Abstract: Subject innovations are directed towards a churn model using dynamic state-space modeling to determine churn risks for each active subscriber of a service provider having exhibited a precise sequence of behaviors. The churn model identifies complex behavioral patterns that are consistent with those of subscribers who have churned in a defined past, allowing for a personalized determination of churn risk. The churn model may also use static contextual data to assist in refinement of the churn model through identification of subscriber segments. A churn index is produced that may be used by an automated contextual marketing model to refine decision making for selectively marketing to a subscriber based, in part, on that individual subscriber's churn risk.

Abstract: Technology for determining an optimal discounted price for a customer for a particular product is described. In an example embodiment, a method comprises determining a number of visits to a product page of a particular product by customers, calculating a purchase probability of a customer to purchase the particular product associated with the product page as a function of a price discount, determining a discount-corrected margin specific to the customer for the particular product based on the purchase probability of the customer, and calculating a predicted profit or a predicted revenue for the particular product resulting from the number of visits to the product page and based on the purchase probability and the discount-corrected margin of the particular product.

Abstract: Technology for predicting online user shopping behavior, such as whether a user will purchase a product, is described. An example method includes receiving current session data describing a current session for a current user, extracting a current clickstream from the current session data classifying the current clickstream as a purchase clickstream or a non-purchase clickstream by processing the current clickstream using one or more sets of Hidden Markov Model parameters produced by one or more Hidden Markov Models, and computing, using the one or more computing devices, a purchase probability that the current user will purchase a product during the current session based on the classifying.

Abstract: Systems and methods for object identification. Objects in a color image of a biological sample are identified by using a signal function to transform the color image into a single-channel image with localized extrema. The localized extrema may be segmented into objects by an iterative thresholding process and a merit function may be used to determine the quality of a given result.

Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein employ entity-activity data expressed in a discrete distribution (histogram) form having one or many dimensions to dynamically classify the entity's usage and/or behavior patterns, where groupings or segmentations of different entities that exhibit similar usage patterns are identified using various approaches, including dimensionality reduction, and/or clustering procedures. A consensus or ensemble clustering may be generated that represents a clustering of clusters, based on subclusterings themselves, and/or any combination of subclusters with entity-activity data to selectively execute a market offering campaign. In one embodiment, the resulting ensemble clusterings enable selective directing of targeted offerings to a telecommunication provider's customers.

Abstract: Techniques disclosed herein employ entity-activity data expressed in a discrete distribution (histogram) form having one or many dimensions to dynamically classify the entity's usage and/or behavior patterns, where groupings or segmentations of different entities that exhibit similar usage patterns are identified using various approaches, including dimensionality reduction, and/or clustering procedures. A consensus or ensemble clustering may be generated that represents a clustering of clusters, based on subclusterings themselves, and/or any combination of subclusters with entity-activity data to selectively execute a market offering campaign. In one embodiment, the resulting ensemble clusterings enable selective directing of targeted offerings to a telecommunication provider's customers.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the interactive display of images and measurements of samples. A user may interact with embodiments of the present invention to display measurements for a set of biological samples and subsequently display images associated with particular biological samples of interest. For example, selecting data indicators in the set may result in the display of an image associated with a biological sample as well as one or more overlays presenting information of interest as well as controls affecting the display of the image or the information.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed that automatically identify and order the most differentiated clusters from a given collection of clusters within a dataset. A measure of dissimilarity is computed for each cluster from a defined reference cluster, and the clusters are ordered according to the chosen dissimilarity. At least N clusters are selected as the most differentiated clusters relative to the defined reference. Within each cluster, the top-M most distinguishing cluster attributes can be automatically identified by an analogous process that computes the dissimilarity of each cluster attribute to its corresponding attribute in the reference cluster, and orders the attributes by dissimilarity. This then allows for automatic surfacing of what it is about a cluster that differentiates its members relative to the population as a whole, and to provide insight on what action or treatment might be made to address that specific segment of the underlying population.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed that leverage time series techniques to express entity-activity data in a longitudinal temporal form, which may then be employed to dynamically classify the entity's behavior. In some embodiments, groupings or segmentations of different entities that exhibit similar profiles of longitudinal temporal form are identified using various techniques, including frequency-domain analysis, and/or unsupervised model-based clustering. The clustering of entities enables directing of offerings to, for example, a telecommunication's customer based on characteristics of the cluster.

Abstract: Systems and methods for object identification. Objects in a color image of a biological sample are identified by using a signal function to transform the color image into a single-channel image with localized extrema. The localized extrema may be segmented into objects by an iterative thresholding process and a merit function may be used to determine the quality of a given result.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the interactive display of images and measurements of samples. A user may interact with embodiments of the present invention to display measurements for a set of biological samples and subsequently display images associated with particular biological samples of interest. For example, selecting data indicators in the set may result in the display of an image associated with a biological sample as well as one or more overlays presenting information of interest as well as controls affecting the display of the image or the information.

Abstract: A system and method for maintaining focus in an imaging device; the imaging device having an objective lens with an optical axis, a stage for supporting a specimen, and a controller for controlling the stage-to-objective distance; the system comprising: one or more image sensors placed at a plurality of substantially different axial focal positions, and at least one computing device executing computer-readable instructions stored in its memory and configured to acquire images from each of the image sensors; the method comprising: computing a quantitative image characteristic for each of the images acquired by the computing device, computing an axial stage-to-objective distance correction based on the computed quantitative image characteristics and the plurality of axial focal positions, and causing the controller to adjust the axial stage-to-objective distance according to the computed axial stage-to-objective distance correction.

Abstract: A system is provided herein for inspecting a specimen. In one embodiment, the system may include a dual-channel microscope, two illuminators, each coupled for illuminating a different channel of the dual-channel microscope and two detectors, each coupled to a different channel of the dual-channel microscope for acquiring images of the specimen. Means are provided for separating the channels of the dual-channel microscope, so that the two detectors can acquire the images of the specimen at substantially the same time. In one embodiment, the channels of the dual-channel microscope may be spectrally separated by configuring the two illuminators, so that they produce light in two substantially non-overlapping spectral ranges.

Abstract: A system is provided herein for inspecting a specimen. In one embodiment, the system may include a dual-channel microscope, two illuminators, each coupled for illuminating a different channel of the dual-channel microscope and two detectors, each coupled to a different channel of the dual-channel microscope for acquiring images of the specimen. Means are provided for separating the channels of the dual-channel microscope, so that the two detectors can acquire the images of the specimen at substantially the same time. In one embodiment, the channels of the dual-channel microscope may be spectrally separated by configuring the two illuminators, so that they produce light in two substantially non-overlapping spectral ranges.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a surface scanning system comprises a radiation directing assembly that scans a surface using a Cartesian scanning pattern; and a radiation collecting assembly that collects radiation reflected from the surface. A scattered radiation collection system is included that measures the scattered light from the surface.

Abstract: Measuring apparatus and method for measuring the mobility of an object, such as a tooth, having a longitudinal axis, that is disposed in a securing medium. The apparatus includes an outer and an inner housing. The outer housing partially defines a cavity and has first and second cavity wall portions which face the cavity and position the outer housing with respect to the securing medium. The inner housing is disposed within the cavity and partially defines a chamber that receives the object. The inner housing is adapted for relative movement with respect to the outer housing. The inner housing has first and second chamber wall portions facing the chamber and first and second object contact members for engaging opposing surfaces of the object. First and second compression springs are positioned between and in contact with respective chamber wall portions and object contact members.