Abstract: Within methods and systems for computer-aided optimization of process models, defined specifications and associated release criteria (quality gates) are available for every work stage. The specifications include service documents, result features that are to be generated in a work stage, and budget details and the latest end time for a work stage. The release criteria (quality gates) can identify the results of a work stage as successful and can assess the fulfillment of a work stage. A reference for all work stages simulates the model based on a fictitious sample project, interference variables are introduced, the project implementation is simulated for each interference variable, respectively, the deviations from the reference run are automatically determined, respectively, for each interference variable, and an analysis of the influence of the release criteria (quality gates) regarding compliance with the budget and the schedule is performed based on the determined deviations from the reference run.

Abstract: A door to door sales management tool utilizes a mobile device configured to request data from a database regarding a neighborhood within proximity of that sale. The mobile device sends results back to the database, wherein the results are flagged as verified. A simplified prequalification system is shown where a salesperson may select a house on a map to run a prequalification on the expected occupants of the selected house.

Abstract: A system and method for using derived account identifiers. The derived account identifiers are associated with a single permanent account identifier. Each derived account identifier is associated with a communication channel or portable consumer device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, apparatus and computer program products are provided for targeting content information. A method includes defining an environment in a document, defining at least one targeting criterion for the environment, and storing in the document a request code that is configured to request content for placement in the environment based on the targeting criterion.

Abstract: Assessing resiliency of facility configuration strategies, in one aspect, may employ a mathematical model representation of facility configuration. Organization environment factors and one or more desired performance metrics associated with the organization may be determined. A technical model specification that defines the configuration of facilities of the organization may be received, and a mathematical model representation of the configuration may be created. The mathematical model representation is solved for steady-state characteristics, and one or more values may be estimated respectively of the desired performance metrics based on the steady-state characteristics. The resiliency may be measured based on the estimated one or more values.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to method to determine capacity planning under environmental constraints by generating an integrated economic planning model for a decision maker, a utility company and one or more microgrids; maximizing the microgrids' total profit and minimizing the electricity price designed by the utility company; generating proactive strategies for the utility company to comply with the environmental policies, and planning strategies for microgrids to help utility company abate environmental mission; and applying different characteristics of microgrids to invest in different portfolio of renewable energy through gaming simulations.

Abstract: A system and methods which enable modeling of end consumer interests based on online activity and producing e-commerce reports is described. The method includes scoring and classifying interests and preferences of consumers in relation to various items being offered as function of time and utilizing such scores to predict purchasing activity and revenue yield for n-dimensional combinations of interest for generation of consumer lists for target marketing and merchandising. The method also includes converse modeling of the performance and behavioral profile of items offered as a function of consumer activity. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.

Abstract: A production management system is configured to dynamically control inventory of a semiconductor product to prevent overstock and stockout. The production management system includes a production planning module including components containing data of demand forecast, and customer order. The production management system further includes a dynamic inventory control module including a dynamic inventory control simulation module and an inventory management system, wherein the inventory management system is configured to record real inventory data, and wherein the dynamic inventory control simulation module includes simulators for target inventory, future inventory, future shipment and semiconductor product production.

Abstract: An improved method for managing advertising campaigns is provided. The method includes defining an advertising campaign, uploading a multi-media file of each member of the campaign; linking each of the multi-media files of the advertisements and associating the media files with a data capture template based on the media type; configuring the scheduling and promotion details for display of the media ad; associating survey questions with respondent incentives; calculating the present cost of the campaign; capturing consumer responses to individual members of the campaign; aggregating and analyzing the cumulative responses; making program adjustments to the type, location, and schedule for the campaign members based on these real-time results; and transmitting the revised campaign management instructions and adjusted media files to remote systems at the media channels thereby optimizing in real-time the overall ad campaign.

Abstract: A method for information technology (IT) and information asset risk assessment of a business relationship between a client and a third party. The method includes establishing a database. The database includes a plurality of IT information risk factors. The database is configured to receive IT risk information. The IT risk information is associated with the plurality of IT information risk factors. The plurality of IT information risk factors includes a subset of relationship risk factors. The subset of relationship risk factors are utilized for evaluating the business relationship risk between the client and the third party. The method also includes receiving IT risk information corresponding to the subset of relationship risk factors. The method continues with generating a relationship risk score. The relationship risk score is determined in response to evaluating the subset of relationship risk factors using the IT risk information corresponding to the subset of relationship risk factors.

Abstract: In one aspect, a system includes a transaction handler to process transactions, a data warehouse to store data recording the transactions, a portal configured to communicate with a search engine and to provide a user interface to receive a request from a merchant, and at least one processor coupled with the data warehouse and the portal. In response to the request received from the merchant via the portal, the at least one processor identifies a set of first statistics based on search activities of the search engine, identifies a set of second statistics based on the transactions relevant to the search activities, and uses the portal to juxtapose the set of first statistics and the set of second statistics.

Abstract: A method for evaluating and/or scoring pharmaceutical/life science technology is provided. The method includes importing data of a publication; transforming the data into a structured schema; ingesting the structured schema to determine a context of the data and draw associations between the data and a plurality of profiles; and generating a score based on the associations between the raw data and the profiles. The method may also include generating meta-data based on the determined context of the data and/or one or more quantitative metrics having a temporal component based on the ingested data. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer-readable storage media for predicting advertiser keyword performance indicator values based on proximity of advertisers to one another are provided. A keyword is received from a first advertiser that has not previously bid on the keyword. Another advertiser that is similar to the first advertiser and has previously bid on the keyword is identified, and a predicted performance indicator value for the keyword is calculated for the first advertiser based upon an established performance indicator value of the keyword for the other advertiser. In this way, performance predictions for an advertiser desiring to bid on a keyword that is new to that advertiser may be calculated more accurately than traditional methods that do not take into account advertiser similarity.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for autonomously rescheduling a future meeting in response to receiving a meeting cancellation notice of a previously scheduled meeting. A meeting rescheduling logic (MRL) of a server receives a cancellation of a scheduled meeting of an identified contact. The MRL may select a highest priority meeting from a plurality of meetings that has been flagged with an auto-move-up status. The MRL determines if all attendees of the selected meeting are available to attend the meeting at the open time slot of the identified contact's calendar. Upon determining that all attendees of the selected meeting are available at the open time slot, the MRL reschedules the selected meeting at the open time slot, and notifies all attendees. Additionally, the MRL may cancel a lower priority meeting of the attendees to accommodate moving a higher priority meeting into the open time slot.

Abstract: Scheduling software that provides both a deterministic schedule, such as shown in a Gantt chart or a work-to list (the role of traditional FCS software), along with additional information that can be used to judge the risk of the schedule when taking into account both the variations in task times, as well as the unplanned events. One embodiment of the present invention is a simulation model of a facility that incorporates the variations in task times and randomly generated events to provide stochastic estimates of risk measures. Another embodiment of the present invention may be the same model that is used to generate the deterministic schedule, however when generating the schedule the random variations and events are turned off, thereby generating a deterministic schedule. The same model can then be reused with the variations and random events turned on to generate risk measures for the associated deterministic schedule.

Abstract: An instrument for measuring and presenting customer impressions of a company uses weighted response values of survey questions to develop a customer experience score and a customer interaction score. The two scores are added to produce a composite score. The three scores for a company may be presented with other score sets for other companies to provide a simple and consistent comparison of companies. When different businesses or even different industries have different customer experiences and interactions, weighting of response values can be adjusted to more accurately reflect the importance of that factor on the overall customer experience, which models customer satisfaction.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a job resource planner for cloud computing environments are disclosed. A system includes a plurality of resource instances of a provider network, and a resource planner. The planner receives a plan request from a client, comprising a job goal and an indication of a resource acquisition policy to be used to obtain resource instances for the job. The policy specifies one or more instance data sources. The planner generates a resource acquisition plan for the job, based at least in part on an analysis of pricing data obtained from a specified data source. The analysis comprises one or more computation steps indicated in the policy. The generated plan includes at least one recommended acquisition price for a resource instance.

Abstract: A system and method for managing workorders from a single location is provided. The system includes functionality to create workorders, to transmit workorders to equipment at a job site, e.g., an agricultural field, and to log the results of a completed workorder.

Abstract: A characteristic forecasting system is disclosed. The characteristic forecasting system may have a memory module and a processor. The memory module may store instructions, that, when executed, enable the processor to generate forecast data for a target item based on historical data related to the target item, the forecast data representing a forecast for characteristics of the target item. The processor may also be enabled to analyze a subset of the historical data within an observation window to determine whether the forecast data should be updated with new forecast data and generate the new forecast data for the target item responsive to a determination that the forecast data should be updated with the new forecast data.

Abstract: A method, computer program and single enterprise resource planning (ERP) system for procuring a product or service. The single ERP system includes an input for receiving information relating to product demand for a plurality of end users via a cooperative buying group, a predictive engine for accumulating the received product demand into a single demand schedule and an output for transmitting the single demand schedule to a manufacturer/original source of the product. An optimization engine is provided for receiving product availability information from the manufacturer/original source of the product by the cooperative buying group, and for determining one or more options for ordering the products. A procurement system is also included for providing the product availability information to the one or more options for ordering the products, for receiving one or more product orders, for ordering product from the manufacturer/original source of the product, and for managing shipping the product.