Abstract: A system and method of assessing and refining quality of Web services (WSDL) definitions for enabling automatic discovery and matching thereof, which includes normalizing definition elements and identifying at least one element as being at least one of cryptic, ambiguous, and unclear to provide a normalization output, assessing a quality of the at least one definition element based on the normalization output, classifying the identified at least one definition element into at least one predetermined category, and providing a quality assessment output, and automatically generating a recommendation for changing at least one definition element based on at least one of the normalization output and the quality assessment output, thereby enabling automatic discovery and matching thereof.

Abstract: A method and system of analyzing choices in a value network, includes applying real options analysis to one or more choices. The real options include a present cost and a call value.

Abstract: A system and method of assessing and refining quality of Web services (WSDL) definitions for enabling automatic discovery and matching thereof, which includes normalizing definition elements and identifying at least one element as being at least one of cryptic, ambiguous, and unclear to provide a normalization output, assessing a quality of the at least one definition element based on the normalization output, classifying the identified at least one definition element into at least one predetermined category, and providing a quality assessment output, and automatically generating a recommendation for changing at least one definition element based on at least one of the normalization output and the quality assessment output, thereby enabling automatic discovery and matching thereof.

Abstract: A method (and structure) of querying one or more Web-based data sources, includes receiving a query statement including at least one query, parsing the input query to identify a target data source for each query, and dispatching each query to a respective one of the data sources for a target data source search. The query statement further includes an aggregate operator defining at least one logical operation to be performed on a result returned from the target data source searches.

Abstract: A method (and structure) of querying one or more Web-based data sources, includes receiving a query statement including at least one query, parsing the input query to identify a target data source for each query, and dispatching each query to a respective one of the data sources for a target data source search.

Abstract: Prediction methods that anticipate the outcome of a detailed optimization step are used in lieu of or in conjunction with actual optimization to improve response time and reduce required computational resources for optimization problems having a hierarchical structure. Decomposition of the optimization problem into sub-problems and sub-sub-problems is, itself, an optimization process which is iteratively performed while preferably guided by prediction of the quality of solutions to the problems into which the “master” optimization problem may be decomposed. Prediction also reduces the requirements for computational resources and allows more decompositions to be examined within the available time in order to arrive at a more nearly optimal decomposition as well as a more nearly optimal solution. Prediction is selectively used when it is determined that such a benefit is probable.

Abstract: Customer-service tasks are performed in a noninvasive manner by relying on automatic methods for (a) capturing the state of the operating domain and (b) automatically communicating this state as well as a description of the circumstances that lead to activation of the process to a remote service machine via an electronic network. Network-based customer-service for software support includes an automatic mechanism which initiates the product support process. This automatic mechanism may optionally be augmented by a manual mechanism for initiating the support process. The process captures the operating environment in sufficient detail so as to enable its re-creation in part or in whole on a separate machine. Archived data is transmitted to an off-site storage device, and when this data is received, notification is transmitted to customer-support personnel.

Abstract: Prediction methods that anticipate the outcome of a detailed optimization step are used in lieu of or in conjunction with actual optimization to improve response time and reduce required computational resources for optimization problems having a hierarchical structure. Decomposition of the optimization problem into sub-problems and sub-sub-problems is, itself, an optimization process which is iteratively performed while preferably guided by prediction of the quality of solutions to the problems into which the “master” optimization problem may be decomposed. Prediction also reduces the requirements for computational resources and allows more decompositions to be examined within the available time in order to arrive at a more nearly optimal decomposition as well as a more nearly optimal solution. Prediction is selectively used when it is determined that such a benefit is probable.