Abstract: System and method for service pricing optimization enables analysis of multi-phased, multi-business unit, multi-process, multi-geo/country deal structure with its parts and phases having different pricing implications, and provides a flexible composite pricing schedule optimized for both service provider and receiver by gain and risk sharing. In one aspect, elementary pricing models and pricing parameters are established and a composite pricing model is constructed based on the elementary pricing models and pricing parameters. An optimizer optimizes the composite pricing model to minimize risk and maximize one or more selected criteria. Price is generated using the optimized composite pricing model.

Abstract: Methods and systems remotely monitor a current value of a meter display. A picture of the display is taken with a camera equipped portable communication device. The picture is sent through the portable communication device and associated infrastructure to a processing system. The processing system receives and stores the picture and, optionally, verification data, imaging location data, and other data, in a datastore. The processing system processes the picture to obtain a current value of the meter and authenticates the sender and/or the meter using the verification data and/or location data.

Abstract: A system for processing and classifying articles that classifies a set of articles based at least upon the locations of the articles within a structure. The system provides a notification over a computer network to a user, wherein the notification informs the user that the user has a time period within which to select a first article from the set of classified articles to add to a pre-existing order by the user, wherein the time period is based at least in part on the anticipated time to transfer at least one article in the set of articles to a different location within the structure.

Abstract: Methods, including service methods, articles of manufacture, systems, articles and programmable devices are provided for charging travel fees or awarding benefits as a function of vehicle occupancy. Variable travel fee schedules include a plurality of different rate values, each rate value associated with ride-sharing service points of a vehicle infrastructure and vehicle occupancy counts. Occupants within a vehicle traveling via a vehicle infrastructure are counted, the counting generating discrete occupant counts correlated with the ride-sharing service points. Subsets of variable travel fee schedule rate values are selected as a function of association with discrete occupant counts and correlated ride-sharing service points. Owners, occupants or other parties associated with the vehicle are accordingly charged a travel fee or awarded a benefit as a function of the rate value subset and an amount of the vehicle traveling.

Abstract: A method of billing for printing service costs is presented. The method entails examining the content of a page and applying a cost function to approximate the cost of printing the page. Examining the content of the page may include detecting at least one object in the page and determining an approximate area of coverage of the detected object within the at least one object in the page. The cost function can approximate the cost of printing the page using the detected object and the determined approximate area of coverage of the detected object.

Abstract: A method, program product and system for automated control of pricing of a product or service. The method includes determining an initial price of the product, monitoring actual sales of the product at retail outlets, and adjusting the initial price during a selling season of the product based on the actual sales of the product. The method can further include accepting input from a historical price database, and determining the initial price using historical prices of the product or a similar product. The method can further include repeatedly adjusting a price of the product during a selling season based on the actual sales of the product. The method can further include applying a markdown to the price of the product and using a markdown profile to determine the markdown. The method can further include performing slow seller analysis to determine the markdown. The determination that a product is a slow seller can be made by applying a predetermined rule set to the product.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an itinerary planner is described. The itinerary planner generates itineraries for visiting locations which are personalized to the user's preferences. Unknown conditions are handled by contingency plans that the itinerary planner generates in an anytime manner. The first itineraries are derived in a short time, and as more computation time is allowed, additional itineraries that better suit the preferences of the user are obtained.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing an itinerary planner is described. The itinerary planner generates itineraries for visiting locations which are personalized to the user's preferences. Unknown conditions are handled by contingency plans that the itinerary planner generates in an anytime manner. The first itineraries are derived in a short time, and as more computation time is allowed, additional itineraries that better suit the preferences of the user are obtained.

Abstract: A method of processing postal items in which an image is formed of each item, the image including address information (1), and on the basis of the image of the item and a reference address base (6), OCR is used to perform automatic recognition of the destination address information (8, 9), is characterized in that during automatic recognition of destination address information, use is made (10) of a database (11) in which there are organized ordered lists of delivery points for delivery rounds in such a manner as to take account of an estimated extra cost for destination error associated with processing the item should the item be delivered to an erroneous delivery point.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for calculating a delivery date. The disclosed systems and methods may include receiving, at a delivery processor, origin data corresponding to an origin delivery office that receives an item to be sent, the origin data comprising origin location information, a scan date reflecting a date the item is scanned at the origin delivery office, and a scan time reflecting a time the item is scanned at the origin delivery office. The delivery processor determines whether the scan time is before a cut-off acceptance time for scanning items at the origin delivery office and sets a start date and time based on the scan time determination. The delivery processor also determines a first estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an outbound delivery office, and determines a second estimated date and time that the item will be scanned at an inbound delivery office.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution for improving shared space availability by dynamically responding user utilization behavior of shared space. In the system, automated sensors within a shared space can be used to detect when spaces are in use. Sensors such as motion detectors, infrared sensors, cameras, and the like can correlate space usage to a reservation system. When a space is reserved by a user, the system can verify space occupancy according to the reservation. If the space is unoccupied and the reservation time has not expired, the space can be automatically freed. If the excess time before reservation expiration is more than a threshold value (e.g., fifteen minutes) the system can penalize the user. Penalties can be applied for users that do not utilize reservations.

Abstract: An information processor includes: a receiving unit that receives a place of a conference and a feature of a participant who is to participate in the conference; a person extracting unit that extracts persons corresponding to the feature of the participant received by the receiving unit; a cost calculating unit that calculates a cost necessary for the persons extracted by the person extracting unit to participate in the conference on the basis of the place of the conference received by the receiving unit; and a participant selecting unit that selects the participants who are to participate in the conference among the persons extracted by the person extracting unit on the basis of a choice reference in accordance with the cost calculated by the cost calculating unit.

Abstract: A business enablement method and system. The method includes identifying and retrieving business management data associated with the business. The business management data is mapped to a structure comprised by a business management model. The business management data is categorized into a standard informational structure. An intranet viewable interactive model of the business management data is generated. The business management data is mapped to key result areas of the business. The business management data is integrated with business computing systems. The business computing systems receive reports comprising the business management data mapped to the key result areas of business. The reports are reviewed to determine a status of the business management data. The business management data is improved and displayed.

Abstract: A method and system for processing postage payments is described. In one configuration a digital pen is utilized to provide an indication of authorization for payment of postage, while the rest of the mail handling is done using existing technology independent of the digital pen infrastructure.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for modifying the status for one or more carrier services based on one or more geographical delivery areas. Such embodiments provide an interface module executed by a processor to modify data indicating the status for the one or more carrier services in response to obtaining data indicating the one or more carrier services to be modified, a beginning date for which the status of the one or more carrier services is to be modified, an ending date for which the status will return to its pre-existing state prior to being modified, one or more geographical delivery areas in which the status is to be modified, and a modification for the one or more carrier services.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a Postal package delivery system for forwarding a packet from a sender towards a destination through a postal network where the postal network comprises a plurality of postal nodes for sorting and forwarding the package through said network via at least one node of said plurality of postal nodes towards the destination. The forwarding of the package is based on the address of said destination, where a tag associating device is able to associate a tag of the package flexibly with a physical address of a plurality of addresses of said destination.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for transporting physical objects, wherein at least one physical object is transported from a sending station to a receiving station, wherein the transport occurs through at least one physical router, wherein the physical router executes a decision about further parameters of transport to another physical router or to the receiving station. The method is carried out in that a central control computer receives information for handling and moving the physical objects and that the central control computer influences supplies for transport means and/or the transport means according to environmental data.

Abstract: A system and method of billing for printing service costs is provided to examine content of a page and apply a cost function to approximate the cost of printing the page. Examining the page may include detecting an object in the page, determining a type of the detected object, and determining an approximate area of coverage of the detected object within the page. A usage profile of each type of detected object that is printed is calculated and stored. The cost function uses the detected object, the approximate area of coverage, and a weight value associated with the type of detected object to approximate the cost of the page. When costs are calculated over a period of time, the weight value of each type of detected object may be adjusted based on the usage profile for each type of detected object.

Abstract: Profit optimization methods and systems for a supply chain are described. An implementation of the technique includes determining the initial cost of components required to manufacture a product, dynamically determining the cost for substitution of at least one product component, dynamically determining the location of at least one substitute component, and manufacturing the product for the lowest cost based on the results of the cost of substitution and substitute component location determinations. At least one of the cost of substitute components and the component locations may be determined at or near the time of manufacture.

Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and methods for regular pricing optimization. A system can include decomposing a pricing situation into sub-problems. A non-linear optimization problem is solved to determine continuous optimal prices. A mixed integer linear programming problem is solved to snap prices to grid points.