Abstract: Within each iteration of an iterative process: (1) a low-pass filter is applied to an actual sales volumes series to extract low frequency components representing a base sales volume series for the iteration; and (2) a locally optimal base sales volume series is determined. A globally optimal base sales volume series is selected from among the locally optimal base sales volume series, comprising an estimated base sales volume for each time period. One or more of the estimated base sales volumes is made available for use in connection with at least one business analysis.

Abstract: A system for retrieving information for a user includes a database containing values for one or more parameters of one or more available items, each available item with corresponding parameter values. A matching server receives values for one or more parameters of a target item, these parameters being organized into subsets. The matching server applies the parameter values for the target item against the database and, for each available item and each parameter subset of the target item, computes a distance between the parameter values for the available item and the parameter values for the target item. For each of the parameter subsets, the matching server then applies a weight to the distance to compute a weighted distance for the parameter subset. The matching server computes an overall distance between the available item and the target item based on the weighted distances for the parameter subsets and returns results to the user reflecting the overall distance for the available item.

Abstract: An XML-based framework (30) for developing software applications (12) includes a document manager (32) to manage activities relating to one or more XML-based data documents (34) associated with an application (12), each data document (34) modeling data associated with the application (12) and representing relationships between the data document (34) and one or more other data documents (34). The framework (30) includes a rules manager (36) to manage rules (38) specifying logic for handling notifications associated with XML-based action documents (34) received at the application (12), the notifications requesting actions involving data documents (34). The framework (30) also includes an operations manager (40) to manage the execution of transactions involving data documents (34) based on operations (42) defined for the application (12) during its development.

Abstract: A method for allocating data in a hierarchical organization of data (16) includes determining new values for one or more parents (200, 220) in the organization of data (16) and determining current values for one or more children (210, 230) in the organization of data (16). Each child (210, 230) is hierarchically related to one or more of the parents (200, 220). The method also includes determining the relationship between each parent (200, 220) and its children (210, 230) and determining a variation for each child (210, 230). Furthermore, the method includes determining a new value for each child (210, 230) by allocating the new values of the parents (200, 220) to the children based on the parent-child relationships, the current values of the children (210, 230), and the variations of the children (210, 230).

Abstract: A system (100) for inventory management includes memory (116) containing a cumulative demand value (252) for each of a plurality of time windows (204) within a planning horizon (200). The cumulative demand value (252) for a time window (204) represents a cumulative demand for at least one product over the time window (204) and all previous time windows (204) in the planning horizon (200). The memory (116) also includes a cumulative production value (254) for each time window (204). The cumulative production value (254) for a time window (204) represents a cumulative quantity of the product that can be manufactured over the time window (204) and all previous time windows (204) in the planning horizon (200). The system (100) also includes one or more processors (114) collectively operable to determine a lean buffer stock value using the cumulative demand values (252) and the cumulative production values (254).

Abstract: A system providing seller pre-qualification during the matching phase of an electronic commerce transaction includes a directory structure 44 comprising multiple hierarchically organized product classes, each product class categorizing multiple products and defining one or more attributes of the products categorized in the product class. The system also includes one or more pointers for each product class, each pointer identifying a seller database 32 in which product data enabling a product transaction is stored for products categorized in the product class. Each seller database 32 is associated with a seller 30 having values for one or more seller attributes.

Abstract: A system (10) for sorting search results according to a buyer profile (47) during the matching phase of an electronic commerce transaction includes a database containing a buyer profile (47) associated with a buyer (20), the buyer profile (47) comprising a record of the number of times each of multiple sort criteria has appeared in at least some previous events involving the buyer (20). A server (40) receives multiple search results communicated from one or more seller databases (32) in response to an under-constrained search query in which exact attribute values are not specified for one or more attributes. The server (40) accesses the buyer profile (47) to determine an order of display based on the number of times one or more sort criteria in the buyer profile (47) applicable to the search results have appeared in the previous events involving the buyer (20). The server (40) sorts the search results according to the determined order of display and communicates the sorted search results to the buyer (20).

Abstract: A high availability planning and scheduling system includes a number of high availability (HA) systems (20) that are coupled to one or more external systems (40) using a message bus (50). Each HA system (20) includes an HA server (24) that receives and queues requests received from the external systems (40). Each HA system (20) also includes an advanced planning and scheduling (APS) engine (22) that receives a request from the HA server (24) and processes the request using planning information stored in memory of the HA system (20). Furthermore, the APS engine (22) also modifies the planning information according to the processing of the request and generates a response to the external system (40) from which the request originated. The high availability planning and scheduling system further includes a message manager (54) that directs each request received from the external systems (40) to an appropriate HA system (20) using the message bus (50).

Abstract: A product that is uniquely identifiable according to a globally unique identifier (GUID) (100) includes a class identifier (CID) (110) that uniquely identifies at least one product class in which the product is categorized (along with a plurality of other products) within a class hierarchy of a global content directory (42). The product class defines one or more attributes of the products categorized in the class. The product also includes a product identifier (PID) (120) that uniquely identifies the particular product from among the plurality of products categorized in the product class uniquely identified by the CID (110). The CID (110) and PID (120) collectively provide the GUID (100), which may be specified or determined to facilitate a commercial transaction involving the product.

Abstract: A system (10) for brokering food order transactions among multiple unaffiliated sellers (14) includes one or more databases containing delivery information associated with each of possibly multiple of buyers (12), availability information identifying food items available from each of multiple unaffiliated sellers (14), pricing information for the food items available from each seller (14), and delivery information for each seller (14) that includes a delivery area for the seller (14) and substantially real-time delivery time information for the seller (14) based at least in part on a current order backlog for the seller (14).

Abstract: A system (100) for demand planning includes memory (116) containing a value representing a demand quantity of at least one end product that a manufacturer (102) is to produce. Production of the demand quantity of the end product includes production of a quantity of at least one intermediate product that is to be further processed to produce the end product. The system (100) also includes one or more processors (114) collectively operable to determine a value representing an additional quantity of the intermediate product that the manufacturer (102) can produce in addition to the quantity of the intermediate product used to produce the end product. The one or more processors (114) are also collectively operable to make the additional quantity value for the intermediate product available for use in generating additional demand for the intermediate product.

Abstract: A system (10) for enabling remote monitoring and management of one or more applications (42) within a domain (30) includes one or more computers (40) that execute one or more applications (42) being monitored and managed. The system (10) also includes a firewall (50) that limits access to the applications (42). The system (10) further includes an application management layer (70) within the domain (30) that includes one or more agents (72) that each monitor applications (42) and that generate notifications in response to the occurrence of events associated with the applications (42). The system (10) also includes a communication layer (60) within the domain (30) that retrieves and communicates the notifications to a monitoring and management portal (20) using a communication protocol providing access through the firewall (50). The communication layer (60) may also receive a command for a particular application (42) and communicate the command to an agent (72) associated with the application (42).

Abstract: A method for selectively indexing a database (32) includes selecting a set of fields (156) in the database (32). The selected fields (156) are located in one column (152) of a table (150) in the database (32). The method also includes determining the total time required for reading data from the fields (156) during a selected time period if the fields (156) are indexed and determining the total time required for reading data from the fields (156) during the selected time period if the fields (156) are not indexed. The method further includes determining the total time required for writing data to the fields (156) during the selected time period if the fields (156) are indexed and determining the total time required for writing data to the fields (156) during the selected time period if the fields (156) are not indexed. In addition, the method includes evaluating the total times required for reading and writing data to the fields to determine whether the fields (156) should be indexed.

Abstract: A method for migrating product data within an electronic commerce system (10) includes monitoring requests for products by users (20) of a global content directory (42). The global content directory (42) includes a directory structure (44) including a number of product classes organized in a hierarchy. Each product class categorizes a plurality of products and defines one or more attributes of the products categorized in the product class. The directory (44) also includes one or more pointers associated with each product class. Each pointer identifies a seller database (32) in which product data enabling a product transaction is stored for products associated with the product class. The method further includes identifying the location of a user (20) and determining that product data associated with a product requested by the user (20) should be migrated from a seller database (32) to a storage location closer to the user than the seller database (32).

Abstract: A system (10) for generating market pricing information for a non-fungible target item includes one or more databases containing historical pricing information (22) for at least one reference item, historical pricing information (20) for at least the target item, and market pricing information (24) for at least the reference item. A pricing engine (18) determines a pricing differential (32) between the target item and the reference item that reflects historical pricing information (20, 22) for the target and reference items. The pricing engine (18) applies the pricing differential (32) to the market pricing information (22) for the reference item to generate market pricing information (36) for the target item.

Abstract: A global content directory (42) includes a directory structure (44) that includes a plurality of product classes organized in a hierarchy. Each product class categorizes a plurality of products and defines one or more attributes of the products categorized in the product class. The directory (42) also includes one or more pointers that are associated with each product class. Each pointer identifies a seller database (32) in which product data enabling a product transaction is stored for products that are associated with the product class. The directory (42) also includes a search interface (45) that communicates, in response to a selection of a product class by a user (20) of the global content directory (42), a search query for product data to one or more seller databases (32) identified by the one or more pointers associated with the selected product class.

Abstract: A system for providing client callbacks includes a client having a client application and a client firewall operable to block a client callback to the client application from a server. The server includes a server firewall and a server workspace. The server workspace has data protected by the server firewall and a permissibility framework associating a predefined type of the data with the client application. The server workspace is operable to generate a client callback for the client application in response to the presence of the predefined data type. A server-side proxy is operable to provide the client application access to the server workspace through the server firewall. The client application is operable to connect to the server workspace via the server-side proxy to receive the client callback.

Abstract: A computer workspace comprises a plurality of memory slots, the memory slots each operable to store at least one object. The computer workspace further comprises a permissibility framework in communication with the computer workspace, the permissibility framework maintaining access rights to each memory slot. The computer workspace further comprises an event manager in communication with the memory slots and the permissibility framework, the event manager being operable to generate messages in response to the memory slots being accessed and further in response to the access rights maintained by the permissibility framework.

Abstract: A method of valuing resources of an asset intensive manufacturer. Calculations provide a MAV for each resource (machine) for each time horizon. The inputs for the calculations include the prices of products made by the resource, probalistic demand for the products, usage of the resource by various products, and availability of the resource. A series of equations, one equation associated with each resource, is formulated and solved, using lagrangian methods, with lagrangian multipliers representing resource values.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system (10) for product development planning. The system (10) models a business enterprise in terms of its proposed products and the tasks and resources used to develop them. A optimizing engine comprised of a genetic algorithm (13) and a constraint engine (14) operates on the model to construct candidate product portfolios and schedules. Each schedule is evaluated and used to generate an “improved” candidate portfolio in accordance with genetic processing. This process continues to improve the product prioritization and pipeline schedule as measured in terms of an objective criterion such as profit maximization.