Abstract: Techniques for modeling the preferences of a decision-maker using sampled pair-wise preferences involve identifying a set of alternatives to be presented to the decision-maker and identifying a set of attributes associated the alternatives. The alternatives are each characterized by a set of values for the attributes. A sample set of pair-wise preferences among a subset of the alternatives is obtained and a model of preferences is generated by iteratively generating a set of candidate models and evaluating the candidate models using a fitness measure which is based on the sample set of pair-wise preferences. The models may take into account character attributes associated with potential decision-makers.

Abstract: A system and method for automatically monitoring communications networks and for determining network configuration use data stream characterizations. The system comprises a plurality of measurement probes that passively probe the network and collect data packets carried by data streams in the network. The system further comprises characterization computational units that process the collected data packets and produce data stream characterizations from the collected data packets. The data stream characterizations represent individual data streams in an arbitrarily unique manner. The system still further comprises a configuration processing unit that compares data stream characterizations taken at different points in the network and determines data stream paths through the network based on data stream characterization matching.

Abstract: An arrangement for determining a predicted health of a system that would result from an application of a proposed intervention to an existing system. The predicted health is determined by determining a set of modifications involved in the proposed intervention wherein each modification involves one or more components of the existing system. For each modification, a set of component information that pertains to the modification is obtained from a knowledge base. Each set of component information may specify inter-dependencies among the components involved in the modification. For each modification, it is determined whether the inter-dependencies specified in the component information are satisfied. The determination of whether the inter-dependencies are satisfied enables a determination of the predicted health of individual components of the system as well as the predicted health of the overall system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for computing an overall or aggregate decision based on intermediate decisions as to which of a set of alternatives best characterize an object. The alternatives are partitioned into at least two series of preferences corresponding to at least two intermediate rankings. Various embodiments may base the intermediate rankings on: a machine learning technique; a decision tree; a belief network; a neural network; a static model; a program; or an evolutionary training method. Based on the preferences, a weak alternative is selected and removed from the series. The selection of the weak alternative may include identifying which alternatives lose pairwise to the other alternatives, are excluded from the first preferences, are included in the last preferences, or have a lowest average preference ranking. The selecting and removing continue until the remaining alternatives are the aggregate decision.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for matching elements within sets of trajectories, locations or other attributes without revealing the entire sets. The elements are partitioned into segments. A rotating selection is made among the sets and one segment of each potentially matching element is newly disclosed from the selected set. Optionally, the sets are cryptographically hashed, using, for example, a MD5 hash or a SHA-1 hash. Optionally, the sets are represented as tries, and successively lower levels within the tries are newly disclosed from potentially matching elements as the disclosing set rotates. Optionally, the sets are encoded, using: a grid of longitude and latitude; a spatial temporal grid; a overlapping spatial grid; a temporal grid; a set of cities; a set of countries; a set of names of places; or a set of attributes. Optionally, the matching process is repeated while refining the encoding. Optionally, negotiations determine what encoding or cryptographic hash is used.

Abstract: An Internet-enabled photographing system includes a photographing module that, when activated, records an image. A code generator generates and associates an identifying code with the image. An output module notifies the user of the photographing system the identifying code. A server allows external access to the image with the identifying code via the Internet.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention encompasses a method of storing and retrieving a communication. A communication is stored in a database, and comprises a plurality of sub-components. The communication is stored utilizing software configured to save a plurality of machine-readable identifier codes associated with the communication in the database. The identifier codes identify different sub-components of the communication. Some of the sub-components of the communication are printed together with at least some of the identifier codes as a document. The document does not include all of the sub-components of the communication. The identifier codes are read from the document with a machine configured to extract the identifier codes from the machine-readable format. The identifier codes extracted by the machine are provided to a processor in data communication with the database. The processor is configured to identify all sub-components of the communication.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for computing an overall or aggregate decision based on intermediate decisions as to which of a set of alternatives best characterize an object. The alternatives are partitioned into at least two series of preferences corresponding to at least two intermediate rankings. Various embodiments may base the intermediate rankings on: a machine learning technique; a decision tree; a belief network; a neural network; a static model; a program; or an evolutionary training method. Based on the preferences, a weak alternative is selected and removed from the series. The selection of the weak alternative may include identifying which alternatives lose pairwise to the other alternatives, are excluded from the first preferences, are included in the last preferences, or have a lowest average preference ranking. The selecting and removing continue until the remaining alternatives are the aggregate decision.

Abstract: A system and method for customer-side market segmentation and categorization. This segmentation is done without disclosing sensitive private customer information to the business. A customer downloads a categorization module to a portable device (PDA, wireless cellular phone, etc.) or personal computer. A business defines a decision procedure corresponding to a set of defined customer categories. The business sends their rule set to the customer's device, which uses the rules and a set of stored customer-specific historical and demographic information to determine into which of the business-specific customer categories the customer falls. The categorization module may use any of a variety of methods, such as decision trees, neural networks, Bayesian belief networks, k-nearest neighbor, genetic algorithms, or rule sets. The customer category is sent to the business without other personal data for the business to prepare appropriate promotional material or initiate specific actions.

Abstract: In one aspect, the invention encompasses a method of storing and retrieving a communication. A communication is stored in a database, and comprises a plurality of sub-components. The communication is stored utilizing software configured to save a plurality of machine-readable identifier codes associated with the communication in the database. The identifier codes identify different sub-components of the communication. Some of the sub-components of the communication are printed together with at least some of the identifier codes as a document. The document does not include all of the sub-components of the communication. The identifier codes are read from the document with a machine configured to extract the identifier codes from the machine-readable format. The identifier codes extracted by the machine are provided to a processor in data communication with the database. The processor is configured to identify all sub-components of the communication.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for determining a solution to a problem where paths in at least one pursuit associated with the problem are traversed to generate one or more decision paths by processing one or more nodes in a given one of the paths, including: evaluating a premise if the node is a premise node, and passing the premise node if the premise passes, and noting a conclusion if the node is a conclusion node, withdrawing any previous conclusions that are not associated with a parent node of the conclusion, and passing the conclusion node; processing a child node if the current node is not a leaf node and is a node that passes; terminating a decision path if the child node cannot be processed, including asserting all noted, but non-withdrawn conclusions as a solution to the problem; and generating another decision path.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically gathering data on paths taken by a number of commuters and then analyzed to provide recommendations for improving the commute experience. Data may be gathered by recording time and position data from a global positioning system (GPS) receiver the commuter carries, recording time and position data from a mobile phone the commuter carries, departure or arrival indications, or a commute log. Commute data may be augmented with a likely route generated based on a start point, an end point, and a map. Commute data may be analyzed by determining a subset of the commuters whose paths are similar. For example, they have a similar start point, a similar end point, a similar start point and a similar end point, a start point similar to a particular point, an end point similar to a particular point, or similar start and end points.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically gathering data on paths taken by a number of commuters and then analyzed to provide recommendations for improving the commute experience. Data may be gathered by recording time and position data from a global positioning system (GPS) receiver the commuter carries, recording time and position data from a mobile phone the commuter carries, departure or arrival indications, or a commute log. Commute data may be augmented with a likely route generated based on a start point, an end point, and a map. Commute data may be analyzed by determining a subset of the commuters whose paths are similar. For example, they have a similar start point, a similar end point, a similar start point and a similar end point, a start point similar to a particular point, an end point similar to a particular point, or similar start and end points.

Abstract: A system for monitoring system behavior of a managed/instrumented system is described. The system includes a measurement module coupled to the managed system to generate measurement data of the managed system. The measurement data include past measurement data and current measurement data. A store is also provided that stores the past measurement data. A genetic programming module is coupled to the store to evolve the evolved predictor based on the past measurement data and predetermined effectiveness criteria such that the evolved predictor predicts the system behavior of the managed system when supplied with the current measurement data. The genetic programming module genetically manipulates a set of candidate predictors to produce the evolved predictor. A system for generating the evolved predictor is also described.

Abstract: Cellular encoding using typed development operators in which basic types are determined for the basic components of a structure being developed. Each development operator for developing the structure is associated with one or more of the basic types. Organisms are generated using tree arrangements of the development operators by matching the basic types associated with connections among the development operators in the trees. The matching among typed development operators reduces the likelihood of creating unfit organisms. Cellular encoding with typed development operators may also be used to evolve the structure.

Abstract: In a distributed system, a method and system for negotiating a multi-category Quality-of-Service (QoS) agreement between a client and a server includes a client agent enabled to calculate an expected utility to a client of multiple multi-category QoS specifications. The client agent obtains the QoS specifications by transmitting a QoS specification request to a server agent or a broker. The expected utility calculation, based on a probabilistic estimate of QoS levels included in the QoS specifications, enables the client agent to distinguish the QoS specifications of greater value from those of lesser value. The client agent selects at least one of the QoS specifications to be included into an offer for a QoS agreement based on the expected utility calculation. In a preferred embodiment, the client agent selects the QoS specifications determined to be most valuable to the client.

Abstract: A method for developing a valence correct molecular structure using cellular encoding in which a set of basic types are determined for a set of basic components of the valence correct molecular structure. Each of a set of development operators for developing the valence correct molecular structure are associated with one or more of the basic types and an organism having a tree arrangement of the development operators is generated by matching the basic types associated with connections among the development operators in the tree. The matching among typed development operators reduces the likelihood of creating an unfit organism. The development of a valence correct molecular structure using cellular encoding may be used in conjunction with genetic programming to evolve a molecular structure. The type matching reduces the likelihood of creating unfit child organisms, thereby increasing the likelihood and speed of convergence to a solution for a desired valence correct molecular structure.

Abstract: A system and method using a computer for joining a plurality of hierarchies of types is described. Each type in each type hierarchy includes a template for objects. At least one reference class is defined as computer-readable instructions stored in a memory of a computer for defining a class and includes a discriminator which can refer to instances of at least one such type within one of the type hierarchies and including, for each type hierarchy, an initialization function which takes as an argument a reference to an instance of any of the types in the type hierarchy. The initialization function included for each type hierarchy is performed by loading the discriminator with the argument of the initialization function.

Abstract: To prevent dangling pointers, an object is annotated with a reference counted Object Surrogate which will outlive the object and which knows whether the referenced object is valid or not. Rather than directly referring to the underlying object, long lived external pointers (those which exist outside of an active computation) are maintained as pointers to the object surrogate. The object surrogate maintains a count of the number of active computations executing within the object. While there are active computations executing within the object, the object surrogate will not allow the object to be destroyed. The object may ask its surrogate to consider the object invalid to prevent new active computations from starting. This is done within the object's destructor. To allow an object to delete itself (potentially within an active computation) rather than deleting itself explicitly, the object requests of its object surrogate that the object be deleted when the number of active computations hits zero.