Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer program products for extracting data from images related to travel accommodation, and performing a search of travel accommodation based on criteria entered by a user. The system collects images related to travel accommodation by querying data sources including images associated with the travel accommodation, processes the images so as to extract an identifying characteristic of the travel accommodation, and represents the identifying characteristic in the form of searchable text keywords and stores the searchable text keywords in the database. The system may receive a user request including travel accommodation-specific criteria via a user interface, search the database for searchable text keywords matching the criteria in the request, and cause the display of travel accommodations represented by the searchable text keywords on the user interface.

Abstract: A method and a system are provided for optimising Virtual Machine (VM) instances (121) of a Virtual Machine (VM) cluster (120) in a cloud computing platform (100) to avoid the use of VM instances (121) with degraded performance. The optimisation process of the VM instances (121) comprises the steps of identifying and optimising VM instances (121) with degraded performance in VM clusters (120). The performance of the deficient VM instances may be optimised by requesting for each deficient VM instance (121) a corresponding replacement VM instance (121) to be created by the IaaS (170), and accordingly maintain the best performing VM instance from each pair of deficient and replacement VM instances (121).

Abstract: A method of providing access to auxiliary data for a provider subsystem includes: storing offer data corresponding to an item, the offer data including (i) primary data, and (ii) auxiliary data defining an adjustment between the primary data and corresponding published data stored at an external repository; storing the offer data in an auxiliary repository; in response to an order request from a client subsystem: obtaining an order identifier corresponding to the offer data; and updating the auxiliary repository to store the order identifier in association with the offer data; in response to obtaining the order identifier, generating a reporting message for transmission to a provider subsystem, the reporting message containing the primary data and omitting the auxiliary data; and subsequent to generating the reporting message, retrieving the offer data from the auxiliary repository, and sending at least the auxiliary data to the provider subsystem.

Abstract: Pre-computed search results are re-computed by a computation platform based on available computing resources. A search platform maintains at least a first and a second group of pre-computed search results and provides the first group of pre-computed search results at a first provision time and the second group of pre-computed search results at a second provision time to requesting clients. A re-computation controller schedules the re-computation of the pre-computed search results on the basis of validity probabilities being associated with the pre-computed search results and the respective provision times. Re-computation of the first group and the second group is scheduled such that the validity of the search results of the first group given by the validity probabilities is maximized at the first provision time and the validity of the pre-computed search results of the second group given by the validity probabilities is maximized at the second provision time.

Abstract: To differentially respond to data requests, a request handling server stores (i) a predefined set of response definitions, each response definition having a distinct assigned virtual requester identifier, and (ii) for each virtual requester identifier, a selection criterion. The server receives a data request associated with one of a plurality of requesters, and includes (i) request parameters and (ii) a requester attribute set. The data request may be a request for travel product offers formatted according to the New Distribution Capability (NDC) standard. The server compares the requester attribute set with the selection criteria; based on the comparison, assigns a selected one of the virtual requester identifiers to the data request; retrieves an active one of the response definitions corresponding to the selected virtual requester identifier; obtains response data according to the request parameters and the active response definition; and transmits, in response to the data request, the response data.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for processing an input sequence of a plurality of function calls on at least one processor. Each function call of the plurality of function calls is associated with an abort probability, and each function call is also associated with a processing cost per function call on the basis of a number of processor instructions of the respective function call and the abort probability of the respective function calls. During processing of the function calls according to an input sequence, the abort probability for at least some of the function calls may be updated taking into consideration whether or not the processing of the respective function call caused an abort. The processing cost per function may be updated during processing, and an updated input sequence may be determined by rearranging the order of the function calls based on the processing cost.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and data processing system for monitoring a distributed application server environment connected to a plurality of client terminals, wherein a client terminal requests at least one fulfillment of a task during a session, a task requiring the execution of at least one of a plurality of applications, is presented. The method includes storing log files on at least one database server, retrieving at least one log file from the at least one database server, generating an application call tree for a fulfillment of a task from the at least one log file, aggregating a plurality of application call trees for the same task to generate an averaged application call tree, analyzing the averaged application call tree with regard to performance issues, and, in response to a detection of a performance issue, generating an output message.

Abstract: Methods, caches, database systems and computer program products for processing database requests and retrieving results from the cache of a database system. The cache stores a representation of a data space of one or more databases of the database system, including one or more results for any database request for which the data space is able to output a result. In response to receiving a database request from a client, the cache determines by utilizing the stored representation whether the data space is able to output one or more results for the database request. If affirmative, one or more results are returned to the client from the representation of the cache. Otherwise, the cache returns an invalidity notification.

Abstract: Systems and methods for multi-factor authentication using graphical passwords. An access request that includes an identifier and which identifies a protected resource is received from a client device. An interface is generated having a plurality of graphical objects for presentation at random locations on a display of the client device as defined by an object map. The plurality of graphical objects include a null object and a set of user-defined objects associated with the identifier that define a graphical password. Input data including an input event for each detected interaction with the interface is received. Each input event identifies a position on the display at which a corresponding interaction was detected. Using the object map, it is determined that the input data satisfies the graphical password. Access to the protected resource is granted in response to determining that the input data satisfies the graphical password.

Abstract: A method includes receiving, at an intermediation server; from a requesting device; a request for one or more items provided by a provider system; generating, at the intermediation server, an intermediate reply comprising data indicative of the one or more items provided by the provider system; determining, at the intermediation server, whether the request is eligible for direct distribution; in response to determining that the request is eligible for direct distribution, generating, at the intermediation server, an adjusted reply by: communicating with a hosted offer management system to receive instructions for adjusting the intermediate reply, the hosted offer management system providing hosted provider object services for the provider system; and adjusting, at the intermediation server, the intermediate reply based on the instructions; and providing; from the intermediation server, to the requesting device, the adjusted reply in response to the request.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system for capping incoming transactions in inbound stateful conversations established between a client and a plurality of conversation servers of a service integrator. For each client, a group of conversation servers is allocated to handle the inbound stateful conversations initiated. Each conversation server in the group broadcasts a local traffic value periodically to the other conversation servers in the group. Each conversation server in the group calculates a transaction capping limit based on a client global transaction capping limit and the broadcasted local traffic values from the other conversation servers in the group. Each conversation server limits the rate of incoming transactions received by the client when exceeding the local transaction capping limit.

Abstract: Methods and computing apparatus for real-time online traveler segmentation. A machine learning classifier may be trained using computed feature vectors and associated tags corresponding with records in a training set. A machine learning classifier receives a feature vector comprising values of the plurality of features corresponding with an unidentified user in an online context. The machine learning classifier may determine an estimate of whether the unidentified user is a member or a non-member of a predetermined traveler category.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for re-issuing a travel reservation based on a travel category associated with the specific travel reservation. The travel reservation is associated with one of a first travel category and a second travel category. The first travel category includes a plurality of machine-readable codes associated with the travel reservation. In response to determining the travel reservation is associated with the first travel category, the travel reservation is re-issued by a computer-based on the plurality of machine-readable codes associated with the travel reservation. In response to determining that the travel reservation is associated with the second travel category, the computer determines if the travel reservation includes data expressed in machine-readable form. If the travel reservation includes the data expressed in machine-readable form, the computer generates a plurality of prepopulated fields in a format compatible with the first travel category.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer program products for exchanging content with a content management system comprising an extended record data structure. A plurality of records are maintained at the travel management system in an extended record data structure that includes first data containers containing standard data elements and second data containers containing non-standard data elements. Each non-standard data element is associated with a respective structure description file defining a structure of the attributes of the non-standard data element. A first data exchange message is generated at the travel management system and includes the structure description file of one of the non-standard data elements and a set of values corresponding to values of the attributes of the one of the non-standard data elements. The first data exchange message is transmitted according to a first data exchange format from the travel management system to the client device.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus, and computer program products for exchanging content with a content management system comprising an extended record data structure. A plurality of records are maintained at the travel management system in an extended record data structure that includes first data containers containing standard data elements and second data containers containing non-standard data elements. Each non-standard data element is associated with a respective structure description file defining a structure of the attributes of the non-standard data element. A first data exchange message is generated at the travel management system and includes the structure description file of one of the non-standard data elements and a set of values corresponding to values of the attributes of the one of the non-standard data elements. The first data exchange message is transmitted according to a first data exchange format from the travel management system to the client device.

Abstract: A computer network (1) adapted to provide secured access to online applications hosted on application servers (10) to a requesting user (U). The network (1) comprises a login security server (20) configured for deciding access for the user based on data contained in a central generic access control file (32) and in the access request. The network (1) further comprises a centralized user identification component (40) configured for receiving identification data from user through a central login panel (42) and for sending an access grant or denial command to the application servers (10).

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products associated with a flight search engine for searching itineraries between an origin and a destination on a given date, according to a predefined display policy. Available routes may be filtered according to a first set of predefined criteria associated with the routes. The filtered available routes may be ranked according to a second set of predefined criteria. Itineraries may be constructed that are associated with the filtered available routes. The constructed itineraries may be filtered according to a third set of predefined criteria, and the filtered itineraries may be ranked according to a fourth set of predefined criteria. Historical booking data regarding previously booked itineraries for future travels may be received and analyzed, and may be taken into in the ranking of the filtered available routes and the filtered itineraries.

Abstract: A method of aggregating and updating heterogeneous data objects for a client subsystem includes: storing a set of data object definitions, each defining a mapping between an aggregated data object format and a plurality of supplier data object formats; storing a set of update definitions, each defining a mapping between an aggregated update operation and a plurality of supplier update mechanisms; receiving a data object in a supplier data object formats; selecting, based on the supplier data object format of the received data object, a data object definitions and generating an aggregated data object according to the selected definition; presenting the generated aggregated data object to the client subsystem; receiving an aggregated update operation from the client subsystem for updating the aggregated data object; and selecting, based on the received aggregated update operation, one of the update definitions and initiating a supplier update mechanism according to the selected update definition.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically delivering content from a content provider system to a user device. A bridging device is configured to dynamically connect an application executing on the user device to the content provider system during execution of an application extension of the application. The application extension is configured to activate a connection to the bridging device, in response to the detection of an activation condition. The application is configured to transmit at least some of the data items comprised in each input data block received at the user device as input data via an application interface to the bridging device during the connection to the bridging device. The bridging device is configured to generate a request for content according to a predefined request format using the data items in the input data received from the application and to transmit the request to the content provider system.