Abstract: A system for analyzing and optimizing allocation of factors among different business entities. The analysis, or optimization, can be targeted to a specific business financials measurement, or metric. Many different types of factors can be considered regardless of their initial definition, description or form. For example, along with revenues, profit, inventory size, etc., human characteristics such as incentive and performance can be measured and optimized. A preferred embodiment of the invention concerns analyzing factor allocation to reduce overall taxes for a company with subsidiaries in regions with different tax laws. The system includes consideration of local, state, federal and international taxes, transfer pricing, tax credit limitations, inter-state allocations in unitary and non unitary environments, carry-overs, and others. The system preferably uses a versatile matching engine, described herein, to automate the analysis and optimization.

Abstract: An administrator interface for defining or configuring a market via matching engine and corresponding market generation system. The interface includes a first set of instructions that allow an administrator to name and select a market of a certain market type. A second set of instructions allows the administrator to define or configure an attribute of an entity to be transacted in terms of one or more values associated with the attribute. Various possible market types include competitive market, exchange market, barter, reverse auction, consignment store, and trading post. The second set of instructions includes a mechanism for selectively associating an attribute of a product or service to be transacted via the market with a descriptor variable. Another mechanism facilitates configuring properties of the descriptor variable and associates the descriptor variable with one or more importance values. The administrator-specified importance values may be default importance values or seller importance values.

Abstract: ? A digital system for matching desired characteristics with item attributes. The system provides for weighting of variable values to be matched, and substitution of variables or values. Both discrete and continuous weighting can be used. This approach provides for more flexible matching to yield practical and useful results without placing high requirements on the computer system. Weights can be assigned to variable values as defaults. Such assignment is usually performed by a system administrator, or the assignment can be calculated by a process in the matching engine (e.g., as a discrete or continuous function) or otherwise automatically derived. Weights can be selected by users (both buyers and sellers) by using a user interface that translates common expressions (e.g., “not required,” “desired,” “required”) into weighting values between 0 and 1. Alternatively, users can assign weights as a number, or by other means.

Abstract: An efficient system for implementing an electronic market. The system includes a first mechanism for defining a set of attributes and associated descriptor variables involved in market transactions. Importance values are assigned to the descriptor variables by the first mechanism. A second mechanism computes match scores for the market transactions based on the importance values. A third mechanism employs the match scores to clear the electronic market. In the specific embodiment, the first mechanism includes an administrator interface, which allows an administrator to define the descriptor variables. A configurator communicates with the administrator interface and allows the administrator to assign a first set importance values to corresponding descriptor variables. The first set importance values includes default importance values or importance values assigned to the descriptor variables by a seller seeking to transact with a buyer via the electronic market.