Abstract: A system and method of operating a computer to perform risk and decision analysis of an engineering design change in a product are provided. The method includes the steps of displaying a list of change drivers that are causing the engineering design changes and receiving a selection of a change driver from a user, displaying a set of questions soliciting general cost information associated with the engineering design change, and displaying a set of questions soliciting change driver-specific information associated with the selected change driver. The method then receives answers to the set of general cost questions from the user, and also receives answers to the set of change driver-specific questions from the user.

Abstract: A method of generating intender leads in a distributed computer system includes the steps of identifying purchase indicators and extracting prospect identifiers from the purchase indicators. Purchase indicators are pieces of data that represent a potential future purchase by a prospect. For example, an online classified advertisement selling an automobile is a purchase indicator for a potential future purchase of a new car by the old car seller. The prospect identifier, such as a telephone number or email address, uniquely identifies the prospect likely to make the future purchase. Preferably, the method also contains the steps of obtaining full contact information for the prospect from a profile database, applying a predictive model to the prospects to select intender leads, and transferring the intender leads to an interested party, such as a direct marketing service or sales force.

Abstract: Revision of a part specification document, such as a drawing, a part specification, or a bill of materials, prompts execution of an automated notification process. A unique part number associated with the revised part specification document is employed in searching open purchasing documents for purchase orders or request for quotes containing the part number. Electronic mail addresses for outside supplier contacts are kept in the database and linked to the supplier master of the open purchasing documents containing the part number. An electronic mail notification of the part specification document revision is generated and transmitted to each electronic mail address identified as being associated with an open purchasing document containing the subject part number.

Abstract: The customer segmentation software according to the present invention automatically finds or creates profiles of prototypical customers in a large e-commerce database. The software matches all existing customer data in the database to one or more of the prototypical customers. The resulting customer segmentation is an effective summarization of the database and is useful for a range of business applications. Applications of the customer segmentation system include the development of customized web sites, the creation of targeted promotional offers and the prediction of consumer behavior.

Abstract: A method for developing new products for introduction into the marketplace comprises providing a plurality of pools with each pool serving as a repository for new product concepts, ideas, or partially developed products. A predetermined number of new product concepts are registered into each pool according to predetermined subject matter associated therewith. One concept is selected from each pool for further development. Each selected concept is engineered to optimize its intended utility function and a degree of proprietary protection is then acquired therefor. Having obtained proprietary protection for the selected concept, the concept is marketed to potential manufacturers for the purpose of obtaining a license therewith. A licensee obtains the rights to manufacture and distribute the product in exchange for royalties on sales thereof. Royalties on sales are distributed first to the submitter of the selected concept and, in smaller proportions, to the other pool submitters and pool manager.

Abstract: A schedule management system includes a schedule data table which stores the schedule data including an identifier of a schedule owner, the time zone, activity and the state of the schedule. A definition data table stores the definition data for determining the relation between the registration and display of the schedule and the schedule and the state in he schedule data. A schedule data registration unit accepts a schedule reservation request, determines whether the schedule registration is permitted or not based on the schedule state of the schedule data existing in the schedule data table and the definition data, and when the schedule registration is permitted, registers the reservation schedule in the schedule data table. A schedule data approval unit accepts a request from the schedule owner for approving/disapproving the schedule and rewrites the schedule state of the corresponding schedule data in the schedule data table.

Abstract: A self-checkout terminal system includes a self-checkout core application module for controlling a self-checkout terminal, the self-checkout core application module controlling peripheral input and output devices at the self-checkout terminal for receiving inputs from, and providing outputs to, a retail customer. An emulator module connected to the self-checkout core application module emulates, independent from the self-checkout core application, a native vendor software application in a network of cashier-operated checkout terminals administered by a vendor server computer, the emulator module passing commands and data to, and receiving commands and data from, the vendor server. The self-checkout core application converts inputs received at the peripheral input devices into inputs expected by the emulated native vendor software application, and converts device update outputs from the emulated native vendor software application into updates to the peripheral output devices.

Abstract: A shared vehicle system includes a central facility, at least one vehicle distribution port facility and a plurality or fleet of vehicles, each having a vehicle subsystem. In general, the central station and port facility and the vehicle subsystems communicate in a manner to allow a user to enter information at a port facility. That information is then communicated to the central facility, where the information is processed to select a vehicle from the fleet to allocate to the user at the port facility. Selection of a vehicle for allocation to a user may be based on selecting an available or soon to be available vehicle according to various algorithms that take into account the vehicles state of charge.

Abstract: Predictive modeling of consumer financial behavior, including determination of likely responses to particular marketing efforts, is provided by application of consumer transaction data to predictive models associated with merchant segments. The merchant segments are derived from the consumer transaction data based on co-occurrences of merchants in sequences of transactions. Merchant vectors represent specific merchants, and are aligned in a vector space as a function of the degree to which the merchants co-occur more or less frequently than expected. Consumer vectors are developed within the vector space, to represent interests of particular consumers by virtue of relative vector positions of consumer and merchant vectors. Various techniques, including clustering, supervised segmentation, and nearest-neighbor analysis, are applied separately or in combination to generate improved predictions of consumer behavior.

Abstract: A bill editor, generator, messaging and insert system and method comprises a portion of a bill production processor designed to create monthly billing statements which are sent to customers and which detail charges incurred over the course of a billing cycle. The bill editor and generator allows billing personnel to design a bill using static text, dynamic text and paragraph areas. Once the report/bill is defined, the report definition is stored in temporary memory for later use. The report definition file defines how the report is to appear and where the data used in the report is stored. The report generator, when subsequently run, uses the predefined report definition to retrieve data from the database and generates the report as defined by the report definition file. The bill messaging and insert system determines, based on assigned priority, criteria and weight and space limitations, the messages and notices to be included in a customer billing statement.

Abstract: A system for correcting the rating and payment of mail pieces scanned and weighed by the post. The foregoing is accomplished by: uniquely identifying mail pieces during the metering process; maintaining a record of the postage that has been applied to the mail pieces and the characteristics of the mail pieces; scanning the mail pieces to determine if the correct postage has been paid; comparing the scanned and weighed mail pieces to the maintained record; and correcting any underpayments or overpayments.

Abstract: A contact (call) center technique matches the best available contact center agent with contacts requiring particular services. As contacts arrive, skills required for each service or contact are correlated with skills possessed by agents, and the best available agent is assigned to process the contact.

Abstract: The present invention is directed toward a method and apparatus for efficiently and accurately checking a parking facility to verify that the vehicles parked therein are legitimately parked. The present invention utilizes computer technology, various software applications, such as database applications, and various data transfer technologies that enable a parking facility to maintain accurate and updated records for the vehicles parked in their facility. The present invention eliminates the occurrence of fraud or improper usage of the parking facility and facilitates the regulation of overdue customer accounts. Furthermore, the present invention dramatically reduces the time previously required to check a parking facility by providing both on-site and remote access to pertinent information relating to automobiles parked therein.

Abstract: A train building planning method is utilized to determine a state of a train yard and a status of resources within the yard. When a resource becomes available, a determination is made regarding possible options for the available resource. The affect of each option on the schedule of outbound trains is then evaluated. Specifically, a sum of the cost of late departures of outbound trains is determined and the option that provides a low, or no, cost of late departure is chosen.

Abstract: A method for optimizing request shipping within a plurality of distributed networked computer systems holding a distributed application the usage of which realizes a process model underlying said application is proposed in which said process model comprises a business process consisting of a plurality of activities to be performed on said application systems by a plurality of users, including shipping of activity requests between a local application system owning said business process and a plurality of remote application systems performing said activities with the help of a plurality of users. The basic idea is to optimize the assignment of the users to the appropriate application system in such a way that the number of remote work item requests is optimized. The inventional method can be advantageously applied to workflow management systems.

Abstract: A computerized method for automatically transforming the process model of a workflow-management-system into trigger-specifications executable within a trigger system. The process model comprises at least one source activity S, a target activity T and a control connector defining a potential control flow from said source activity to said target activity associated with a transition condition P. The source activity S is transformed into a trigger event. The trigger-event, if raised at run-time, indicates to said trigger system that an instance of said source activity has been terminated. The control connector is transformed into a trigger condition, causing said trigger system at run-time, once said trigger event has been raised, to evaluate the truth value of said transition condition. Furthermore said target activity is transformed into a trigger action causing said trigger system at run-time, in case said trigger condition evaluates to TRUE, to start an instance of said target activity.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products for facilitating user choices among complex alternatives utilize conjoint analysis to simplify choices to be made by the user. A selector tool presents a user with a first and second series of choices relating to attributes of products or services available to the user. A utilities calculation engine calculates the relative utility of each of the products or services to the user and presents output to the user, which indicates the relative utility of each of the products or services. The user can then select the product or service that has the highest utility value for the user based on the calculated relative utility values.

Abstract: A wireless network covering a large local geographic area is used to link a large number of payment terminals provided in the same area. Each payment terminal is located near a plurality of parking spaces, either at the curbside or in municipal lots. Parking data is gathered from motorists at the payment terminals, the parking data including vehicle identification data or parking space identification data. The parking data is sent from the payment terminals to the wireless network in response to payment made at the payment terminals. A plurality of portable terminals are provided for use by parking wardens inspecting the parking spaces of the local geographic area. The wireless network is used to transmit the parking data substantially upon receipt from the payment terminals to the portable terminals in the local geographic area.

Abstract: A method for demand planning of products. The method comprises the steps of constructing a configure-to-order operation/multiple building block environment; and, forecasting the demand of the building blocks within this environment for establishing an efficient supply chain management.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for electronically managing the assignment of tasks to be completed. Preferred embodiments incorporate a computer network to gather and disseminate information for the processes of embodiments of the present invention. Task information is gathered until a task is sufficiently defined to be assigned. At this point the task is assigned to a service provider who is requested to respond to the assignment. The response is monitored and if unacceptable or not received the task will be transferred to another service provider until a satisfactory response is received. An estimate of the cost of task completion may then be requested and authorization to complete the task may be contingent upon an acceptable estimate. Once a service provider is authorized to complete a task, the provider's progress is monitored and reported to interested parties. Provider quality ratings may be incorporated into some embodiments.