Abstract: A way to facilitate the use of funds from an automobile loan is provided. The vehicle identification number of the automobile the loan applicant wishes to purchase is used to activate the funds of the loan for use. The applicant may receive a loan card to be used in the transaction that may be initially inactive, i.e. unable to be used for a transaction, until the vehicle identification number is received by the financial institution that accepted the loan application. An applicant of the loan may also be provided information relating to an account established for the disbursement of the loan proceeds. The account may be initially inactive until the vehicle identification number of the automobile is received and the applicant may also receive additional information required to be transmitted to the financial institution in order to use the funds, including, without limitation, a security code.

Abstract: A way to facilitate the use of funds from an automobile loan is provided. The vehicle identification number of the automobile the loan applicant wishes to purchase is used to activate the funds of the loan for use. The applicant may receive a loan card to be used in the transaction that may be initially inactive, i.e. unable to be used for a transaction, until the vehicle identification number is received by the financial institution that accepted the loan application. An applicant of the loan may also be provided information relating to an account established for the disbursement of the loan proceeds. The account may be initially inactive until the vehicle identification number of the automobile is received and the applicant may also receive additional information required to be transmitted to the financial institution in order to use the funds, including, without limitation, a security code.

Abstract: A method for managing best efforts forward commitments for loans to be sold by a lender, where each loan has loan level data and the best efforts forward commitments have commitment data includes determining a price for the best efforts commitment based on at least the loan level data and tracking the loan level data for each loan. Upon identifying a change to the loan level data, the loan level data and the commitment data including the price is updated based on the change.

Abstract: This invention concerns direct currency conversion, that is automatic currency conversion at point of payment for card transactions. In particular it concerns a method for operating equipment associated with a financial transaction. The method includes the steps of: Presenting a card related to a customer's account. Recording a card number from the card. Applying all or part of the card number to a tree structure, and automatically processing that number by the tree one bit at a time to arrive at an end node of the tree coded with information related to the currency of the customer's card account. Determining the currency of the customer's card account. Comparing the currency of the customer's card account with one or more currencies predetermined for the equipment. Where the comparison indicates different currencies, providing direct currency conversion services. In other aspects it concerns the equipment itself, and a method of preparing a tree structure for use by the equipment.

Abstract: Systems and methods for dynamically managing and netting transactions based on one or more sets of netting rules are disclosed. The present invention dynamically associates transactions with one or more collections based on the execution of netting rules to identify transactions that may be ideal for netting and to perform netting operations and calculations accordingly. The present invention may execute the netting rules according to the priority of the netting rule within a rule hierarchy and utilizes unique solutions allowing for the efficient processing of transactions even as netting rules are created, modified and removed from time-to-time. In addition, embodiments of the disclosed netting system utilize denormalized sets of data and maintain a complete audit trail for all operations.

Abstract: Universal cards are used in place of all the other traditional cards which a person may want to carry. The universal card can include a short range communications transceiver to communicate with a mobile device. The mobile device can include a user interface and an e-wallet application so that the user can interface with the e-wallet application for programming the universal card via the short range communication link. Once programmed, the universal card emulates a function of a traditional card.

Abstract: Facilitating the solicitation of expert advice from trusted reviewers using a system that maintains a registry of product reviewers with areas of expertise. The system can identify reviewers that have an area of expertise relating to a consumer's purchase advice request (PAR) and are directly or indirectly connected to the consumer's social network. The system can calculate the trust level of the reviewers based on the relevance of each reviewer's area of expertise to the PAR and the degree of social separation between each reviewer and the consumer. The system provides the consumer with a ranked list of reviewers to answer the PAR and can forward the PAR to the reviewer selected by the consumer. In addition, the system can also complete the purchase of product/service recommended by the reviewer pursuant to the PAR on behalf of the consumer.

Abstract: This invention is related to web-traffic and used in online advertising including interactive TV, cellular telephone or Personal Digital Assistant PDA. It discloses a system to detect invalid and fraudulent impressions and clicks and method of pay-per-click (when advertisers pay upon users actually clicking) and pay-per-impression (when advertisers pay based on number of views) advertising arrangements, which periodically generates a code associated with the search-engine users. This code, preferably in the form of a serial number, is compared to the user of the website, such that by observing a metric like the number of clicks for a given period of time, be it a short time or a longer period, such as a day or a week, the system can automatically determine if certain clicks are illegitimate. This allows the search engine company to fairly invoice the merchants, thereby preventing fraudulent over use.

Abstract: Methods and Systems for generating a Completely Automated Public Tests to tell Computer and Humans Apart (CAPTCHA) provide a computational puzzle according to a received request. The computational puzzle, which may be for example, a jigsaw puzzle, maze puzzle, composite image of matching and non matching shapes or other type of puzzle, is configured to have a correct solution that is expected to be determinable by a human rather than a computer. For example, the computational puzzle is generated from a plurality of individually randomly generated puzzle features, such as puzzle surface image, image color gradient, puzzle component shape, or other puzzle features. A determination is made as to whether a human as opposed to a machine solved the computational puzzle.

Abstract: A programmable feature is remotely delivered to an output device, such as a printer. The delivery of the feature is initiated by the customer tendering payment for the feature. The customer is provided with a coupon and the coupon is subsequently redeemed. The customer receives a feature key in response to redeeming the coupon. The feature key is used to install the feature on the output device of the customer. The feature key may be a print job that contains encrypted text. Security measures may be provided to ensure that the coupon and feature key are valid.

Abstract: An installation image for installing an unprotected software product is used to install a protected version of the same product. A protected version of the executable file is embedded in a new installation image with the original installation image, in which the unprotected version of the executable file is damaged so as to be unusable and unreadable. The new installation image causes the original installation image to operate, installing the damaged installation file and other data files. The new installation image then replaces the damaged installation file with the protected installation file.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention include methods, systems and apparatuses for conducting secure transactions over a call. Users can initiate a secure transaction over a call, such as a telephone call, in which the identities of up to all participants can be validated prior to sending or receiving of payment, financial or other sensitive information. A transaction module collects and verifies all necessary transaction information and resources. User can be prompted to confirm or approve the transaction prior to completion of the transaction. Summaries of the transaction can be sent to users or stored in record keeping.

Abstract: Manufactured goods are marked or labeled with a secure unique identifier. A central checking center allows users to verify the authenticity of a particular good such as a cigarette pack or carton via any convenient interface such as the internet or a cell phone. A system of secret sharing allows secure authentication of each item and prevents code breaking or misuse.

Abstract: An automated vehicle rental system with individual vehicle transmitting sensors for keeping track of vehicle mileage, fill state of vehicle fuel tank, and localized position status in a rental lot. Sensors are linked to the vehicle odometer reading and to the vehicle fuel tank float sensor with compensation for types of driving and fuel fill-ups which affect float level readings. The sensors are integrated with or are linked with communicating tags operable in a defined site for ultimate communication of stored vehicle related sensor data, vehicle location and type to a central data base for automatically completely effecting check out, charges and state of vehicle readiness for renewed rental. The transmitting sensors are adapted to avoid interference between sensors of other vehicles during multiple transmissions. Also included is an in-vehicle check out and payment device operatively linkable to the transmitting sensor of the vehicle.

Abstract: A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to a freight request, a house shipment, a shipment request, a supplier freight invoice request, and/or a transportation booking request business object.

Abstract: A method of monitoring an evolving system, the method including the steps of: obtaining a plurality of sensor data streams relating to outputs from sensors monitoring said system, wherein at least one of said sensors monitors a condition of said system, and wherein at least one of said sensors monitors a causal agent for said condition; iteratively constructing a plurality of functional nests, each functional nest being a functional formed from a combination of selected functionals from a basic set of functionals; determining an output data stream for each functional nest by inputting said sensor data streams into said functional nests; selecting a functional nest from said plurality of functional nests based on said output data streams; and using said selected functional nest to monitor said system.

Abstract: A method may use a genetic algorithm to varying prediction parameters in forecasting software to obtain optimal predictions is disclosed. The method identifies parameters that can be varied and by modifying the parameters, the predictions of the forecasting software improve. The method uses sample data to train and validate the forecast and the optimal forecasting parameters are determined.

Abstract: Data relating to energy management may be collected and stored from one or more sites. This data may be analyzed by a series of rules, and each rule may look for certain patterns in the data over time. Each time a pattern is detected in the data, the rule may create and store an event back into the database. Each event may represent the detection of a specific condition that starts at a specific time and continues for a specific duration. Each rule may also dynamically assign and update a score to each event that indicates its level of importance and persistence. Once the raw data has been analyzed and events have been created that represent basic conditions, a new set of rules may analyze the events themselves, in addition to, or rather than, the raw data. Successive passes of rules can thus detect higher level, broader problems.

Abstract: A system and method for in-vehicle content recommendation is disclosed. The system comprises an aggregator module, a modeler module and a recommendation module. The aggregator module aggregates content data describing content such as a music, a news program, a podcast, an audio book, a movie, a television program, etc. The aggregator module also aggregates situation data describing an environment in which the content was recommended to a user, and feedback data describing the user's response to the recommendation. The modeler module generates a content preference model. The content preference model represents the user's dynamic content preferences based at least in part on the aggregated data. The recommendation module generates a first content recommendation based at least in part on the content preference model.

Abstract: Human visual perception is able to recognize a wide range of targets but has limited throughput. Machine vision can process images at a high speed but suffers from inadequate recognition accuracy of general target classes. Systems and methods are provided that combine the strengths of both systems and improve upon existing multimedia processing systems and methods to provide enhanced multimedia labeling, categorization, searching, and navigation.

Abstract: In one example, when a user reads content on a web browser, the content may contain information about companies, and may suggest, to the user, various financial transactions to be performed with respect to those companies. For example, the user may want to react to financial news about a company by buying or selling stock in the company. A software component (e.g., a browser plug-in) may be used to evaluate content that the user is reading, and to display a user interface that allows the user to perform financial transactions based on the content. For example, if the user reads a news article about a company, the software component may display an interface that shows the ticker symbol of the company's stock and allows the user to initiate a transaction to buy or sell that stock.

Abstract: Configurations and applications for data signatures are disclosed. Such a data signature may be specific to a particular data element in a data set, and may define this particular data element in relation to one or more other data elements. These data signatures may be used for any appropriate purpose. For instance, data signatures of this type may be generated from a given data set and may be used to analyze this data set in at least some respect, including to identify one or more features in the data set (e.g., for feature extraction purposes). Data signatures of this type may also be used in at least some fashion to generate a presentation or output that relates to the associated data set (including digitally on an appropriate display, as well as in “hard copy” form).

Abstract: A system and method for hijacking inodes based on replication operations received in an arbitrary order is used to assist a data replication operation from a source storage system to a destination storage system. The source storage system generates a set of replication operations as part of a replication process and transmits the replication operations in an arbitrary order. After receiving a replication operation, the system determines whether the operation is inconsistent with a corresponding destination inode. If an inconsistency exists, the system hijacks the destination inode by replacing the destination inode's metadata with data determined based on the replication operation. The system may also delete metadata from the inode and/or initialize metadata to default values if the metadata was not replaced based on the replication operation. The system then waits for a second replication operation that contains the remaining metadata and replaces the metadata based on the second replication operation.

Abstract: A method may include storing a first database including a first plurality of user identifiers (IDs) and corresponding privileges for accessing network resources associated with an organization. The method may also include storing a second database, different than the first database, including the first plurality of user IDs. The method may also include storing a third database, different than the first database and second database, including a second plurality user IDs associated with the organization. Further, the method may include removing, from the first database, privileges associated with user IDs appearing in the second database but not in the third database.

Abstract: Architecture that addresses an end-to-end solution for logical transactional replication from a shared-nothing clustered database management system, which uses adaptive cloning for high availability. This can be time based using a global logical timestamp. The disclosed architecture, used for refreshing stale clones, does not preserve user transaction boundaries, which is a more complex situation than where the boundaries are preserved. In such a scenario it is probable that for a given data segment no clone of the segment may contain the complete user transaction history, and hence, the history has to be pieced together from the logs of multiple different clones. This is accomplished such that log harvesting is coordinated with the clone state transitions to ensure the correctness of logical replication.

Abstract: A method, article of manufacture, and apparatus for protecting data. In some embodiments, this includes tracking changed blocks in a virtual machine, determining a MFT range of the virtual machine, identifying a common region between the changed blocks and MFT range, parsing the common region to determine a list of changed files, and storing the list of changed files in a file index.

Abstract: A copy utility creates a copy of source database objects that is transactionally consistent to a consistent point-in-time, and a recovery utility applies log records to the consistent copy to make a resulting image that is updated as of an identified point-in-time (i.e., the current time or a point-in-time after the copy was made). To effectively recover and apply the logs so that no previously in-flight transactions are lost, the copy utility registers a starting point indicating a point-in-time for logs to be applied to the copy and also registers a smallest lock size used to block access to target data when the copy was made. The recovery utility bases its recovery operations using the registered starting point and the smallest lock size when applying log records to the copy so as not to lose any previously in-flight transactions.

Abstract: The present embodiments provide methods, apparatuses, and systems for use in providing updating content to be played back in cooperation with a portable processor readable medium. Some of these methods receive, over a network and from a remote source, updated content to be accessed in association with a processor readable portable storage medium; receive, over the network from the remote source, in association with the received updated content a designation that the updated content is to be associated with a first placeholder title as defined in an index table being implemented in association with playback in association with the portable storage medium; and store the updated content, on a separate processor readable storage medium that is different than the portable storage medium, such that the updated content is associated with the first placeholder title and accessible in association with the first placeholder title as dictated by the index table.

Abstract: Embodiments are configured to provide sharing of business logic items. A document may contain business logic items, for example, sets, members, or measures. Some business logic items may be created by a publisher who wants to make the business logic available to other users so that others can access the business logic. Embodiments provide for using an integrated server platform search component to automatically retrieve business logic items which exist in one or more documents stored in a document library. This may allow for a publisher to provide business logic to other users without having to rely on the other users to retrieve the business logic from a specific document, and without requiring the other users to know of the existence of the business logic. Restrictions may be placed so that a publisher can control what specific pieces of business logic may be made available.

Abstract: Hierarchical recovery of failed computing nodes to operative computing nodes within a cluster of computing nodes is managed by initiating a recovery leader at an operative node that retrieves management information from the operative nodes and applies the management information to recover filesets of a meta-fileset in a hierarchical filesystem. The use of hierarchical filesets throughout the cluster provides more rapid failover by distributing recovery load across computing nodes and supporting recovery of nodes in parallel.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing data loss due to policy violations in temporary files is described. In one embodiment, the method includes monitoring, by a client agent, information content on a client for violations of a policy. The method further includes determining, by the client agent, that a violation of the policy has occurred for content of a temporary file of an application. In one embodiment, the policy violation of the temporary file is correlated, by the client agent, with an original file of the application.

Abstract: Data processing systems and methods are provided for correcting data inconsistencies within one or more databases and/or data repositories. In accordance with one implementation, a correction module is selected from a set of correction modules, and the selected correction module is configured to correct data inconsistencies of a solvable data inconsistency type. Data having an data inconsistency of the solvable data inconsistency type is identified within one or more databases or data repositories. If the selected correction module is unassociated with an obstacle data inconsistency type, or if the identified data not include an inconsistency of the obstacle data inconsistency type, then the correction module corrects the data inconsistency within the identified data.

Abstract: A method and system for eliminating the redundant allocation and deallocation of special data on disk, wherein the redundant allocation and deallocation of special data on disk is eliminated by providing an innovate technique for specially allocating special data of a storage system. Specially allocated data is data that is pre-allocated on disk and stored in memory of the storage system. “Special data” may include any pre-decided data, one or more portions of data that exceed a pre-defined sharing threshold, and/or one or more portions of data that have been identified by a user as special. For example, in some embodiments, a zero-filled data block is specially allocated by a storage system. As another example, in some embodiments, a data block whose contents correspond to a particular type document header is specially allocated.

Abstract: Files may be managed in a data processing system by determining respective associativity values for the files. The respective associativity values represent likelihoods that respective ones of the files will be opened next if respective other ones of the files are currently open.

Abstract: A method, information processing system, and computer readable medium for modifying at least one data warehouse schema based on detected changes in an associated observation model are disclosed. The method includes determining if at least one new observation model has been created. The method also includes determining if at least one existing observation model is associated with the new observation model. In response to the existing observation model being associated with the new observation model, at least one changed attribute is identified by comparing the new observation model and the existing observation model. A set of files associated with the existing observation model is updated to reflect the changed attribute between the new observation model and the existing observation model.

Abstract: A distributed database transaction coordination manager's outcome store may be unavailable to resolve in-doubt transactions locally, e.g., after an unclean detach, during an outcomes store restore, or during a logical database restore. To facilitate transactional consistency, AGEs and values based on them are used. Some code avoids reformatting any closed physical portion for reuse based on the segment's most recently received minimum of persisted AGEs. Some code commits any in-doubt transactions that appear on an aggregate list and aborts any not on the aggregate list. Some code writes each segment's transaction commit records to persistent storage until the segment's persisted-AGE is not less than a common-restore-AGE, and some code resolves any in-doubt transactions based on a harvested outcomes list. Outcomes may reside in a log or a persisted transactions table. A restore checkpoint may include harvested outcomes. Segments may reside on cloud nodes and/or in a shared nothing database system.

Abstract: In response to a request to access a directory, a directory access command is invoked and executed, where the executed directory access command accesses the directory and prefetches content of the directory.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program product are provided for scanning and indexing data for different purposes. Included is a universal engine operable to scan and index data stored in at least one device, for a plurality of different purposes. Further provided is at least one application for controlling the universal engine to perform the scanning and indexing for at least one of the different purposes.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a natural language interface to a database or the Internet. The method provides a response from a database to a natural language query. The method comprises receiving a user query, extracting key data from the user query, submitting the extracted key data to a data base search engine to retrieve a top n pages from the data base, processing of the top n pages through a natural language dialog engine and providing a response based on processing the top n pages.

Abstract: One embodiment includes a method for correlating external references to a Web Page with conversions performed by one or more visitors to the Web Page. The method includes receiving the Web Page to monitor and determining one or more conversions to correlate. The one or more conversions to correlate include one or more actions performed on the Web Page by a visitor to the Web Page. The method also includes identifying the visitor to the Web Page. The visitor to the Web Page completed at least one action included in the conversions to correlate. The method also includes identifying the at least one action completed by the visitor and identifying an external reference that directed the visitor to the Web Page. The external reference contains a reference to the Web Page.

Abstract: A method of utilizing a Web Service folder interface. A user defines a folder in a local folder directory as a Web Services enabled folder. The folder includes file data and metadata corresponding to the file data. The metadata includes a configurable Web Services type property that corresponds to a remote Web Service. The metadata also includes a configurable data handling property that includes one or more allowable file formats. When a user submits the file data to the remote Web Service by selecting an option in a pull down menu of a graphical user interface (GUI) or dropping the file data in a local output folder, the operating system (OS) sends the file data to the remote Web Service. The OS automatically converts an output file received from the remote Web Service into one of the allowable file formats and updates the local file data with the output file.

Abstract: For a database query that defines a plurality of separate snowflake schemas, a query optimizer computes separately for each of the snowflake schemas a logical access plan for obtaining from that schema's tables a respective record set that includes the data requested from those tables by that query. The query optimizer also computes a logical access plan for obtaining the query's results from the record sets in which execution of the logical access plans thus computed will result.

Abstract: An apparatus is provided that includes a processor and memory storing executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus to at least perform a number of operations. The apparatus is caused to receive a rowset of data from a data source, where the rowset includes one or more rows of values from the data source. The apparatus is caused to convert the rowset to markup data, and organize the markup data in preparation for its transformation to an output according to a markup transformation language. The markup data includes, for each row of the rowset, a row markup element; and the organized markup data includes an organization of the row elements into a plurality of logical groups. Even further, the organized markup data may be split into a plurality of smaller markup data sets, which may facilitate transformation of the markup data.

Abstract: Approaches and techniques are discussed for ranking the documents indicated in search results for a query based on click-through information collected for the query in previous query sessions. According to an embodiment of the invention, when calculating a relevance score for a particular document, one may overcome positional bias by utilizing click-through information about other documents previously returned in the same search results as the particular document. According to an embodiment, one may utilize Dynamic Bayesian Network, based on said click-through information, to model relevance. According to an embodiment of the invention, one may utilize click-through information to generate targets for learning a ranking function.

Abstract: Provided are a system and method for providing a document based on a personal network. The document providing system may include a community searching unit to search for a community associated with a first document prepared by a first user, a document registration unit to register the first document in the searched community, and to receive a second document, associated with the first document, registered by a second user included in the community, and a document providing unit to provide the second document associated with the first document. According to embodiments of the present invention, a response that the first user may desire may be provided by receiving a response, registered by the second user included in the community associated with the first user, with respect to the document prepared by the first user.

Abstract: A search engine considers events and stories described in electronic documents, a location of a searcher/reviewer, and a situs associated with a query and content of the document to determine how/if they should be presented to users as part of relevant search results.

Abstract: Information retrieval systems and methods are provided based on interactive user notes. Information is retrieved from one or more data sources based on user notes by obtaining the user notes containing one or more information requests; identifying the one or more information requests from the user notes; interpreting at least one of the information requests in context; generating one or more queries required for the at least one interpreted information request; identifying an update to the user notes, the update containing one or more updated information requests; and processing the updated user notes to generate one or more queries required for the updated information requests. If the user notes contain multiple information requests, at least one query is generated for each of the plurality of information requests. The information requests can be interpreted based on user-specified context guides.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and a system for log file analysis based on distributed computing network. The method includes: storing user identifiers and related log information into a log file; dividing the log file into target files each including the log information having the same user identifier; separately analyzing the target files to obtain analysis results using at least two nodes; and combining the analysis results of the nodes. The method thereby establishes relationships among various log files through user identifiers, and further analyzes the relationships among the user's accesses to various contents of a website.

Abstract: Consumers receive module-computed composite reviews that are lively, informative, coherent, and representative of a larger underlying collection of reviews. Representative phrases from reviews are extracted and aggregated into coherent sentences to create the composite review. Clear automatable criteria are provided to define coherence and other qualities, such as representativeness, liveliness, and informativity. Sentence coherence criteria involve syntax, shared vocabulary, phrase connectors, and phrase sentiment polarity, for instance. Phrase representativeness criteria involve review ratings and derived phrase ratings, for instance. Phrase liveliness criteria involve sentiment expression frequency, superlatives, comparatives, degree modifiers, affect activation scores, and affect imagery scores, for instance. Phrase informativity criteria involve product-specific words, review length, and recency, for instance. Prohibited language is filtered out. Composite reviews are automatically distributed, e.g.

Abstract: Clustering devices in an Internet of Things (‘IoT’), including: receiving, by a device clustering module, a characteristic set for a device, wherein the characteristic set specifies one or more device attributes and an attribute value for each device attribute; clustering, by the device clustering module, the device into an attribute level cluster based on the one or more device attributes specified in the characteristic set for the device; and clustering, by the device clustering module, the device into a value level cluster based on the attribute value for each device attribute, wherein the value level cluster is a subset of the attribute level cluster.