Abstract: A method (and system) for allocating contacts to a vendor including determining an allocation of contacts to a vendor based upon one of a client to service provider payment structure, a service provider to vendor payment structure, and a client contact handling demand.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and an apparatus for predicting future travel times over a transportation network. In one embodiment, a method for predicting future travel times over a transportation network includes receiving a data point indicating a real-time volume of traffic on the link at a given time and updating a template representative of an observed traffic pattern on the link in accordance with the received data point. A future travel time over the link can then be estimated in accordance with the updated template. Thus, the template is able to adapt to dynamically changing traffic patterns, taking these changing traffic patterns into account when making predictions of future traffic patterns.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and an apparatus for predicting future travel times over a transportation network. In one embodiment, a method for predicting future travel times over a transportation network includes receiving a data point indicating a real-time volume of traffic on the link at a given time and updating a template representative of an observed traffic pattern on the link in accordance with the received data point. A future travel time over the link can then be estimated in accordance with the updated template. Thus, the template is able to adapt to dynamically changing traffic patterns, taking these changing traffic patterns into account when making predictions of future traffic patterns.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for providing information to a client or customer about anticipated service center delays comprising maintaining data about the client's call preferences, modeling a best indicator of delays specific to an individual client when answering a call from the client by the service center in order to capture the greatest market share of the clients, and communicating to the client a best indicator of delays suited to the client's call preferences in answering the call from the client to the service center.

Abstract: A method and structure for reducing customer dissatisfaction for waiting includes a queue monitoring subsystem which detects an entry of a customer into a waiting queue. A reward computing subsystem calculates a reward for the customer for being in the waiting queue, and a communication subsystem communicates the reward to the customer. At least one of subsystems is automated.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for autonomic system management in a computing system containing system resources including network resources and multiple resource demands, or processes. The computing system may be a stream-processing system or other real-time computer management system, such as workload management, or a virtualization engine. The system and method enables achieving a better level of performance than would occur in the computing system using only existing mechanism. It permits, with very low computational overhead, achieving or driving the system closer to a user-defined system performance objective. To do so, a system performance equation is defined to determine a level of performance of the system as a function of the allocation of two or more system resources among a plurality of system resource demands or processes. From this system performance equation, a plurality of resource-specific change equations is derived.

Abstract: A method (and structure) of managing a software slide deck that includes a plurality of slides. Tag data is associated with one or more slides in the slide deck for purpose of processing at least one function related to managing the slide deck.

Abstract: A method of choosing jobs to run in a stream based distributed computer system includes determining jobs to be run in a distributed stream-oriented system by deciding a priority threshold above which jobs will be accepted, below which jobs will be rejected. Overall importance is maximized relative to the priority threshold based on importance values assigned to all jobs. System constraints are applied to ensure jobs meet set criteria.

Abstract: An exemplary method of resource allocation is provided. A relationship is estimated between at least one controlled resource and at least one dependent parameter. A resource allocation of the at least one controlled resource is adjusted to effect a desired system goal expressed in terms of the at least one dependent parameter.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and an apparatus for end-to-end travel time estimation using dynamic traffic data. In one embodiment, a method for estimating a fastest route between a first point in a transportation network and a second point in the transportation network includes receiving static data relating to static characteristics of a first zone and a second zone in the transportation network. In addition, real-time data relating to real-time traffic conditions in the first zone is also received. The static and real-time data is processed in accordance with at least one fine-grained load-generation technique to generate a first load for the first zone, and the static data is generated in accordance with at least one coarse-grained load-generation technique to generate a second load for the second zone. These first and second loads are then combined, converted to travel times, and scaled to facilitate the identification of a best or fastest route.

Abstract: There are provided an apparatus, a method, and a computer program product for joint determination of price and resource allocation. The apparatus includes a price and resource allocation determination device for jointly determining a price and a resource allocation for a given item or service offered for use or sale by a given e-retailer to optimize a pre-specified objective for the given e-retailer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided to determine an allocation of network resources in a distributed on-demand information technology (IT) systems using existing control mechanisms for other operating system resources in order to achieve a desired operating point within the IT system. This desired operating point is obtained by optimizing a goal-based objective function while taking into account system constraints. The relationship between utilization of all system resources, i.e. network resources and processing resources, and attainment of performance objectives is autonomously obtained for a plurality of actions that could be required by a range of system applications. This relationship is used to allocate network resources to applications while maintaining desired performance objectives. The allocation is enforced using existing control mechanisms.

Abstract: There are provided an apparatus, a method, and a computer program product for joint determination of price and capacity. The apparatus includes a price and capacity determination device for jointly determining a price and a capacity for a given item offered for sale by a given e-retailer, based at least upon market competition.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and an apparatus for predicting future travel times over a transportation network. In one embodiment, a method for predicting future travel times over a transportation network includes receiving a data point indicating a real-time volume of traffic on the link at a given time and updating a template representative of an observed traffic pattern on the link in accordance with the received data point. A future travel time over the link can then be estimated in accordance with the updated template. Thus, the template is able to adapt to dynamically changing traffic patterns, taking these changing traffic patterns into account when making predictions of future traffic patterns.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and an apparatus for estimating real-time travel times or traffic loads (e.g., traffic flows or densities) over a transportation network based on limited real-time data. In one embodiment, a method for estimating a travel time over a transportation network comprising at least a first link and a second link includes receiving a data feed associated with a real-time traffic flow over the first link, estimating a first travel time over the first link based at least in part on the data feed, and estimating a second travel time over the second link, also based at least in part on the data feed. The method assumes that a real-time data feed is not available for the second link, and thus estimates the traffic flow over the second link based on the known traffic flow over the first link and other known data, such as historical traffic patterns and physical parameters of the transportation network.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and an apparatus for end-to-end travel time estimation using dynamic traffic data. In one embodiment, a method for estimating a fastest route between a first point in a transportation network and a second point in the transportation network includes receiving static data relating to static characteristics of a first zone and a second zone in the transportation network. In addition, real-time data relating to real-time traffic conditions in the first zone is also received. The static and real-time data is processed in accordance with at least one fine-grained load-generation technique to generate a first load for the first zone, and the static data is generated in accordance with at least one coarse-grained load-generation technique to generate a second load for the second zone. These first and second loads are then combined, converted to travel times, and scaled to facilitate the identification of a best or fastest route.

Abstract: Techniques for provision of on-demand utility services utilizing a yield management framework are disclosed. For example, in one illustrative aspect of the invention, a system for managing one or more computing resources associated with a computing center comprises: (i) a resource management subsystem for managing the one or more computing resources associated with the computing center, wherein the computing center is able to provide one or more computing services in response to one or more customer demands; and (ii) a yield management subsystem coupled to the resource management subsystem, wherein the yield management subsystem optimizes provision of the one or more computing services in accordance with the resource management subsystem and the one or more computing resources.

Abstract: Yield management techniques are provided. In one aspect of the invention, a technique for managing one or more computing resources comprises the following steps/operations. Data associated with at least one potential demand for use of the one or more computing resources is obtained. Then, a management model (e.g., a yield management model or a revenue management model) is generated in accordance with at least a portion of the obtained data, wherein the management model is operative to determine an allocation of the one or more computing resources based on combinations of price levels and service levels that may be offered to one or more users of the one or more computing resources so as to attempt to satisfy at least one management goal.