Abstract: A method and apparatus for facilitating attention to a task are disclosed. The method may include: detecting, with a sensor, one or more movements, estimating the task attention state based on the one or more movements, determining the workload based on the estimated attention state, and determining based on the workload, the optimal format for the relay of operational information that best facilitates attention to the task for increased ease of task performance.

Abstract: A method and system dynamically configures faults during software testing. During runtime of a service platform, a computer system hosting the service platform receives a request from a test program to register a list of controllers. Each of the registered controllers controls the generation of a different fault. The test program triggers the execution of a service to be tested on the service platform. During execution of the service, a predefined condition is encountered. A fault is generated if one of the registered controllers controls the fault generation associated with the predefined condition. Based on the generation of the fault, the behavior of the service can be verified.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and systems for implementing extensibility in sales prediction engines. An extensibility framework may be used to modify the metadata schema of the data used by the sales prediction engine to account for extended attributes and entities. The sales prediction engine is also modified to recognize the extended attributes and entities so that a user will be able to create new rules and train new models based on the extended attributes and entities.

Abstract: A system provides repeatable requirements for projects designed for criticality. A user interface outputs a list of business requirements for a project to assist in functional requirement selection, outputs a set of general functional requirements associated with an application that is associated with the project for selection, and receives selection of the set of general functional requirements. A server determines a design class for an application based on the selection, wherein the design class is based at least in part on at least one of an upstream application and a downstream application, wherein the application depends on the upstream application, and wherein the downstream application depends on the application.

Abstract: A interactive digital advertising system including a soft-copy display including at least an information display region and a command control region, a digital image capture system positioned to capture a time sequence of images of users located in a field-of-view of the soft-copy display, and a storage memory storing a library of advertisements. A time sequence of images is analyzed to detect a plurality of users, and at least one of the users is designated to be a controlling user. The captured images are displayed in the command control region, wherein the detected users are demarked using graphical elements. The captured time sequence of images is analyzed to determine one or more demographic attributes relating to the designated controlling user, and a particular advertisement from the library of advertisements is selected and displayed in the information display region responsive to the determined demographic information.

Abstract: In embodiments, methods and systems for consumer behavior analysis using electronically-captured consumer location data may be provided. The location data may be gathered for one or more consumers. The gathered data may be analyzed to determine behavior patterns or other characteristics of the one or more consumers. Further, inferences or predictions about consumers may be derived based on the characteristics. The inferences and predictions may be the basis of consumer analytics supplied to a business or other entity.

Abstract: Systems and methods for data sharing include generating at least one sharing plan with a cheapest cost and/or a shortest execution time for one or more sharing arrangements. Admissibility of the one or more sharing arrangements is determined such that a critical time path of the at least one sharing plan does not exceed a staleness level and a cost of the at least one sharing plan does not exceed a capacity. Sharing plans of admissible sharing arrangements are executed while maintaining the staleness level.

Abstract: A system and method is provided that generates an index, providing predictive and actionable intelligence to ensure that a Technology Infrastructure Group (TIG) makes tactical and strategic decisions in support of needs of customers. The invention measures overall health of an infrastructure, specifically with respect to how efficiently various services meet demand placed upon capacity by various Lines of Business. The invention provides an overall assessment of infrastructure capacity management and drills down to various services, components, subcomponents, etc. The invention provides a forecasting tool in which estimates made are not based only upon business forecasts provided by each Line of Business, but also upon forecasts developed by correlating external indicators with historical business volumes. Historical forecasts are compared to actual values to derive a confidence factor used for weighting future Line of Business forecasts.

Abstract: Systems and methods of selecting a relevant user for introduction to a user in an online environment are disclosed. In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure include a method, which may be implemented on a system, of receiving a request to identify the relevant user to be introduced to the participating user in the social network, identifying a set of social history records that occurred among the multiple users in the social network, selecting, from the multiple users, the relevant user to be introduced to the participating user using the set of social history records. The relevant user that is selected is not a social connection of the participating user in the social network. One embodiment includes, determining whether the participating user is interested in meeting the relevant user in the social network based on an indication made by the participating user via interaction with the user device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for assessing the status of work waiting for service in a work queue or a work pool. Work items are placed in the work queue or work pool and have a service time goal. The work items in the work queue or work pool are scanned and a required queue position for each work item is calculated according to the amount of time remaining prior to the expiration of the service time goal and weighted advance time for servicing of work items in the work queue or pool. An array of counters has elements which correspond to required queue positions. Upon the calculation of the required queue position for a work item, the counter corresponding to the required queue position is incremented. When all of the work items are scanned, the array of counters is analyzed to predict a future state of the work queue or work pool.

Abstract: The invention comprises management of programs and mega-programs with emphasis on project level and above in a hierarchy that enables aggregation of information navigating up, and breakdown of details navigating down the hierarchy. It provides the flexibility of combining real-time management of budget with multiple editions, on call, asset tracking and capacity management of people and non-people resources within the same structure, vendor management, and real-time cross-program interlinking of dependencies and business considerations. The invention enables invocation of each function at every node in the hierarchy and localizes the related information at the invoking source. The functions encompass management of action items, status reports, approvals, meetings/decision making, issues, risks, change management and attachments with built in workflows that enable interactive collaboration and action triggering within the system and across external systems through condition and threshold setting.

Abstract: A method for receiving, processing and managing service requests from a user is disclosed. The method includes receiving the service request from a user at a concierge service, generating an itinerary from the service request, sending the itinerary to a server in a consumer relation management system and automatically coordinating the service items of the service request among one or more concierge services. A method for automatically notifying a credit or debit card issuer about the future travel plan of a user is also disclosed. The method includes using the generated itinerary to automatically populate a security profile, and transfer the data from the security profile to an issuer, where the issuer uses these data to authorize future transactions in different locations that would normally be declined.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for scheduling a workforce. In one embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: collecting an agent activity of a first class and an agent activity of a second class; and displaying the agent activity of the first class and the agent activity of the second class along the same timeline axis. The agent activities are collected from a contact center data source. The second class is different from the first class. Both activities are associated with the same agent. Each activity is derived from a different virtual data source.

Abstract: As provided, a method for capital expenditure/expense flip targeting and balancing in software pipeline management that includes providing, for each of multiple projects in a software project pipeline, a set of inputs that includes 1) resource demand, 2) budget constraint, 3) start date, and 4) a capital expenditure/expense flip date. The method also includes aggregating the inputs. The method further comprises calculating an overall capital expenditure/expense ratio, and comparing the ratio to a threshold as of a predetermined date.

Abstract: System and method for predicting the rate of deterioration in one or more items of process equipment which are subject to deterioration by one or more deterioration mechanisms. The system includes a first item of process equipment which receives an inlet stream including a feedstock or derivative thereof, and discharges one or more outlet streams which can be fed to the item of process equipment. A data processor which is a programmed computer including at least one rate model for the first item of process equipment receives values of one or more properties of the feedstock and calculates predicted rates of deterioration by the one or more deterioration mechanisms for the first item of process equipment from the values of one or more of the feedstock properties. The data processor additionally provides an output containing information relating to the predicted rates of deterioration by the one or more deterioration mechanisms for the first item of process equipment.

Abstract: The disclosure generally describes computer-implemented methods, computer readable mediums, and distributed systems for providing a message-based interface for exchanging customer requirement information. One method includes receiving, via a message-based interface derived from a common business object model that includes business objects having relationships enabling derivation of message-based interfaces and message packages, a first message for providing a notification of an update of product availability including a first message package hierarchically organized as a product available to promise update notification and fulfillment confirmation message entity and an accompanying set of specific, ordered packages, each including specifically ordered elements.

Abstract: In general, the present invention provides a technique for IT estimation modeling of any organization. Although this estimation model is applied to SOA herein, it is not limited to solely estimating SOA activities; the maturity-based estimation modeling can be applied to other areas and disciplines, even beyond the IT industry. The maturity-based model of the present invention also offers executives and project managers a very effective estimating tool to analyze the impact of project variances. Resources do not need to be taken off projects and assigned to perform estimations, as this model acquires knowledge over time and delivers ever more precise estimates with each successive project. Executives and project managers may analyze the effects of additional staff, function changes, or other events to an overall project. Additionally, new projects may be estimated without utilizing current personnel with this adaptive learning model.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an environmental load assessment system, which is capable of efficiently and simply assessing an environmental load of a building in all stages (e.g., a planning stage, a design stage, a construction stage, and a use stage after construction) in doing executing a business by subdividing an assessment process, such as simple assessment in the design stage, detailed assessment in the start stage, and site assessment in the construction stage according to the progress of a construction project.

Abstract: A method of prioritizing processes of an organization includes determining a plurality of processes capable of being performed by the organization, determining a plurality of goals or challenges associated with the organization, and generating a process impact matrix indicating respective impact levels for each process. Each respective impact level is indicative of an impact of each process on each of the plurality of goals or challenges. The method further includes converting each respective impact level to an impact score, determining, for each of the plurality of processes, a relative impact score based on the respective impact levels, and prioritizing each process based on the relative impact scores.

Abstract: A system for conducting a financial transaction in e-commerce on the internet includes objects prepared by a seller and a buyer. The seller's object includes a clear text header file (advertisement), an encrypted overhead file which contains verification data pertaining to the financial transaction, and an encrypted content file containing the subject matter for sale by the seller. With a purchase solicitation from the buyer, an overhead key can be used by a transaction agency to ensure there is a compliance between the purchase solicitation and the verification data of the overhead (from seller's object). Next a revelation key is provided to give the buyer access to the content when such compliance has been ensured.