Abstract: Methods and systems for creating an implicit profile for use by a recommendation engine or a question router is provided. User behavior on at least one of one or more electronic devices and an electronic communications network is tracked. User-related information relating to the user behavior is analyzed to extract or derive key words therefrom. The key words are stored in a profiles database as the implicit profile and used by the recommendation engine or question router to characterize user interests, expertise, and skills when matching a request from a querying user to a potential user or group of users having the relevant background to respond to the request.

Abstract: Computerized methods and systems for improving engagement with a recommendation engine that recommends items, peers, and services are provided. Stored data of a plurality of users is electronically accessed and analyzed. A respective passive profile is determined for each of the users based on the analyzing of the stored data. The respective passive profiles are then stored for use by the recommendation engine. The recommendation engine can then provide recommendations for at least one of items, peers, and services to a respective user based on at least the respective passive profile. The recommendations may be further based on at least one of an explicit profile comprising information provided by the respective user and an activity profile based on tracked activity of the respective user with regard to prior recommended items.

Abstract: The present invention encompasses computerized methods and systems for finding and ranking domain-specific entities in a text-based inquiry. Existing text data sources are analyzed to create a training set of data comprising ranked entities with associated weighted features within each of a plurality of domains. The training set of data for each of the plurality of domains is stored in a ranked entities database. A text-based inquiry may be received from a user and analyzed, within a specific one of the domains, to locate candidate words or phrases based at least in part on the ranked entities in the specific domain. The candidate words or phrases can then be ranked based on the features for corresponding entities from the training set. The ranked candidate words or phrases can be stored in a ranked candidate database for further use by at least one of an analyst or a recommendation engine.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for extracting content from an email or email thread are provided. Any replied content is removed from the email based on at least one of known delimiters and known email thread patterns used for separating original and reply emails. Any signature content is removed based on at least one of generated signature patterns for the sender and known signature patterns. Any greeting content is removed based on at least one of generated greeting patterns for the recipient and known greeting patterns. Any sent from content identifying a device or an email client from which the email was sent is removed based on known sent from content. The remaining email text can then be output for further processing, such as analyzing the text for use in augmenting a sender's implicit profile, and analyzing the text for question or answer content on specific topics.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for simultaneously searching public and private information sources are provided. When a user implements a key word search of a public search engine via a web browser, the same key word search is automatically simultaneously implemented of a private information source to locate at least one of user contacts and documents relevant to the key word search. The user contacts and/or the documents returned from the private information source may be scored for relevancy to the key word search. Public search results are returned to the user based on the key word search of the public search engine. In addition, up to N most relevant of the at least one of the user contacts and the documents obtained from the private information source may be returned to the user in a side bar of the web browser adjacent to the public search results.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for modifying a user profile for a recommendation algorithm are provided. A user is provided with electronic access to an item. The item may comprise one of a document, an article, a chart, a graphic, a report, a web page, or the like. User interaction with the item is enabled. The user interaction with the item is then electronically tracked and stored. The user's user profile used by a recommendation engine is then modified based on the tracked user interactions. The user interaction may comprise at least one of annotating, highlighting, modifying, customizing, adding comments to the item, and the like. The user modified item can be saved and details of the user interaction with the item may be used to modify the user profile. At least one of items or peer recommendations can then be provided to the user based on the modified user profile.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for modifying a user profile for a recommendation algorithm are provided. A user is provided with electronic access to an item. The item may comprise one of a document, an article, a chart, a graphic, a report, a web page, or the like. User interaction with the item is enabled. The user interaction with the item is then electronically tracked and stored. The user's user profile used by a recommendation engine is then modified based on the tracked user interactions. The user interaction may comprise at least one of annotating, highlighting, modifying, customizing, adding comments to the item, and the like. The user modified item can be saved and details of the user interaction with the item may be used to modify the user profile. At least one of items or peer recommendations can then be provided to the user based on the modified user profile.

Abstract: Methods and systems for creating an implicit profile for use by a recommendation engine or a question router is provided. User behavior on at least one of one or more electronic devices and an electronic communications network is tracked. User-related information relating to the user behavior is analyzed to extract or derive key words therefrom. The key words are stored in a profiles database as the implicit profile and used by the recommendation engine or question router to characterize user interests, expertise, and skills when matching a request from a querying user to a potential user or group of users having the relevant background to respond to the request.

Abstract: Methods and systems for creating an implicit profile for use by a recommendation engine or a question router is provided. User behavior on at least one of one or more electronic devices and an electronic communications network is tracked. User-related information relating to the user behavior is analyzed to extract or derive key words therefrom. The key words are stored in a profiles database as the implicit profile and used by the recommendation engine or question router to characterize user interests, expertise, and skills when matching a request from a querying user to a potential user or group of users having the relevant background to respond to the request.

Abstract: A computer network implemented peer forum system and method enabling question and answer rates to be increased by automatically routing questions and receiving answers to and from peers. Information is input into network via a user interface. A peer forum system enables users to ask and answer questions. A forums database captures questions and answers provided via the peer forum system. A stage database pulls and stores questions from the forums database. A question router pulls the questions from the stage database and finds peers who can answer the questions using a peer search module that uses implicit and explicit user profiles to determine the best subject matter experts to answer the questions. A set of throttle rules is associated with the question router for determining if a peer is eligible to answer a question. A delivery system delivers a communication to eligible peers requesting an answer to the question.

Abstract: Computerized methods and systems for improving engagement with a recommendation engine that recommends items, peers, and services are provided. Stored data of a plurality of users is electronically accessed and analyzed. A respective passive profile is determined for each of the users based on the analyzing of the stored data. The respective passive profiles are then stored for use by the recommendation engine. The recommendation engine can then provide recommendations for at least one of items, peers, and services to a respective user based on at least the respective passive profile. The recommendations may be further based on at least one of an explicit profile comprising information provided by the respective user and an activity profile based on tracked activity of the respective user with regard to prior recommended items.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for modifying a user profile for a recommendation algorithm are provided. A user is provided with electronic access to an item. The item may comprise one of a document, an article, a chart, a graphic, a report, a web page, or the like. User interaction with the item is enabled. The user interaction with the item is then electronically tracked and stored. The user's user profile used by a recommendation engine is then modified based on the tracked user interactions. The user interaction may comprise at least one of annotating, highlighting, modifying, customizing, adding comments to the item, and the like. The user modified item can be saved and details of the user interaction with the item may be used to modify the user profile. At least one of items or peer recommendations can then be provided to the user based on the modified user profile.

Abstract: A networked peer and item recommendation system makes recommendations to users such as documents of interest and peers with whom the users may want to connect. User profile information is maintained in a profiles database. A log enables the collection of user behavior information. A cluster filtering algorithm determines a cluster that a querying user belongs to. A collaborative filtering algorithm locates other users having implicit and explicit profiles in the database that are similar to the profile of the querying user. A dynamic expert verification algorithm is associated with the collaborative filtering algorithm to verify the qualifications of users and produce bias towards users with higher quality interactions. A search engine returns items based on a keyword provided by the querying user. A sorting algorithm sorts the items returned by the cluster filtering algorithm, collaborative filtering algorithm and search engine for presentation to the querying user.

Abstract: A networked peer and item recommendation system makes recommendations to users such as documents of interest and peers with whom the users may want to connect. User profile information is maintained in a profiles database. A log enables the collection of user behavior information. A cluster filtering algorithm determines a cluster that a querying user belongs to. A collaborative filtering algorithm locates other users having implicit and explicit profiles in the database that are similar to the profile of the querying user. A dynamic expert verification algorithm is associated with the collaborative filtering algorithm to verify the qualifications of users and produce bias towards users with higher quality interactions. A search engine returns items based on a keyword provided by the querying user. A sorting algorithm sorts the items returned by the cluster filtering algorithm, collaborative filtering algorithm and search engine for presentation to the querying user.

Abstract: A computer network implemented peer forum system and method enabling question and answer rates to be increased by automatically routing questions and receiving answers to and from peers. Information is input into network via a user interface. A peer forum system enables users to ask and answer questions. A forums database captures questions and answers provided via the peer forum system. A stage database pulls and stores questions from the forums database. A question router pulls the questions from the stage database and finds peers who can answer the questions using a peer search module that uses implicit and explicit user profiles to determine the best subject matter experts to answer the questions. A set of throttle rules is associated with the question router for determining if a peer is eligible to answer a question. A delivery system delivers a communication to eligible peers requesting an answer to the question.

Abstract: A system is provided for locating peers having a desired expertise. User profile information is stored in a profiles database. A search engine indexes the profiles database and appends appropriate profile tags to this information. A peer relevancy algorithm searches for candidate peers among the indexed user profile information. Weights are assigned to candidate peers based on different categories of the indexed user profile information, and peer matches are selected based on the assigned weights. In order to provide matches that are most likely to accept a connection request, data is maintained as to which potential peers have a history of accepting requests to connect and which have a history of refusing to connect. Potential matches are biased to favor those that have a tendency to accept connection requests. Contact information of requester and recipients are not disclosed until the recipient accepts the requester's connection request.

Abstract: A networked peer and item recommendation system makes recommendations to users such as documents of interest and peers with whom the users may want to connect. User profile information is maintained in a profiles database. A log enables the collection of user behavior information. A cluster filtering algorithm determines a cluster that a querying user belongs to. A collaborative filtering algorithm locates other users having implicit and explicit profiles in the database that are similar to the profile of the querying user. A search engine returns items based on a keyword provided by the querying user. A sorting algorithm sorts the items returned by the cluster filtering algorithm, collaborative filtering algorithm and search engine for presentation to the querying user. Potential peers are also presented to the querying user. The items and potential peers presented are those most likely to be of help to the querying user.

Abstract: A system is provided for locating peers having a desired expertise. User profile information is stored in a profiles database. A search engine indexes the profiles database and appends appropriate profile tags to this information. A peer relevancy algorithm searches for candidate peers among the indexed user profile information. Weights are assigned to candidate peers based on different categories of the indexed user profile information, and peer matches are selected based on the assigned weights. In order to provide matches that are most likely to accept a connection request, data is maintained as to which potential peers have a history of accepting requests to connect and which have a history of refusing to connect. Potential matches are biased to favor those that have a tendency to accept connection requests. Contact information of requester and recipients are not disclosed until the recipient accepts the requester's connection request.

Abstract: Methods and systems for evaluation of business performance are provided. All actionable activities of a business are divided into a plurality of business aspects. A plurality of aggregate measures is then established for each business aspect. Each of the aggregate measures comprises a set of related actionable activities for a respective business aspect. A plurality of prime measures is established for each aggregate measure. Each of the prime measures quantifies one or more actionable activities from the set of related actionable activities. A value of at least one of the prime measures may be calculated to provide an indication of business performance. In addition, the value of each aggregate measure may be calculated by multiplying the values of each of the prime measures for that aggregate measure together to provide an indication of business performance. Multiplying the values of the aggregate measures together provides an indication of overall business performance.