Abstract: It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus and methods for electronically evaluating a pair of entities as candidates for co-location. The apparatus and methods may be used to define a group of entities for co-location assessment. A pairing within the group may be quantitatively evaluated based on a variety of criteria to assess suitability for co-location. The evaluations may be combined to generate a co-location score which may be displayed pictorially in a co-location matrix.

Abstract: Provides workflow systems and methods. A workflow system having a matchmaking unit for receiving a task query from a workflow, and a plurality of task definer units, each providing a definition of a task. The matchmaking unit communicates with the task definer units to evaluate the task definitions against the task query based on at least one property associated with each task definition and provides at least one of the task definitions to the workflow as offers based on the evaluation.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer-readable media for evaluating business-critical criteria relating to exploring entity mobility/productivity opportunities are provided. A method according to the invention may include calculating a hierarchy of a plurality of decision elements regarding the opportunities. The calculating can include forming a matrix of values corresponding to the relative importance of each of the decision elements with respect to one another. The method can also include calculating a weighted composite score for each sub-process specified in each of the plurality of decision elements. The method may include compiling a favorability rating for each sub-process. The favorability rating for each sub-process may be based, at least in part, on the weighted composite score for each sub-process and the matrix of values corresponding to the relative importance of each of the decision elements with respect to one another.

Abstract: In various embodiments, strategies, tools and techniques are provided for processing and analyzing data in an advertising measurement system accessible through a software-as-a-service model or a client-downloaded computer program. The system may be configured to receive and process household media exposure data, product purchase data, advertising data, program data, and demographic data, wherein the data may be obtained from various sources, including from a program delivery source (e.g., a television set-top box) located in a household of a consumer. The data may be matched and cross-correlated for calculating return on advertising investment measurements and other metrics. The data may be used to optimize media placement generally or to address advertising content to specific households. Methods for storing and accessing data in the advertising measurement system by distributing the data across multiple shards are also provided. In addition, methods for protecting privacy of communicated data are disclosed.

Abstract: A system for monitoring orders processed by order processing applications implemented on computer systems is provided. The order processing monitor comprises an application to process a portion of an order and to write application data to a log file, the application data related to the processing of the order by the application, a log adapter operable to communicate with the log file to obtain at least a portion of the application data, a log agent operable to monitor a resource data related to a computer system used by the application to process at least some of the order, and a monitor component in communication with the log adapter to obtain the portion of the application data and operable to obtain at least a portion of the resource data, the monitor component using the application data and resource data to determine order status information.

Abstract: A legal process management system facilitates simultaneous dynamic dialogs between legal process managers and networked attorneys and contractors providing services in connection with security interest enforcement actions (SIEAs). The legal process managers submit queries and deadlines selected to timely guide the attorneys and contractors through the requirements of the SIEAs. The attorneys and contractors submit responsive answers revealing the status of their SIEAs In some embodiments, an events based management system uses a stochastic model to calculate completion times for the milestones of the SIEA, including the “events” that make up subparts of the milestones. This provides a flexible and powerful system for managing prosecution of the SIEA and for predicting likely durations. The stochastic model incorporates the concept of both fixed-frequency events and random-frequency events, and also allows for both controlled events and managed events.

Abstract: A method is provided for implementing a computer network system for managing a supply chain, wherein the computer network system comprising a plurality of application server computers.

Abstract: Several methods for estimating search engine market share for individual and groups of websites are described. Keywords, search domains, seed websites, seed keywords and other starting points are used to estimate relative market share for websites identified in search results at one or more search engines.

Abstract: A method for forecasting a future inventory demand includes receiving historical demand data associated with a part number and statistically analyzing the historical demand data associated with one or more part numbers to identify each part number as one of a seasonal part number, a quasi-seasonal part number, a high variability part number, or a non-seasonal part number. If the part number is identified as a seasonal part number, a first inventory requirement for a first predetermined portion of a future demand period is estimated. If the part number is identified as a quasi-seasonal part number, a second inventory requirement for a second predetermined portion of a future demand period is estimated, wherein the second predetermined portion of the future demand period is a multiple of the first predetermined portion. If the part number is identified as a high variability part number, a third inventory requirement for a third predetermined portion of a future demand period is estimated.

Abstract: A method, system, and article of manufacture for defining and managing instances of time-based organization hierarchies, and for monitoring achievement and attainment, and calculating compensation for individuals and/or groups within instances of the time-based organization hierarchies are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a user may define and/or manage one or more instances of the time-based organization hierarchy via a user interface generated on a client. Moreover, and in response to a sales data input corresponding to a transaction, an achievement and attainment monitoring process may then be executed to accumulate transaction data in one or more achievement containers, and to compile achievement containers from a specified attainment period to calculate a user's attainment.

Abstract: HOPS™, which stands for “Hands On Proactive Strategy” is software and a business management method about making routine things happen routinely, and about having everyone be able to find the information they need, when they need it, to do the job they need to do. The solution to information sharing (and other closely related process) problems is an elegant set of software combined with behaviors that help the organization share information.

Abstract: A system and method is provided that provides an early indication of consensus of opinion among a number of users regarding an event or observation indicated by a user. Such an opinion may be interesting to an information consumer, who may be interested in determining the outcome of the consensus relating to the event or observation, or may otherwise desire to perform surveillance or survey of a particular issue or subject. Such recognition of early events or observations may be useful in different areas, such as healthcare, finance, etc., where initial observations, if provided early, allow resulting decisions to be made much earlier. The opinion may, for instance, be used as an early indicator of problem with a product, company, etc. that would permit an information consumer to perform an action at a much earlier point than if he/she relied on traditional sources of information. Thus, such opinion information may be invaluable as a tool for monitoring events.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to an automated way for a non-technical person to create or modify software functionality in support of a business process without needing expertise in software. According to the invention, an automated matching tool may apply user input expressed semantically to a database of semantic information associated with syntactic information, to match the user input with a service (e.g., an application program) capable of performing a business process step corresponding to the input.

Abstract: A method of generating employment market characteristics from a network includes the steps of accessing an employment resource including data via a network, matching the data to one of a plurality of employment market categories, and updating at least one statistical indicator associated with the matched employment market category.

Abstract: The present invention is a system and framework for augmenting any retail transaction system with information about the involved customers. This invention provides a method to combine the transaction data records and a customer or a group of customers with the automatically extracted demographic features (e.g., gender, age, and ethnicity), shopping group information, and behavioral information using computer vision algorithms. First, the system detects faces from face view, tracks them individually, and estimates poses of each of the tracked faces to normalize. These facial images are processed by the demographics classification module to determine and record the demographics feature vector. The system detects and tracks customers to analyze the dynamic behavior of the tracked customers so that their shopping group membership and checkout behavior can be recognized. Then the instances of faces and the instances of bodies can be matched and combined.

Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods to process time-series data. As an example, a system and method can use a first data store to store time series data, and a second data store to store definitions of events. A dummy variable is generated when data from an event's definition is applied to time series data.

Abstract: In various embodiments, strategies, tools and techniques are provided for processing and analyzing data in an advertising measurement system accessible through a software-as-a-service model or a client-downloaded computer program. The system may be configured to receive and process household media exposure data, product purchase data, advertising data, program data, and demographic data, wherein the data may be obtained from various sources, including from a program delivery source (e.g., a television set-top box) located in a household of a consumer. The data may be matched and cross-correlated for calculating return on advertising investment measurements and other metrics. The data may be used to optimize media placement generally or to address advertising content to specific households. Methods for storing and accessing data in the advertising measurement system by distributing the data across multiple shards are also provided. In addition, methods for protecting privacy of communicated data are disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a contact center 100 comprising (a) an input operable to receive a contact from a customer, the customer having an associated value to the contact center 100 and (b) a contact selector 216 operable to select a resource of the contact center 100 to service the contact based, at least in part, on the associated value. The associated value reflects one or more of a historic, predicted, and current monetary expense of the contact center to service the customer.

Abstract: Provided are, inter alia, systems, methods and techniques for controlling workflow by identifying an individual job that is part of an overall deliverables package that covers multiple jobs. An aggregate utility function is obtained, specifying utility based on an aggregate metric across the overall deliverables package, and a current operating point is determined on the aggregate utility function. An effective utility is calculated for the individual job based on the aggregate utility function and the current operating point, and the execution of work is controlled based on the effective utility for the individual job.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for managing organizational resources. The process combines social group data with management information data to form social network data, wherein social group data is derived from interactions among a plurality of users of a social group. The process analyzes the social network data to identify associations among the plurality of users, and generates a multidimensional social network model using the associations among the plurality of users. Thereafter, the process presents a set of recommendations for allocation of the organizational resources, wherein the set of recommendations are derived from the social network model.