Abstract: A method and system to manage, exchange, and apply innovation related IT data. The method includes receiving data inputs from several sources, qualifying data inputs, selecting one or more of the qualified data inputs, selecting at least one innovation technique, and applying the selected innovation technique to the selected data input. Potential innovation solutions would result from the successful innovation technique. A second test is applied to each one of the potential solutions, and at least one of potential solutions is selected. Each step in the process and the results thereof can be archived. A first embodiment of the invention is directed to a method of managing, exchanging, and applying innovation data. A second embodiment of the invention is directed to a system of managing, exchanging, and applying innovation data. A third embodiment of the invention is directed to a graphical user interface to manage, exchange, and apply innovation related data.

Abstract: Computer-implemented systems and method for generating personalized email communications soliciting orders of custom products. Product reorder candidates are identified from customer records and a personalized email order solicitation is sent to the customer. The email is adapted to display an image of the customer's previously designed custom product, either exactly as originally designed or, if appropriate, as automatically updated prior to displaying to the user.

Abstract: A system and method that reduces content selection cost, to commercialize the proper picture content quickly, and to reduce the cost required to research the detailed sales market. Content introduction information is sent to a contents polling apparatus, the content introduction information is displayed at a contents introduction information display. A pollee views the displayed content introduction information and enters the contents polling information for each picture content, the entered contents polling information is sent to a contents market research apparatus, which counts the sent contents polling information and generates a counted result as the output.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for long-range planning. One embodiment includes a method for long-range planning for staffing in a complex environment, such as a contact center. The method includes defining at least one employee profile, wherein an employee profile comprises a group of employees that have the same skills, and wherein defining comprises specifying characteristics, including a skill set and an efficiency percentage. The method further includes defining at least one queue, specifying at least one criteria to be satisfied by a long-range staffing plan, and calculating an effect of staffing the at least one queue with the at least one employee profile, wherein the calculated effect includes a service level for the at least one queue, and an effective cost per hour.

Abstract: A present invention relates to a surgical retractor that immobilizes tissue at a surgical site. A preferred embodiment of the retractor is used during minimally invasive direct coronary bypass procedures to arrest movement of the grafting site while the heart continues pumping. Tape or thread can be used to connect the artery to the retractor with a holder.

Abstract: By performing initial user registration via an SSL-compliant browser in an information home electric appliance 100, user's private key, digital certificate, and member information are downloaded (b2) into the storage device in the information home electric appliance. At card use time, when the user selects products on a merchant's SSL-compliant server and issues a purchase instruction (c1), the user is identified locally in the information home electric appliance based on a personal identification number. Subsequently, the information home electric appliance accesses an SSL-compliant settlement server 220 (C4) and sends a digital certificate and member information stored in the appliance. Then, mutual authentication is performed between the user and the settlement server and, based on the member information, an authorization gateway 241 authorizes the account settlement (c5).

Abstract: A system for matching entities having needs to entities having capability to meet the needs. A plurality of needs profiles are created, where each need profile comprises a data record specifying attributes about a need. A plurality of capability profiles are also created, where each capability profile comprises a data record specifying set of attributes of an entity having a capability of meeting a need. A matching engine is coupled to repetitively and automatically examine the needs profiles and capability profiles to identify matched profiles, wherein a match comprises a set of profiles judged to be substantially compatible based upon correspondence of the attributes specified therein.

Abstract: For planning a production plan which satisfies a plural number of target values of management indices, upon calculating out production amount, supply amount and/or transportation means of plural products, various kinds of target values of management indices and estrangement values thereof are set into restriction conditions when those restriction conditions are formulated into a linear programming problem, and then feasible production plan is calculated out, so that the estrangement between the management indices being calculated from executable solutions of the above-mentioned linear programming problems and the target values thereof comes to be minimal.

Abstract: A system and method for renewing business, professional and personal contacts is described. The system overcomes time and psychological hindrances to maintaining relationships by automatically selecting whom a user should keep in touch with by displaying this selection to the user. In an automatic mode, the system searches a contact list for candidates based on predetermined user preferences and a time-based algorithm (e.g. contact each week, month, 2 weeks after a meeting, etc.). Selected candidates are collected and images transferred to a display module to build a “keep in touch” section to be displayed to the user. In a manual mode, the user initiates the selection process.

Abstract: A workflow engine for rendering instant workflow decisions includes a workflow designer, a web site interface, a database, checklists created by the workflow designer and associated with at least one workflow process, and a messaging system for brokering messages. The workflow engine uses checklists to evaluate workflow processes. Each checklist is associated with one workflow decision. The workflow checklist is an object-based representation of the sequential ordering of functions within the workflow engine. Administrative tools allow an end-user to modify workflow checklists and their associated parameters without recompiling or rebooting the system.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and systems for ordering and effectuating subscriptions to a gravesite location information service in connection with the interment of deceased individuals. In one embodiment, funeral service providers serve as a front end for taking orders for subscriptions to a third-party gravesite location information service. The invention also provides methods and systems for finding a selected gravesite using satellite or terrestrial positioning systems.

Abstract: An administrator of a system 10 sells an own company's or another company's commodity to a user via a facsimile, telephone, and electronic mail in order to deal with another company's commodity and support and correspond to diversifying customer purchase needs without suffering from inventory. A user information storage device 14 is provided so as to store an amount of payment for a commodity and support, which is determined by a user and dealer, together with user information. A buying-in information storage device 15 is provided so as to store a buying-in price of the commodity and support from a provider thereof. A reception device 11 is provided so as to receive purchase request information from a user 1. A reception processing device 13 is provided so as to consolidate the purchase request information and perform an order acceptance process in accordance with the purchase request information.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and apparatus for developing software. In one embodiment, a method for facilitating the distributed development of software components includes providing a skill rating for software developers, communicating specifications for a software component to a subset of the developers, receiving submissions from the developers, scoring the submissions, and selecting one submission to be included in a software repository. In another embodiment, a method for compensating a software developer includes soliciting software developers for the submission of computer software components, receiving software components in response to the solicitation from the developers, evaluating the received software components, selecting one or more of the submissions for potential distribution to the public, and allotting the proceeds from the distribution to the developers.

Abstract: Disclosed is an electronic real property viewing system for providing virtual tours of real property units via a public communications network such as the internet. The electronic property viewing system includes a system for affiliates to create their own virtual tours in real time by uploading photographs into a template, resulting in both movable and still photographs with accompanying data sets. Another embodiment of this invention involves the exchange of the creation and/or maintenance of such virtual tour available on a public communications network for occupation time units in the real property units.

Abstract: Conventionally, for a product accompanied by supplies such as a copy machine or a printer, the demand figures relating to the supply which such a main machine consumes have been determined empirically from the transition of the past sales records of the supply, the trends of the market, and a sales scheduled figures of the main machine. Therefore, the forecasted values of the demand figures differ in accordance with the skills or experiences of individuals carrying out the forecasting, and necessarily, the accuracy of the forecasted values deteriorates. Further, a demand forecast method relating to the supplies of a product has not been realized due to the large number of parameters, the complexity of calculation, and the difficulty of a systematic approach for solving problems.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, a system, and a software product to automatically manage one or more human workers carrying out a process of manipulating source data provided to produce result data. The process including a set of one or more task steps each having an input and resulting in a task result. The computer implemented method includes receiving units of source data from a customer. For each unit of source data and each task step for the unit of source data, the method includes dispatching the task step and its corresponding input unit to a worker and, after the worker carries out the dispatched task step on the input unit, receiving the task result corresponding to the dispatched task step and input unit from the worker.