Abstract: The automated compliance engine of the present invention uses the Federal, State, local and professional regulations and requirements and implementing instructions to generate a plurality of tasks which can be used to control and drive the process of handling a mortgage loan application to completion and to monitor the completion of the tasks in order to generate a Completion Certificate. Mortgage loan requesters may specify that the system will generate the plurality of required tasks, provide the plurality of required tasks to the requestor for his execution, and monitor the completion of all required tasks so as to provide a completion certificate to the requestor.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for delivering personal ad services which substantially eliminate or reduce the disadvantages and problems associated with prior systems that deliver such personal ad services. In the use of such services, the need is recognized for improved capability regarding the features available to Internet users, and the integration of audiotex personal ad services and Internet personal ad services. With the present invention, a personal ad published in a newspaper includes graphical icons which denote if an ad has additional text or multimedia files (a photograph or a video clip) available on the Internet. With respect to personal ad services, the present invention provides the needed improved capability regarding the features available to Internet users, and the integration of audiotex personal ad services and Internet personal ad services.

Abstract: In one aspect, a method for activating, installing, and regulating use of a licensed product is disclosed. A customer licenses or buys a licensed product from a distributor. The distributor registers information describing the customer, the licensed product, and other information about the transaction at a database maintained by the licensor, manufacturer, or developer of the licensed product. The licensor communicates information describing the transaction to the customer, and the distributor ships media containing the licensed product to the customer. The customer connects to the database through a server and requests the licensed product to be activated, providing the information that describes the transaction in its request. In response, the server of the licensor generates encrypted key information that uniquely identifies the customer, the licensed product, and a license level or other information about the maximum permitted extent of use of the licensed product.

Abstract: A computer implemented system and method and a computer readable medium for complying with the requirements of a quality standard known as ISO 9000. The areas covered include controlled documentation, training management, meetings and reports, process improvement requests, project management, and audit management. All controlled documents have a security and revision control portion that controls the access and approval capabilities of the documents. The system is form controlled. Certain individual fields of the forms require the entry of data, and field's control are controlled by certain fields of other forms, with the fields being updated by other fields in the system, operator entry of data, and a combination of control by both the system and operator entry. The system includes an ISO matrix relating each document to an ISO clause. The system has a controlling document for each delineated activity, and all other documents relating to such activity are linked as a child of the controlling document.

Abstract: A decision support system, including a decision model, provides an indication, either of itself or in combination with a weighted average of the scores assigned to the decision model factors, of the degree to which the pattern of contribution scores corresponds to a benchmark pattern. This indication, referred to as a matching index, can be calculated according to a class of matching index functions, including those based on regression-correlation and Bayesian pattern matching and cost/loss concepts. In addition, the distribution quality and bias can be indicated by another measure referred to as the distribution quality bias measure which is an indication of how biased such a contribution distribution is, with respect to a benchmark of contributions. The matching index and distribution quality and bias measure can be combined to indicate an overall quality value of match, as opposed to a simple measure of pattern matching or weighted averages.

Abstract: A real time billing system for accounts that locks out transaction events when the billing process is underway is provided. When a transaction event is received that should be posted to an account during the billing process, the account is locked. It is determined if the next bill time is in the past for the account and if it is, close billing of the account is performed on the account without billing the transaction event. After close billing of the account is finished, the transaction event may be posted to the account and the account unlocked.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device (200, 300), system (400, 500) and method for real-time streaming of a multimedia file stored in a remote server over a packet network to a multimedia client connected to the same network via a low-speed access link such as an analog telephone line. The invention operates to provide significantly improved QoS with respect to both quality and delay.

Abstract: A mechanism for heterogeneous, peer-to-peer, and disconnected workflow execution across a network infrastructure. Performer Agent entities provide a homogeneous view of humans, applications, and heterogeneous workflow systems and components that act as Performers on the network by executing Tasks. Source Agent entities provide a homogeneous view of heterogeneous service requesters such as workflow scripts executing on different workflow systems, which generate Activities that need to execute on Performers as Tasks. Task Request and Task Response messages are used to standardize the communication between Source Agents and Performer Agents, along with other messages for controlling and queuing Tasks. Workflow systems interact with each other as peers using this mechanism by sending workflow execution requests, workflow script templates, and workflow execution environments to each other.

Abstract: Each and any viewer of a video or a television scene is his or her own proactive editor of the scene, having the ability to interactively dictate and select--in advance of the unfolding of the scene and by high-level command--a particular perspective by which the scene will be depicted, as and when the scene unfolds. Video images of the scene are selected, or even synthesized, in response to a viewer-selected (i) spatial perspective on the scene, (ii) static or dynamic object appearing in the scene, or (iii) event depicted in the scene. Multiple video cameras, each at a different spatial location, produce multiple two-dimensional video images of the real-world scene, each at a different spatial perspective. Objects of interest in the scene are identified and classified by computer in these two-dimensional images. The two-dimensional images of the scene, and accompanying information, are then combined in the computer into a three-dimensional video database, or model, of the scene.