Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a computerized method for managing a plurality of data protection rules includes receiving and storing the data protection rules in a database, receiving and storing a plurality of permissions generated by a data owner in the database, accepting a query from a data requester with respect to a particular set of data, accessing the database to validate that a permission exists for the data requester, accessing the database to validate that the particular set of data may be accessed by the data requester, and generating a response to the query.

Abstract: A method is provided that includes: receiving, by a framework, a request communicated by a source, the request including an associated functionality. The method also includes integrating, by an abstraction layer, a java object into the request such that a generic term associated with the request is generated. The generic term is insulated from the functionality of the request. The generic term is processed within the framework and a response associated with the request is returned to the source.

Abstract: Monitoring performance data includes establishing a reporting period during which a performance update is scheduled to be received at a database. The performance update includes provider data gathered from a provider, and describes a service provided to a client by the provider. The database is accessed to determine whether the database has received the performance update during the reporting period. A provider data rating is generated from the performance update. Performance data including client data gathered from the client is received, where the performance data describes the service, and a client data rating is generated from the performance data. The client data rating and the provider data rating are reported.

Abstract: Reporting performance data includes receiving at least one client data rating generated from performance data comprising client data gathered from a client. At least one provider data rating generated from performance data comprising provider data gathered from a provider is received. The at least one client data rating and the at least one provider data rating to the client are reported.

Abstract: A method and system are described for defining a user's access to one or more features of an application. One or more “attributes” are assigned to users of a computer system and stored in a data table. Each attribute has a name which designates the feature to which access is being defined, (e.g, the ability to access data within the database), and a value defining the limits of access. Attributes may be assigned in groups to eliminate the burden of preparing attribute assignments one by one for each user. When an application is run, the attributes are retrieved and enforced such that the user's access to the features of the application is defined in accordance with the retrieved attributes.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for determining service resources allocation includes associating a generic value stream having a plurality of generic value stream components with a plurality of industry segments, allocating, for at least one of the industry segments, expenditures for a time period to at least one of the plurality of generic value stream components for the industry segment, and determining, for at least one of the industry segments, the amount of expenditures associated with the at least one of the plurality of generic value stream components relative to the total amount of expenditures for the at least one industry segment. The determination is for use in determining the resource allocation.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a method for activation and deactivation of distributed objects. A first number of a plurality of distributed objects are stored in the memory of a first computer. A request is received to execute a method on a first one of the plurality of distributed objects wherein the first distributed object is to be stored in the memory of the first computer but is not currently stored in the memory of the first computer and wherein the request comprises the object identity of the first distributed object. One of the first number of distributed objects resident in the memory of the first computer is deactivated in response to the request if a resource limit has been reached. A first distributed object is activated wherein the object identity of the first distributed object is used to determine the object class and location of the first distributed object. The method is executed in response to the request.

Abstract: A system for communicating information between a central site and a remote site includes a central network access device operable to receive a broadcast signal from the central site and to condition the broadcast signal to facilitate its transmission to the remote site using a satellite system. The central network access device further operable to receive from a wide area network an incoming signal originating from the remote site, and to condition the incoming signal for receipt by the central site.

Abstract: A system for h household grocery management is provided. The system includes a bar code scanner (22) operable to scan a bar code on a grocery item and to provide bar code data obtained thereby. The system also includes a computer system (20) coupled to receive the bar code data provided by the bar code scanner (22). The computer system (20) has a fixed data storage storing a grocery inventory (26) and a processor executing a grocery management application (24). The grocery management application (24) operates to process the bar code data to identify a scanned grocery item, to maintain the grocery inventory (26), and to generate a replenishment list (32) of grocery items based upon differences between current grocery inventory (26) and defined full levels for the household (10).

Abstract: A weld tip testing head is presented. An alignment member has an aperture disposed therein and is coupled to a spring element. The spring element is further coupled to a mounting. The aperture is operable to removably receive a weld tip and the alignment member is operable to determine an alignment associated with the weld tip. Computer software is encoded on storage. The computer software is operable to receive the alignment from the alignment member and analyze the alignment with respect to at least one expected alignment value. The computer software is further operable to generate an alarm based on the analysis and generate a fault based on the analysis.

Abstract: One aspect of the invention is a method of counting lines of source code. One of a plurality of sets of configuration data is selected wherein each set of the plurality of sets of configuration data is associated with at least one computer language. Collectively the plurality of sets of configuration data are associated with a plurality of computer languages and the selected set of configuration data comprises the keywords for a first computer language. A first file is parsed wherein the first file contains computer source code written in the first computer language to create a first token stream in response to the selected set of configuration data. A first list of statements is created in response to the first token stream and a count value is generated in response to the first list of statements.

Abstract: A system for communicating information between a central site and a remote site includes a central network access device operable to receive a broadcast signal from the central site and to condition the broadcast signal to facilitate its transmission to the remote site using a satellite system. The central network access device further operable to receive from a wide area network an incoming signal originating from the remote site, and to condition the incoming signal for receipt by the central site.

Abstract: An integrated electronic commerce system (10) may include a server system (12) comprising a plurality of electronic commerce applications (44) and a server security system (46). The electronic commerce applications (44) may comprise an electronic mail application (52), a web server application (54), and a file transfer application (56). The server security system (46) may validate a client system (14) and download information operable to enable a service manager (90) of the client system (14) to invoke the electronic mail application (52), the web server application (54), and the file transfer application (56) to send and receive data over a network (18).

Abstract: A method for processing electronic data is provided. The method includes creating a visual analog (20) of a data format for the electronic data and converting the visual analog (20) into data processing commands (24). Electronic data may then be processed with the data processing commands (24).

Abstract: A system for emulating a distributed network includes a localized network operable to emulate a distributed network. A network device is coupled to the localized network and operable to be accessed over the localized network. A test site is operable to couple a test device to the localized network and to test the ability of the test device to access the network device over the localized network.

Abstract: In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method and system for communicating between a plurality of disparate hosts and an order processing system includes generating orders at each of the disparate hosts. The orders are transmitted from each of the hosts to a shared message handler using relational database statements. At the shared message handler, the orders are stored in a relational database table structure using relational database statements. The orders are transmitted from the relational database table structure of the shared message handler to the order processing system. Responses to the orders are received from the order processing system at the shared message handler. Each of the responses is associated with a corresponding order. The status of the corresponding orders are updated based on the responses and provided to the disparate hosts.

Abstract: A method of configuring a network management network (10) including a computer network (20), a network management system (30), and a data link (40) for coupling the computer network to the network management system includes determining at least one network management parameter for the network management network (10), including the number of network devices (22) on the computer network (20). The method also includes calculating a data link (40) capacity in response to determining the at least one network management parameter and the number of network devices (22) and configuring (160) the network management network (10) in response to determining the at least one network management parameter and calculating the data link (40) capacity.

Abstract: An interactive knowledgebase (48) system is provided. The system comprises a server (14) and a client (12). The server (14) is operable to retrieve a plurality of informational pages with each informational page containing items and links to items. The server (14) is further operable to maintain a directory (172) of the items organized by category. The client (12) is coupled to the server (14) and operable to display the directory (172) in a first frame of a web browser (32). The client (12) is further operable to request information -pages from the server (14) and display the information pages in a second frame of the web browser (32). A user at the client (12) can participate in an exchange of items and comments regarding items with other users of the interactive knowledgebase (48).

Abstract: An integrated electronic commerce system (10) may include a server system (12) comprising a plurality of electronic commerce applications (44) and a server security system (46). The electronic commerce applications (44) may comprise an electronic mail application (52), a web server application (54), and a file transfer application (56). The server security system (46) may validate a client system (14) and download information operable to enable a service manager (90) of the client system (14) to invoke the electronic mail application (52), the web server application (54), and the file transfer application (56) to send and receive data over a network (18).

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing financial transactions include the capability to receive a first message indicating the making of a financial transaction, the message containing customer information and transaction information. The apparatus and method also include the capability to determine the validity of the customer information and to generate a second message indicating non-authorization of the financial transaction if the customer information is invalid. The apparatus and method additionally include the capability to determine whether the financial transaction involves a micro-payment if the customer information is valid and, if the financial transaction involves a micro-payment, store at least part of the transaction information and generate a third message indicating authorization of the financial transaction. The apparatus and method further include the capability to generate an authorization request if the financial transaction does not involve a micro-payment.