Abstract: A transaction processing system includes an engine to process transactions in accordance with rules and data. Changes can be made to the rules and data, transactions, and other parameters that have retroactive affects. The transaction processing system includes a reprocessing system to submit reprocessing requests that prompt a transaction processing engine to efficiently reprocess data to generate accurate output data. In addition to helping ensure accurate output results, the reprocessing operation selectively reprocesses information to avoid unnecessarily reprocessing every transaction. Additionally, embodiment of the compensation system allow parallel processing of current transactions and reprocessing operations using batch processing mechanisms. The transaction processing system can be implemented to perform a variety of transaction processing operations, such as processing of compensation related data.

Abstract: An inventory, disposition, and order management system and method utilizes multiple data sources to obtain complementary and augmented product data to determine an enhanced set of product data that reflects product inventory and disposition history information in a supply chain. The system and method can utilize the complementary and augmented product data to formulate recommended orders to achieve product dealer sales goals. The system and method compare the product data obtained from the data sources and reconcile any discrepancies. In at least one embodiment, the product data includes product identification data, product inventory data, product configuration data, and product disposition history data. Obtaining data from multiple sources allows the system and method to develop more accurate and complete data through an audit and reconciliation process as opposed to data obtained from a single source.

Abstract: A multi-dimensional recommended order system generates recommended orders for configurable products. The multi-dimensional recommended order system generates the recommended orders based on a multi-dimensional demand and sales metrics analysis. The multi-dimensional recommended order system determines the recommended order for each product configuration with a goal of moving a future supply mix of complex products to an optimized target supply mix. The recommended order can be generated and evaluated based on demand analysis of not only configured products but also based on analysis for demand of particular product dimensions. Thus, the system determines a recommended order for each configurable product by minimizing imbalances between future supplies and target supplies of product configurations and future supplies and target supplies of dimensions of the product configurations.

Abstract: The variable domain data access control system and method described herein use the same variable domain to describe a data security model and a variable domain data model, such as a product configuration model. A variable domain is a set of resource data that can be described using a logical relationship data structure. The variable domain utilizes logical relationship expressions, such as a Boolean logic language, to define resource data in terms of parts, rules and/or attributes, and any other property that can be accessed for viewing, manipulation, or other purposes. The data security model represents an access control list (ACL) that includes security attributes as resource data and uses the same data structure and logical relationship expressions as an associated variable domain data model. An application, such as a configuration engine, can be used to create controlled access to the variable domain data model using the data security model.

Abstract: A client updates a display of a user interface associated with a state-based client-server application in accordance with a client-side cache. The server supplies data for a new state and additional data for one or more subsequent states that possibly follow the new state if appropriate one or more operations are performed. When a client request is generated that indicates an operation that causes the application to transition to the new state, the client updates the display in accordance with the data that corresponds to the new state from the client-side cache, if available from the client-side cache. The new state data is available since the server has previously supplied the new state data.

Abstract: A log file processing system sorts records from large log files and groups them by session without making a complete copy of the log files by capturing a subset of the log files in a sliding memory window and identifying all records in the window that form a complete user session. Records belonging to a complete session are output for analyzing, and the remaining records are output as raw log data for additional processing. Using a ring buffer to implement the sliding memory window, data structures are used to group records by session, to identify completed sessions, and to index into the ring buffer to retrieve records for completed sessions that are to be directly analyzed. Any records remaining in the ring buffer at the end of slide window processing may be output as raw log file data and are processed as incomplete or malformed session records. An embodiment of the log file processing system provides a significant improvement on the speed of data extraction from log files into analyzable session data.

Abstract: Technologies are described for managing metadata associated with external content. For example metadata can be obtained that describes content stored on external systems. The metadata can be obtained without locally storing the content items themselves. For example, the metadata can be retrieved from the external systems while the external content continues to be stored on the external systems. The metadata can also include indications of the actions that can be performed in relation to the external content. For example, actions can be obtained (e.g., locally determined and/or obtained from the external systems) and added to the metadata. The metadata can be stored and used locally. For example, the metadata can be used to locally perform the actions in relation to the external content. The metadata can also be used to locally initiate actions that are then carried out in the external systems.

Abstract: A system provides a way to manage agreements that institutions such as financial services companies have with distributors who sell their products. Each distributor has a plurality of sales representatives that earn commissions for selling such products. The commissions earned and any other constraints imposed on the sales representatives may be defined within a selling agreement. The system can generate each selling agreement utilizing a set of components representative of the type of agreement formed between the institutions and the distributor. The components of each selling agreement contain an associated rule set that enables a configuration engine to generate an appropriate document. The system also contains a set of regulatory conditions for each sale made by the sales representatives. The system may be utilized to process sales transaction data to ensure that selling agreement terms are followed and that regulations for each sale are satisfied.

Abstract: A system and method for efficiently responding to electronic requests for quote (“RFQ”). Through use, a user, such as a merchant, can automatically create and deliver an electronic RFQ response, without need for any interaction by the merchant. The merchant may establish certain criteria in order to allow the system and method to automatically respond to electronic RFQ's received by the merchant.

Abstract: An information system using active context technology allows a user to view and interact with a large amount of data disposed within multiple objects with relative ease, minimal time, and minimal interaction. An active context object allows an active context window to display labels, identifiers, and links for objects that are actively (e.g. presently) contextually associated with each other. Contextual association of objects can be determined by a user, inferred by the nature of each object, or automatically determined by an information system. In another embodiment, an active context window is persistently displayed to a user to allow the user to easily obtain information about contextually associated objects and easily allow the user to navigate among contextually associated objects. In one embodiment, the active context object can be transmitted to other users to allow each user to access contextually related objects and, thus, contextually related information.

Abstract: A method is disclosed that includes identifying an inventory item corresponding to a product configuration. The product configuration is defined using a feature map. The inventory item is also defined using the feature map. Each entry of the feature map corresponds to one of a number of features of a product.

Abstract: Response delay associated with a state-based client-server application can be reduced with utilization of an application state server-side cache. A server caches data for a set of one or more possible states of a client-server application that may follow a current state of the application. The server rapidly responds to a client request with data that corresponds to an appropriate new state of the application in accordance with the application state server-side cache. The server determines that the application will transition to the appropriate new state from the current state of the application with the application state server-side cache based, at least in part, on an operation indicated by the client request.

Abstract: The compensation calculation system provides in one embodiment a promotion based system. A series of user interfaces allow a user to define an incentive program, such as a promotion program, for customers of an entity. In one embodiment, the definition of an incentive program includes the customers who will participate in the program, the products that are the subject of the program, various levels of attainments that must be met to obtain compensation, and the payout generation details. The system efficiently determines accumulations relevant to the attainments and payouts using a combination snowflake data schema and nested set model to facilitate high performance determination of accumulation values. “What-if” analyses can be undertaken in a reasonable amount of time to, for example, determine and/or compare different compensation payouts based on changing variables that affect compensation.

Abstract: A method includes generating a delta price and generating a final price using the delta price. A process and system provide an ability to determine a product's final price with a selected set of features in which multiple configurations are to be generated. The ability to determine such final prices can be based on the ability to determine the change in price between one configuration of a product and that of another product configuration (e.g. the product configured with the desired feature(s)). A customer is able to select one or more features, and so view the effect on the product's final price, as well as compare the prices (and incremental price differences) between various configurations of a given product. This increases the likelihood of the purchase being made, because it provides the potential purchaser with the final price earlier in the sales cycle.

Abstract: Embodiments of the components and processes for recording selected Web site data described herein adhere to long-term stability guidelines so as to improve maintainability and viability over time. Additionally, the data recording components can be placed within a software architecture to minimize the number of redundant data recording components. Furthermore, the data recording components can be tailored to specific data recording purposes. Additionally, the data recording components can be designed to take into account system performance issues and minimally impact system performance. Furthermore, the data recording components can be tailored to gather specific data useful for various analytical processes. Additionally, embodiments of the data recording components are relatively easy to implement and able to handle idiosyncrasies and changes of various Web sites in which they are placed.

Abstract: A method, system, and apparatus for debugging an application program from a workstation that is remote from a server on which the application program resides includes invoking the application program from the workstation via a network interface; displaying a user frame at the workstation that includes information generated by the application program; providing a debug view option at the workstation for generating a debug frame of the application program; and displaying the debug frame at the workstation when the debug view option is selected. When the debug view option is selected, the information for the user frame is saved and can be restored to regenerate the information on the user frame when the user view option is selected. The developer can view internal, public, and private code associated with the application program without compromising the security of other application programs on the server.

Abstract: A virtual salesperson system and method for tablet computers such as Apple's iPad can be used by the customer (as opposed to most applications which are for the dealer, or on a central kiosk) to provide the customer a tour of a showroom and each vehicle, highlighting key features and other content at the discretion of the OEM, such as videos tours conducted by their spokesperson. In at least one embodiment, the customer can also search inventory, potentially at this dealer and other ‘friendly’ dealerships with whom this dealer has a trading relationship. Other sales tools such as build and price, payment estimation, etc are available as well.

Abstract: An inventory, disposition, and order management system and method utilizes multiple data sources to obtain complementary and augmented product data to determine an enhanced set of product data that reflects product inventory and disposition history information in a supply chain. The system and method can utilize the complementary and augmented product data to formulate recommended orders to achieve product dealer sales goals. The system and method compare the product data obtained from the data sources and reconcile any discrepancies. In at least one embodiment, the product data includes product identification data, product inventory data, product configuration data, and product disposition history data. Obtaining data from multiple sources allows the system and method to develop more accurate and complete data through an audit and reconciliation process as opposed to data obtained from a single source.

Abstract: Nested commit/reveal sequences using randomized inputs from each participant in a gaming transaction (e.g., the house and each player) may be employed to provide a selection of outcome or outcomes that can be verified by each participant as free from cheating. In general, techniques may be employed in a variety of distributed gaming transaction environments and as a verification facility for any of a wide variety of games in which the risk of player collusion can be eliminated. Nonetheless, several variations on a distributed card dealing method are illustrative and will be appreciated by persons of ordinary skill in the art as applicable in other gaming environments, including games employing outcomes denominated in die (or dice) rolls, coin toss, wheel spins, blind selection or other ostensibly random selection of an outcome from a predefined set thereof.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention provides a system that enables financial services companies to manage and track information about a sales force. The system includes components for managing distributors information, for validating and tracking licenses and credentials, for creating customized contracts, and for maintaining compensation structures. The system allows for configuring compensations, providing financial services companies a toolkit for creating and modeling their complex commission schedules used to compensate their sales force. The system also provides modeling tools for agreements and contracts between a financial services company or provider and the distributors who sell products. The system has a multi-component architecture comprising multiple modules, multiple data processing engines, a backbone and multiple data sources. The processing modules carry out information processing using one or more data processing engines.