Abstract: An electronic commerce system (10) includes a server (40) operating on one or more computers that communicates a search query for one or more products to one or more seller databases (32) that contain product data. Each seller database (32) generates local search results that are responsive to the search query. The server (40) also communicates one or more sorting parameters to the seller databases (32). The sorting parameters direct each seller database (32) to sort local search results generated at each seller database (32) according to the sorting parameters in response to the search query. In addition, the server (40) receives sorted local search results from one or more of the seller databases (32) and merges the sorted local search results received from the seller databases (32) to generate merged search results. Furthermore, the server (40) sorts the merged search results according to the sorting parameters and communicates the sorted merged search results to a user.

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 and method for responding to user requests for a product provides a selection of alternate products that are similar to the requested product. Available products each have a plurality of attributes, which are compared to corresponding attributes of the requested product. Available products having attributes which are similar to those of the requested product are ranked in order of a similarity measure, and presented to the user.

Abstract: Automatically classifying product description information includes selecting a first word from the information and determining whether the word is defined as a prefix within one or more keywords, each keyword being associated with one of a plurality of classes, each class being associated with one or more keywords. If the word is defined as a prefix, then for each keyword for which the word is defined as a prefix, determine whether all suffixes of the prefix within the keyword are found among all remaining words in the information in sequence. For each keyword for which this is true, generate a new result for each class associated with the keyword.

Abstract: A system (10) for transforming custom content generation tags (62) includes a web server (20) that receives a request (18) from a web browser (12). The request (18) identifies a file (24) that includes one or more custom content generation tags (62) that the web browser (12) is unable to interpret. The system (10) also includes a transformation engine (34) that receives the custom content generation tags (62) from the web server (20) and transforms the tags (62) into first output that the web browser (12) is able to interpret. The transformation engine (34) communicates the first output to the web server (20) and the web server (20) communicates the first output to the web browser (12) in response to the request (18).

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 software system is provided for managing available to promise (ATP) and making promises to fulfill customer requests. The software system includes a plurality of generic product models (600) each representing a generic product. Each generic product model (600) specifies one component of a plurality of possible components. A plurality of specific product models (602) each represent a specific product and each specify all components of the specific product. Each component specified by each specific product model (602) is specified by one of the generic product models (600) such that each specific product model (602) is related to a subset of the generic product models (600). A customer request matching a specific product then can be fulfilled by available-to-promise of the specific product or by available-to-promise of all related generic products. In addition, an organization in a seller hierarchy can retain product and designate first-come-first-served product.

Abstract: A system and method for handling work items creates a work item object for each work item entered into the system. Each object maintains information regarding its state, and its type. Work items are maintained in queues, and each work item contains information identifying the queue it is in. Business processes, which may be controlled by people or automated modules, take items from queues, and perform actions on them. Actions modify the state of an item, and can alter its data. An item persists until the work it represents is completed.

Abstract: A method for deploying software includes selecting one or more pre-defined business models applicable to a business entity in which the software is being deployed. The business models are associated with particular business functions. The method further includes creating an entity model using the one or more selected business models. In addition, the method includes gathering information from the entity relevant to the selected business models and inputting the information into the entity model. The method further includes specifying functional requirements of the entity using a business modeling tool and configuring the entity model using the specified functional requirements. Moreover, the method includes automatically generating one or more specification files according to the configured entity model. The specification files identify the data to be input to the software after the software is deployed.

Abstract: An order promising system (10) includes a commerce module (16) that receives a product inquiry from a user. The product inquiry includes a product configuration that includes a product identifier, one or more option values, and the delivery location for the product. The system (10) also includes one or more inventory engines (12) that receive the product configuration from the commerce module (16) and identify one or more products in the inventory of one or more sellers that exactly or partially match the product configuration based on one or more matching rules. The inventory engines (12) also determine a delivery date for each matching product and communicate the matching products and associated delivery dates to the commerce module (16).

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 distributed software system (10) includes at least one server component (22) that supports one or more server objects having associated data and at least one client component (24) that is distributed from the server component (22). The client component (24) accesses data associated with one or more of the server objects according to a scheme making it substantially transparent to the client component (24) whether the server component (22) is local to or remote from the client component (24).

Abstract: An electronic commerce system for storing and classifying documents includes one or more document repositories that store documents. The system also includes a global content directory that includes a plurality of product and document classes organized in a hierarchy where each class categorizes a number of the documents and is associated with one or more attributes of the documents categorized in the class. At least one of the classes has one or more associated pointers that identify the one or more document repositories. The system further includes a global content directory interface that facilitates retrieval of the documents. A security module encrypts the documents to protect confidential information contained in the documents and decrypts the documents when a buyer has a required permission level.

Abstract: A method for distributed automated software GUI testing includes maintaining a centralized queue, which stores test instances to be executed by distributed test execution computers (“test computers”). Each test computer includes a client platform and is connected to one or more server platforms, the client and server platforms collectively providing client-server combinations against which the tests may be executed. For each test computer: (1) a request for a test instance is received from a test computer in response to completion of a preceding test by the test computer; (2) in response, a test instance is retrieved from the queue and communicated to the test computer for execution using a testing component supported by the test computer; (3) the component performs automated software GUI testing and produces test results; and (5) in response to execution of the instance, a test result for the executed instance is received and stored.

Abstract: A bill of materials (BOM) sourcing system includes one or more data storage locations that store BOM sourcing criteria. The system also includes a sourcing engine that receives a BOM that includes a plurality of part identifiers. The sourcing engine identifies one or more part identifiers included in the BOM and searches supplier data to obtain pricing information associated with the identified parts. Furthermore, the sourcing engine receives sourcing criteria and determines which supplier should be used to supply each identified part based on the pricing information and the sourcing criteria. In addition, the system includes a transaction execution module that receives from the sourcing engine a part identifier for each identified part and the identity of the supplier to be used to supply each identified part. The transaction execution module generates one or more transaction documents based on this information and communicates the one or more transaction documents to the associated suppliers.

Abstract: A method for synchronizing planning information in a high availability planning and scheduling architecture includes processing requests from one or more external systems (40) using an advanced planning and scheduling (APS) engine (22) included in a first primary high availability (HA) system (20a). The processing of requests includes modifying planning information stored in memory of the first primary HA system (20a) according to the requests. The method also includes storing change information reflecting the modifications to the planning information in a database (64) and extracting the change information from the database (64) at an extraction time. Furthermore, the method includes updating the planning information using the extracted change information and storing the updated planning information in memory of a second primary HA system (20a?).

Abstract: A default selection to be presented to a user at configuration time is determined at the time a selection list is presented to the user. A desired function, such as profit maximization or price minimization, is applied against each of the available selections. The selection which thus meets the function's criteria is designated as the default selection, and presented to the user as such. The user may, of course, select any item on the list, but accepting the default selection will tend to maximize desirability of the final product in accordance with the criteria defined by the manufacturer. In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the criteria to be used in choosing default selections may itself be defined at run-time, so that different default selections will be presented to, for example, different users.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for automatically identifying a program error in a computer program includes receiving a program error message indicating that a new program error has occurred during execution of the program and generating a program stack trace for the new program error indicating the source of the new program error within the program. A first operation is applied to a portion of the program stack trace to generate a first numerical code associated with the new program error. The first numerical code associated with the new program error is compared to one or more stored first numerical codes associated with previously identified program errors to determine whether the new program error is the same as a previously identified program error. If so, stored information associated with resolving the previously identified program error is provided for use in resolving the new program error.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system for graphical design and automatic generation of supply chain collaboration services capable of understanding supply chain semantics includes a collaboration service designer and a collaboration service generator. The collaboration service designer provides a graphical user interface (GUI), solicits from a user, using the GUI, information regarding the design for the supply chain collaboration service in a sequence of design steps, receives from the user, using the GUI, the solicited information, and generates a file based on the received information that contains a meta-model for the supply chain collaboration service. The collaboration service generator accesses the file containing the meta-model for the supply chain collaboration service. The collaboration service generator, using the meta-model, automatically generates the supply chain collaboration service, which is capable of understanding of supply chain semantics for an underlying supply chain.

Abstract: A computer implemented process for enterprise collaboration is provided. The process includes storing a set of predefined functions for a work flow to be performed at a plurality of distributed nodes. The process automatically interacts with the work flow at each of the distributed nodes to perform the predefined functions.