Abstract: A method and system for determining one or more shortfalls of one or more business components by multiple dimensions for business transformation, in one aspect define a plurality of shortfall types associated with a plurality of business components, define a plurality of dimensions of the plurality of business components, construct a shortfall assessment model for the plurality of dimensions, load a business model associated with the plurality of business components, compute shortfall assessment by performing a daisy chain analysis using the shortfall assessment model and the business model for said plurality of shortfalls and associated shortfall types, and presenting the shortfall assessment using visualization.

Abstract: Provided is an inorganic/organic composite porous separator including a porous substrate having pores and an active layer formed on the porous substrate. The active layer contains mixture of binder and inorganic particles. The inorganic/organic composite porous separator of the present invention has desirable anti-oxidation performance, and can prevent the separator from being oxidized in the lithium secondary battery using high voltage anode material. Also provided is a method for manufacturing the inorganic/organic composite porous separator and an electrochemical device using the same.

Abstract: Identifying one or more source units for one or more food items may include assigning a sequence of numbers to a plurality of source units received at a processing entity and assigning a sequence of numbers to a plurality of end product units processed from the plurality of source units at the processing entity. A production rate associated with the end product units may be determined from a bill of materials associated with the end product units. A probability distribution function may be generated using at least the production rate. The probability distribution function maps a range of the sequence numbers associated with the plurality of source units to a range of sequence numbers associated with the end product units. A conversion algorithm may be generated that uses the probability distribution function to determine a source unit associated with a selected end product unit.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for managing price information. Embodiments include receiving a mapping of interconnected components, identifying as a first subset components subject to a first fixed price agreement not subject to a second fixed price agreement that overlaps the first fixed price agreement, identifying as a second subset the components subject to the second fixed price agreement not subject to the first fixed price agreement, and identifying as a third subset the components subject to both the first fixed price agreement and the second fixed price agreement. The method also includes receiving a price change for a price associated with a component in one of the subsets of components, and distributing an offset of the price change to components in the other subsets of components.

Abstract: A method and system for generating bill payment schedule utilizes a composite pricing module to generate payment schedule over a predetermined period of time. In one aspect, a fraction of each pricing model attributing to the composite pricing model is determined. A charge fee associated with said each pricing model based on said fraction and said total price to charge is determined. Price to charge during each time unit of the time period is allocated, based on budget over the time period, discount rate, target profit margin and risk affordance. Bill schedule is generated using the allocated price.

Abstract: A system and method for inferring and visualizing correlations of different business aspects for business transformation are provided. Business models, for instance, that may include business component model, business process model, value drivers and metrics model, application model, organization model, and solutions model are organized into a model topology data schema, and qualitative relationships and quantitative relationships may be configured among the entities or components of the business models. Correlations are inferred and visualized based on those relationships.

Abstract: Traceability for an end product is enabled by a transition event type in an event-driven information traceability software that records unique product code associated with a product in a domain. One or more trigger rules are defined for generating a transition event associated with the product in response to the product crossing the domain into another domain. One or more actions are defined for generating a transition event associated with the product in response to the product crossing the domain into a different domain. The one or more actions include at least determining a new unique product code associated with the product in said another domain and storing the unique product code and the new unique product code in a data structure associated with the transition event.

Abstract: A method of providing help information for an application program includes capturing, with a computing device, an operation performed for completing a task; recording the operation in correspondence to the task; and indicating the operation in an application program interface for a user to perform the same operation in response to the user's designation of the task.

Abstract: Identifying one or more source units for one or more food items may include assigning a sequence of numbers to a plurality of source units received at a processing entity and assigning a sequence of numbers to a plurality of end product units processed from the plurality of source units at the processing entity. A production rate associated with the end product units may be determined from a bill of materials associated with the end product units. A probability distribution function may be generated using at least the production rate. The probability distribution function maps a range of the sequence numbers associated with the plurality of source units to a range of sequence numbers associated with the end product units. A conversion algorithm may be generated that uses the probability distribution function to determine a source unit associated with a selected end product unit.

Abstract: Irregular food manufacturing detection by using conversion pattern in one aspect generates one or more rules associated with amount of resources used to manufacture a food product, collects data associated with a selected manufacturing process of the food product at a selected manufacturer and determines whether the collected data complies with the generated one or more rules. Irregularity may be identified if the collected data does not comply with the generated one or more rules.

Abstract: A method and system for analyzing business performance and opportunities by generating one or more series of heat map views of business components by a plurality of dimensions associate information related to a plurality of dimensions with one or more business components; define one or more dimensions from the plurality of dimensions; generate one or more series of heat map views of the said business components by said defined one of more dimensions; and present said series of heat map views of the business components.

Abstract: A method, system, and article for automated processing of a data stream are provided. Stream processing is applied to a hierarchical self describing data stream. As the data stream is processed, some elements therein are associated with a selected path expression. The selected path expressions are ordered based upon the hierarchy, and a tree structure is created that corresponds to the hierarchy. Each leaf node of the tree is associated with a logical operator or an expression to be applied to data processed from the data stream to the leaf node.

Abstract: A deal management system is used to manage a complex service deal that defines various services to be fulfilled on behalf of a client. The deal management system includes a deal specification subsystem, a cost subsystem, and an estimation subsystem. The deal specification subsystem has a new deal interface to facilitate user specification of the complex service deal, including a plurality of service elements scheduled for fulfillment from a plurality of service delivery centers. The cost subsystem tracks an aggregate cost of a service delivery center that is arranged to fulfill a particular service element. The estimation subsystem dynamically evaluates accuracy of a deal cost model for the complex service deal during a duration of the particular service element by establishing a correlation between particular service elements within the complex service deal and portions of the aggregate cost data allocated to the corresponding service delivery center.

Abstract: A method, system, and article for improving performance of a Boolean combination of at least two filters to a data stream. Stream processing is applied to an expression having to or more logical operators. As the data stream is processed, efficiency of the operators in the expression is evaluated. A sort algorithm is dynamically invoked to ensure that a more efficient operator precedes processing of a less efficient operator.

Abstract: System and method for service pricing optimization enables analysis of multi-phased, multi-business unit, multi-process, multi-geo/country deal structure with its parts and phases having different pricing implications, and provides a flexible composite pricing schedule optimized for both service provider and receiver by gain and risk sharing. In one aspect, elementary pricing models and pricing parameters are established and a composite pricing model is constructed based on the elementary pricing models and pricing parameters. An optimizer optimizes the composite pricing model to minimize risk and maximize one or more selected criteria. Price is generated using the optimized composite pricing model.

Abstract: A method and system for generating bill payment schedule utilizes a composite pricing module to generate payment schedule over a predetermined period of time. In one aspect, a fraction of each pricing model attributing to the composite pricing model is determined. A charge fee associated with said each pricing model based on said fraction and said total price to charge is determined. Price to charge during each time unit of the time period is allocated, based on budget over the time period, discount rate, target profit margin and risk affordance. Bill schedule is generated using the allocated price.

Abstract: A driving device for adjusting an orientation of a wheel attached to a vehicle body includes: a driving unit; a lifting shaft extending along a first axis and capable of moving axially when driven by the driving unit; a suspension arm extending along a transverse direction intersecting the first axis, and having one end adapted for connection with the wheel and another end disposed in proximity to the lifting shaft; and a cam unit including at least one roller connected to one of the lifting shaft and the suspension arm, and an inclined cam face provided on the other one of the lifting shaft and the suspension arm. The roller and the inclined cam face interact with each other such that the suspension arm moves along the transverse direction.

Abstract: A method and system for generating bill payment schedule utilizes a composite pricing module to generate payment schedule over a predetermined period of time. In one aspect, a fraction of each pricing model attributing to the composite pricing model is determined. A charge fee associated with said each pricing model based on said fraction and said total price to charge is determined. Price to charge during each time unit of the time period is allocated, based on budget over the time period, discount rate, target profit margin and risk affordance. Bill schedule is generated using the allocated price.

Abstract: A method and system for finding a source failure node in a traceable network. The method includes: determining a possible source failure node according to a leaf node that has an exception, wherein the possible source failure node is a node that is most likely to cause the exception; selecting a target node to receive an investigation result corresponding to the target node, wherein the investigation result indicates whether the target node has the same exception; receiving the investigation result corresponding to the target node and updating the traceable network according to the investigation result; and returning to the step of determining a possible source failure node, if it can not be verified according to the updated traceable network that the possible source failure node is the source failure node causing the exception.

Abstract: System and method for determining maximal price for projects are provided. A project scope of a project based on a plurality of selected criteria is defined, and total cost of the project is estimated. A value model of the project is generated and estimated value of the project is determined using the value model. A composite object function that includes cumulative distributive functions of the total cost and of the estimated value is computed to determine potential maximal price or share rate or combinations thereof.