Patents Examined by Luis Santiago
  • Patent number: 8392236
    Abstract: An exception handling system and method are provided for dynamically recovering from a workflow exception occurring in a mobile network communication system. The system has multiple workflows and at least one mission critical item. An attack tree modeling analyses is performed to identify the mission critical item. Another operation includes writing a plurality of forward recovery rules to protect the mission critical item using a transaction datalog fragment of transaction logic. The recovery rules are enabled through an engine in communication with the mobile network communication system. The multiple workflows are monitored for indication of a system attack on any one of the multiple workflows. A new workflow is automatically generated upon detection of the system attack. The exception handling system is overlayed on the mobile network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2013
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Casey K. Fung, Patrick C. Hung
  • Patent number: 8370192
    Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for dynamic project management and capacity management. Specifically, the systems and method include a management tool for performing project management, capacity management, and time and cost creation across systems and departments for the lowest levels of data. The management tool include a computer readable storage medium including a set of instructions that are executable by a processor, the set of instructions being operable to store projected time information and projected cost information for a project, store actual time information and actual cost information for the project, and display a correlation between i) the projected time information and actual time information, and ii) the projected cost information and the actual cost information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2008
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: AT&T Intellectual Property I, LP
    Inventors: Christopher Deo, Tina Chester, Wonhee Flemming, Kenneth Williams, Robert Ziemann
  • Patent number: 8355944
    Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for generating replenishment orders for products sold to a multi-store retailer. Store trait data is mapped with planogram information and the mapped data is used to generate a fixture level safety stock for a particular product in a particular store. The fixture level safety stock triggers fixture level replenishment orders.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: WebConcepts, Inc.
    Inventor: Raymond Young
  • Patent number: 8346593
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system, method, software and data structure for independently predicting attitudinal and message responsiveness, using a plurality of attitudinal or other identification classifications and a plurality of message content or version classifications, for a selected population of a plurality of entities, such as individuals or households, represented in a data repository. The plurality of predictive attitudinal (or identification) classifications and plurality of predictive message content (ore version) classifications have been determined using a plurality of predictive models developed from a sample population and applied to a reference population represented in the data repository, such as attitudinal, behavioral, or demographic models. For each predictive attitudinal (or identification) classification, at least one predominant predictive message content or version classification is independently determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2013
    Assignee: Experian Marketing Solutions, Inc.
    Inventors: Marc Christian Fanelli, Patricia Kay Gormley, Kymberly Ann Kulle, Thomas G. Nocerino, Kaushik Sanyal
  • Patent number: 8341008
    Abstract: Disclosed are a demand forecasting method, a demand forecasting program, and a demand forecasting system that can adequately forecast a demand for a commodity. A management computer calculates a trend function with respect to demand values. The management computer then calculates the ratio of the demand values to a trend curve, and calculates a logarithm of the ratio. Then, the management computer approximates the calculated natural logarithm curve with a periodic model, and converts the logarithmic scale of the acquired periodic model to a normal scale. Demand forecasting is performed using a demand forecasting model acquired by combining a periodic change model of the normal scale with a trend curve (trend function).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Takenori Oku
  • Patent number: 8326681
    Abstract: Described are methods and mechanisms for determining performance proficiency within an organization. The method includes receiving rating data that includes one or more values that are each associated with an element and each element describes a specific rating criterion associated with a specific rating subject. The method additionally includes producing a hierarchical data structure responsive to the receipt of the rating data that includes at least one category and each category includes at least one factor having at least one element. The method further includes generating a rating schema based on the hierarchical data structure. The method may additionally include providing the rating schema to a client and the value within each element may define an ability of a rating subject. Each value associated with an element may be a numerical value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Inventor: Peter E. Di Mario
  • Patent number: 8326658
    Abstract: An electronic catalog system monitors browsing actions of users to generate user activity data. A data mining component analyzes the user activity data to generate conditional probability data that is presented to users contextually to assist users in selecting items from the electronic catalog. The conditional probability data reflects the frequencies with which users that have performed specific actions, such as viewing a particular item, set of items or web page, or conducting a specific search, have thereafter acquired specific items from the catalog. For example, in one embodiment, when a user selects a first item for viewing in the catalog, the user is notified, for at least one second item, of a frequency with which users who have viewed the first item and then made a purchase have acquired the second item.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Dennis Lee, Randal Henne, Jeffrey Holden, David Hsu, Brent Smith, Eric Vadon
  • Patent number: 8260643
    Abstract: A computer implemented method, data processing system, and computer program product for providing an optimization solution comprising an open, generalized and reusable parametric optimization framework and architecture which enables rapid deployment of optimization solutions to any tool or program that builds on an integrated development environment platform. In the optimization framework, a core optimization plugin is provided which comprises an internal optimization model and a set of optimization tools. The optimization framework also comprises pluggable and customizable component providers and descriptors external to the core optimization plugin. The core optimization plugin receives configuration information from a user. The information enables the core optimization plugin to interact with a user data model in a plurality of different user data models.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2012
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jay William Benayon, Kui Yan Lau, Humie Leung
  • Patent number: 8239253
    Abstract: Electronically published compilations are provided. The compilations typically include a plurality of incumbent entries that are subject to replacement by candidate revisions through successive elections by an electorate of voters, e.g., human voters. Also provided are methods for improving existing compilations through elections. Election rules, history, dates and times, and election results may provide a measure of quality of the winning revision. Such compilations, when properly designed and implemented, may be viewed as an authoritative reference work that may ultimately serve as a “Rosetta Stone” for a semantic web.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2012
    Inventor: Louis L. Wu
  • Patent number: 8234153
    Abstract: A performance appraisal system is provided for reviewing employees' performance of a company. The performance appraisal system may be integrated with a compensation simulator such that compensation for each employee may be associated with his/her respective performance. On a computer graphical user interface, employees in an organizational unit of the company may be shown in a grid pane displaying a variety of performance tiers. The employees may be distributed among the performance tiers based on performance appraisals. In response to an employee change performance tier, for example, an employee may be dragged from one performance tier and dropped in a different performance tier, the system automatically makes corresponding changes to respective performance appraisals. The integrated compensation simulator simulates adjustments to compensations for affected employees based on changes to performance appraisals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2012
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventors: Diana Luise Hecker, Caroline Goll, Maurice Hendrik Hagen
  • Patent number: 8219444
    Abstract: A system, method and program product are provided for planning sales of one or more products or services. The method comprises selecting a markdown profile associated with the one or more products or services, selecting a sales pattern associated with the markdown profile, and distributing sales of the one or more products or services using the markdown profile and sales pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: SAP Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Ruediger Züerl, Hergen Busch, Christine Fotteler
  • Patent number: 8204772
    Abstract: A capability assessment system provides a tailored evaluation with clear distinction between progressive companies and companies that offer more basic services. The system scores and rates the company across multiple categories according to a which capabilities are applicable to the company, and which of the applicable capabilities the company actually utilized. The system applies a unique rating and point mapping approach to the capabilities utilized by the company. The point mapping approach is configured to facilitate clear delineation between average and above average companies, as well as an identification of which capabilities, if utilized, can put a company ahead of its competition. This information assists a company in efficiently prioritizing and identifying which improvements to its rendered services will have the greater overall impact, benefiting both the customer and the company itself, and allowing the company to effectively recognize, meet, and exceeding customer expectations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited
    Inventors: Farhad Babazadeh, Corey B. Grivna, Gene Soo
  • Patent number: 8190459
    Abstract: A workflow management system is provided. The workflow management system comprises a workflow manager that coordinates the activities of business systems to accomplish jobs, the workflow manager associating a state with each job and updating the state of each job as the job progresses, a tracking data store, and a reporting data store. The tracking data store receives the state of the jobs from the workflow manager. The reporting data store receives the state of the jobs from the tracking data store. The reporting data store maintains milestones which correspond to one or more states, and scenarios, which are defined as a group of milestones. The system also includes a processing component that analyzes the plurality of milestones and scenarios to provide a summary of job progress. The system also includes a user interface operable to select and to display a report of job progress.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: CenturyLink Intellectual Property LLC
    Inventors: Wai Kit Fong, Naresh Saladi
  • Patent number: 8145512
    Abstract: A data mining component collectively analyzes item acquisition histories of users of an electronic catalog of items to identify pairs of items that tend to be acquired sequentially. For each such item pair, the data mining component may also determine whether user acquisitions of the two items tend to be spaced apart in time by a characterizing time interval. In addition, the data mining component may calculate one or more conditional probability values reflective of the frequency with which users who acquire the first item in the pair acquire the second item after waiting for a particular interval of time. The item relationship data extracted by the data mining component may be displayed in the electronic catalog in association with corresponding catalog items to assist users in selecting items to acquire, and/or may be used to generate personalized item recommendations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Randal M. Henne, Dwayne S. Benefield
  • Patent number: 8090606
    Abstract: A system and method for embedding recommendations on a portable media player are provided. In general, recommendations for media presentations stored or to be stored on the portable media player are generated by a recommendation engine hosted by an external system such as, for example, a user's personal computer or a network server. In one embodiment, the media presentations are songs, and the recommendations include a number of recommended songs for each song stored or to be stored on the portable media player. The recommendations may be limited to the media presentations stored on the portable media player or otherwise accessible to the portable media player. After the recommendations are generated, the recommendations are stored, or embedded, on the portable media player. Thereafter, the portable media player may use the recommendations to facilitate playback of media content on the portable media player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2012
    Assignee: Napo Enterprises, LLC
    Inventor: Hugh Svendsen
  • Patent number: 8060391
    Abstract: A method of creating an analogous workflow is provided. A first workflow is received at a first device, the first workflow including a plurality of first modules that are connected. A second workflow is received at the first device, the second workflow including a plurality of second modules that are connected. A third workflow is received at the first device, the third workflow including a plurality of third modules that are connected. An analogy workflow is determined based on a difference between the received first workflow and the received second workflow. The determined analogy workflow is applied to the received third workflow to define a fourth workflow. The defined fourth workflow is presented to a user at the first device. A method of identifying a workflow of a plurality of workflows is provided. A query workflow is received at a first device, which includes a plurality of modules that are connected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: The University of Utah Research Foundation
    Inventors: Juliana Freire, Cláudio T. Silva, David Koop, Carlos E. Scheidegger, Huy T. Vo
  • Patent number: 8050959
    Abstract: A method is provided for analyzing operational risk associated with one or more organizations, comprising receiving operational loss data from a plurality of organizations at a third-party risk management entity that is a separate entity from the plurality of organizations. The operational loss data includes confidential information regarding one or more of the plurality of organizations. The data received from the plurality of organizations, including the confidential information, is pooled. The pooled data is used to generate an operational risk model for one of the plurality of organizations, and this operational risk model is transmitted to the organization. A system for modeling operational risk for a plurality of organizations is provided, comprising a first data store configured to collect data regarding operational losses from the plurality of organizations, whose data includes confidential information regarding one or more of the organizations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2011
    Assignee: SAS Institute Inc.
    Inventors: Donald James Erdman, Jacques Rioux, Laura Elizabeth Jackson
  • Patent number: 8046248
    Abstract: Techniques are described for identifying items that have recently undergone an interest burst. Items that have recently undergone an interest burst are identified by comparing how many interest-actions have been performed on the items during a current time window against how many interest-actions have been performed on the items historically. Various tests are performed to rule out candidates that are not likely to be of interest to other users. In addition, various spam detection techniques are described for reducing the possibility that the items that are listed as interest burst items are listed because of spam.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 25, 2011
    Assignee: Yahoo! Inc.
    Inventors: Yun Fu, Zhichen Xu, Liang-Yu (Tom) Chi
  • Patent number: 8024207
    Abstract: A system and process for modeling attributes of a set of observed data. The system and process may include an initialization process providing for a likelihood function, a first order prior function; a calibration data set; a flexible interface module in which the likelihood function, the first order first order prior function, and the second order prior function are written in a programming language; a parameter bounding process in which parameters determined to be too large are interpolated or sequentially locked down; an outlier flagging process which identifies outliers using the gradient of the likelihood function; and an output process which reports information that may include outlier forces, confidence intervals, and other factors that are unique to this modeler and useful in refining the model.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventor: Kenneth J. Ouimet
  • Patent number: 7908167
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a variance tracking report that provides a new and useful view of an enterprise's financial status. The variance tracking report may indicate variances from a planned work schedule and be used to explain any variances between projected and actual earnings as well as variances in project milestone dates. Further, the variance tracking report may show how current and past changes to the enterprise will impact future projections so the enterprise can give a clear indication of how any variances are being corrected. The plurality of views of the variance tracking report may also be analyzed in order to determine where variances are occurring on an enterprise level, a business unit level, an organization level, and a project level. Targeted action may then be taken on specific projects or enterprise methodologies in order to reduce and/or eliminate the variances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 26, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2011
    Assignee: Sprint Communications Company L.P.
    Inventors: James L. Crum, Michael W. Kanemoto