Abstract: A computer system provides product selections to a user according to a needs analysis. A database stores pre-generated product configurations and product configuration information. The product configuration information includes product features and product rules governing allowable combinations of the product features. Received product related data can include different types of information such as attribute information and product identifier information. The received product related data is processed to determine the type of received information. If the type is attribute information, the received product related data is filtered in accordance with the product configuration information and one or more product configurations that meet requirements of the received attribute information is identified. If the type is product identifier information, one or more of the pre-generated product configurations that corresponds to the received product related data is identified.

Abstract: A nonlinear site flow system (referred to herein as an “NLSF System”) includes a nonlinear site flow context development module that works in conjunction with Web session information captured by the NLSF System to develop a context of a user's session. In one embodiment, the context of a user's session refers to interpreting the context of a user's Web session history. A nonlinear site flow context development module detects nonlinear flow events and determines whether the user, by initiating a nonlinear site flow action, such as a recall operation, has created a new session state or returned to a past session state. The nonlinear site flow context development module can then correctly determine the actual user flow during a Web session and develop an accurate context of the user's session.

Abstract: A system and method for presenting information organized by hierarchy levels displays navigation bars related to the hierarchy of nodes from the root node to the one or more sub-nodes having the lowest hierarchy level and hides unrelated sub-nodes, such as siblings of ancestors of the lowest hierarchy level node. The relevant levels of the hierarchy are displayed as a stacked box metaphor to provide strong state information for information associated with a desired sub-node of the lowest selected hierarchy level. Index tabs provide a view of heterogeneous sections sliced across a desired attribute to provide rapid navigation through a hierarchy of non-homogeneous classifiers to find information having an indexed attribute. Activation of a sub-node navigation bar displays information associated with the sub-node or displays child nodes and hides sibling nodes of the activated sub-node. An activation icon associated with navigation bars allows a user to browse upwards in the hierarchy level as desired.

Abstract: A network session recording and parsing system (“SRP System”) captures direct user interactions passed between the web server and a browser, the SRP System and information from the web site's server-side application layers. In one embodiment, the SRP System includes two main components, data recording hooks and a parser. The SRP System includes a data recording hooks library that provides the ability to implement a dynamic, web-based application and gather a wide-range of user session history information. The SRP System parser analyzes the logged information from the data recording hooks and re-creates a history, with a desired level of contextual detail, of every individual user's session. In one embodiment, the SRP System embodies a flexible design system that allows a designer to customize the type of information recorded. An embodiment of the data recording hooks provides a virtually unnoticeable impact to browser-Web server request and response times.

Abstract: An automated heterogeneous configurator employs a technique by which the state of a context can be changed and restored automatically to facilitate the configuration of systems having components that span multiple contexts. The technique employs a high level constraint that is programmed into the component class of a model that requires a component object to determine the appropriate context for that object at the beginning of its installation within the configuration, and if the current state of the context is not that which is appropriate for the object component, the installation process for the component changes the state of the context to reflect that which is appropriate for the component. The most common context is the product line context, but any other context pertinent to the configuration of heterogeneous systems can be applied to this technique.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention utilize context subsystems to logically group resources according to context. Such context subsystems can be nested (i.e. hierarchical), and thus further simplify the complex configuration relationships encountered with complex systems. Higher level (i.e. parent) context subsystems contain at least one resource that is utilized by a lower level (i.e. child) component, subsystem, or context subsystem. Context subsystems can be hierarchically arranged in single- and multi-parent arrangements and single- and multi-child arrangements. The number of context subsystem hierarchical levels is virtually unlimited and is generally dictated by the complexity of the system and the corresponding simplification needs of the configuration technology being utilized to configure the system. Context subsystems are applicable and useful in a configuration environment for virtually any configurable system amenable to contextual groupings of resources.

Abstract: An application's XML parser requiring XML files conforming to a very simple DTD requires a user to create a verbose and very redundant XML input file. The verbose XML file is usually prone to errors if created by a novice user, or an entity not involved in the initial creation of the application and its parser. Thus, the present invention creates an input XML file conforming to the simple DTD from a grammar rich XML file provided by the user. The grammar rich XML file requires a complex DTD for transformation. The complex DTD may also be prone to error if created by the user, therefore, the complex DTD file is automatically created from a schema definition provided by the user, or an agency of the user. The user or an agent of the user defines a schema for the desired grammar level, and then through a series of XSL transformations, the complex DTD file is created. Also, a stylesheet used for transforming the user's grammar rich XML file is automatically created.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention includes a method and apparatus for enabling application components to communicate through connection points. Embodiments of the invention include a communication manger allowing application components that implement connection points and listeners to communicate without having prior knowledge of each other's implementation. Application components implement connection point containers that register with a communication manager. Application components may broadcast events and messages to other components and request to be notified when an application component implementing a given type of connection point registers with the communication manager. Other embodiments of the invention implement proxy classes, which allows for automatic generation of connection point classes.

Abstract: A data processing system processes transaction database information to predict future demand using data regression techniques to extract trend line information from historical pattern frequency values. By extrapolating the trend line, a predicted pattern frequency value may be calculated. By applying regression techniques (such as least-squares approximation), the trend line information may be extracted and projected to predict the future pattern frequency which may be applied to calculate the expected value of a recommendation rule.