a competitive marketplace via the Internet. The system and method collect bids for market services from a plurality of customers, calculators a clearing piece for the market service and calculates settlement information based on the clearing piece calculated and the bids collected.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method of comparing by a comparator tool a pair of electronic data files each comprising a plurality of data elements, the method comprising: identifying at least one data element in each of said files; replacing the values of said at least one identified data elements in each of said files by a same reference value; comparing the files to detect differences between values of the data elements; and generating an output report indicating said differences.

Abstract: The subject matter of this specification can be embodied in, among other things, a method that includes receiving an indication that a passenger is boarding a carrier for a first segment of a travel itinerary, determining an amount of travel reward points to associate with the first segment, and outputting, at a time substantially concurrent with the boarding of the carrier for the first segment, the amount of the travel reward points to a travel reward system so that the travel reward points are available for redemption by the passenger on a second segment of the travel itinerary.

Abstract: A classification algorithm is separated into one or more input-invariant parts and one or more input-dependent classification parts. The input-invariant parts of the classification algorithm capture the underlying and unchanging relationships between the plurality of data elements being operated upon by the classification algorithm, whereas the one or more classification parts embody the probabilistic labeling of the data elements according to the various classifications. For any given iteration, a user's input is used to modify at least one classification part of the algorithm. Recalculated classification parts (i.e., updated classification results) are determined based on computationally simple combinations of the one or more modified classification parts and the one or more input-invariant parts. Preferably, a graphical user interface is used to solicit user input.

Abstract: A system for application reference testing (SMART) solves the technical problem of generating test data and test cases from graphical user interface applications (GAPs) to test web services, effectively and non-invasively. SMART allows organizations to easily and promptly identify and resolve software bugs, ensure higher quality software and development productivity, complete software projects faster, deliver software products to market quicker, and improve the return on investment for software development projects. SMART provides a user friendly visualization mechanism that interacts with an accessibility layer to enable organizations to economically and easily define user interactions with GAPs, by performing point-and-click, drag-and-drop operations on the GAPs, and generate reusable test data and test cases for web services.

Abstract: The invention provides automatically examines an Aerospace and Defense (A&D) company's financial data and evaluating factors affecting the company's value, and using this evaluation to assess the desirability of proposed changes in various stages of an A&D project. Specifically, the present invention evaluates changes in an A&D company's value through that company's profits and capital efficiency. The Program Profitability asset is a methodology and tool that helps teams quickly and systematically analyze high impact areas in the structure of a program to determine the key drivers of savings that are actionable for the client.

Abstract: A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for balancing attainment of goals. First, a plurality of goals are presented to a user. The goals may be previously selected by the user or may include a default set of goals, for example. The user is permitted to adjust preferences related to a selected one or more of the goals. An impact on attaining some or all of the goals is determined based on the adjusted preferences. The impact on attaining the goals is then displayed to the user.