Abstract: A system to determine a first reputation value for a first user associated with a transaction with a second user first determines a weighted value based on one or more user transaction attributes. The user transaction attributes may be associated with at least one of the first user and the second user. Next the system calculates the first reputation value for the first user as a function of a first current reputation value of the first user and the weighted value.

Abstract: An embodiment of the invention relates to a method for playing an audio track, comprising receiving, in a computer readable medium, at least one datum relating to a retail store; said datum selected from a group consisting of: (i) an environmental parameter in said retail store; (ii) a static situational parameter of said retail store; (iii) personal data of at least one customer in said retail store; (iv) a business objective, and a combination thereof; and selecting, using said computer readable medium, at least one audio track in accordance with at least one of said datum; and playing said audio track in at least one audio device.

Abstract: A technology evaluation measurement (TEM) computer device for evaluating a technology asset of an entity includes a processor in communication with a memory. The TEM computer device is programmed to receive a first data set wherein the first data set includes data related to the a first technology asset, determine at least one evaluation function and at least one categorization function to apply to the first data set, process the first data set using the at least one evaluation function and the at least one categorization function to determine a second data set wherein the second data set includes data related to a technological evaluation of the first technology asset, and generate at least one evaluation output based upon the second data set, wherein the evaluation output represents an output indicating the technological evaluation of the first technology asset.

Abstract: The computer apparatus and methods of the preferred embodiment uses computer technology in a unique way to motivate children to devote more time to educational and cultural enrichment. In the preferred embodiment, educational material is provided at a child's local computer under control of a central computer system connected to it over a computer network. On completing a particular educational task, the child is rewarded with a certain number of points. Points that the child accumulates are stored centrally, and at least some of the points can be redeemed towards the purchase of goods and services offered through the system of the preferred embodiment by its commercial participants. The purchasing transactions are also administered by the central computer. Parents, preferably, use the system to support their children's purchasing activity financially and to select content available for presentation to the child.

Abstract: A method for processing instances of business rules, includes providing a business rule, parsing the business rule to extract entities used as rule parts, creating a hierarchical entity buffer indicating the entities used as the rule parts and identifying instances of each of the entities and real data corresponding to each of the identified instances of the entities and creating a step result table indicating instances of the business rule and information identifying the real data in the hierarchical entity buffer used by each of the instances of the business rule.

Abstract: A system and method for managing workorders from a single location is provided. The system includes functionality to create workorders, to transmit workorders to equipment at a job site, e.g., an agricultural field, and to log the results of a completed workorder.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, for implementing a software architecture design for a software application implementing self-service procurement used to procure goods and services “ad hoc” by requests from within an organization. The application is structured as multiple process components interacting with each other through service interfaces, and multiple service interface operations, each being implemented for a respective process component. The process components include an Accounting process component, an Internal Request Processing process component, a Purchase Request Processing process component, a Purchase Order Processing process component, a Goods and Service Acknowledgement process component, a Supplier Invoice Processing process component, a Payment Processing process component, an RFQ Processing process component, and a Due Item Processing process component.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for a job resource planner for cloud computing environments are disclosed. A system includes a plurality of resource instances of a provider network, and a resource planner. The planner receives a plan request from a client, comprising a job goal and an indication of a resource acquisition policy to be used to obtain resource instances for the job. The policy specifies one or more instance data sources. The planner generates a resource acquisition plan for the job, based at least in part on an analysis of pricing data obtained from a specified data source. The analysis comprises one or more computation steps indicated in the policy. The generated plan includes at least one recommended acquisition price for a resource instance.

Abstract: The scope and impact of an event, such as a failure, are identified. A Containment Region is used to identify the resources affected by the event. It is also used to aggregate resource state for those resources. This information is then used to manage one or more aspects of a customer's environment. This management may include recovery from a failure.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for business outcome-based personalized ranking of information objects. Information objects in outcome-based business processes are ranked by recording information objects generated during a creation of the outcome-based business processes. At least one business process comprises an outcome attribute, and at least one business process comprises in-process information objects. A composite graph is generated of the information objects and business processes. Each node in the graph corresponds to an information object or a business process. Links between two of the information object nodes have a strength based on a content similarity and a social network distance. The in-process information object node connects to a corresponding business process node, and two business process nodes have a link if they are indicated as related in the business process information system.

Abstract: Business outcome-based personalized ranking of information objects is provided. Information objects in outcome-based business processes are ranked by recording information objects generated during a creation of the outcome-based business processes. At least one business process comprises an outcome attribute, and at least one business process comprises in-process information objects. A composite graph is generated of the information objects and business processes. Each node in the graph corresponds to an information object or a business process. Links between two information object nodes have a strength based on a content similarity and a social network distance. The in-process information object node connects to a corresponding business process node, and two business process nodes have a link if they are indicated as related in the business process information system. The information objects are ranked based on the link strengths.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of managing fertilizer and irrigation inputs for a crop, the method comprising obtaining management data for the crop, the management data including a planting date for the crop; obtaining weather data representative of the geographic area of the crop; obtaining soil description data representative of the geographic area of the crop; calculating an emergence date at least partly from the planting date; calculating a plurality of nitrogen deficit values at least partly from the emergence date and the soil description data, the nitrogen deficit values associated with respective dates each later than the emergence date; calculating a plurality of water deficit values at least partly from the emergence date and the weather data, the water deficit values associated with respective dates each later than the emergence date; and presenting on a display a schedule of recommended nitrogen application values, irrigation values and application dates, the schedule calculated at least partly

Abstract: A system for providing spending information in a locality by foreign visitors using transaction records of financial presentation devices such as credit and debit cards that are presentable to merchants is disclosed. A storage device stores transaction data generated from card transactions. A transaction analysis module executable by a processor generates a filtered set of transaction records that exclude, from the stored data, a set of transactions which are indicative of having been made by long term residents of the locality, rather than by residents of foreign regions, in order to improve the accuracy of true foreign visitors to the locality. For example, the system filters out from the database all transactions of accounts that have made a bill-pay transaction. As another example, the system filters out non face-to-face transactions and all transactions with mail order and catalog merchants, and schools.

Abstract: System and method for predicting the rate of deterioration in one or more items of process equipment which are subject to deterioration by one or more deterioration mechanisms. The system includes a first item of process equipment which receives an inlet stream including a feedstock or derivative thereof, and discharges one or more outlet streams which can be fed to the item of process equipment. A data processor which is a programmed computer including at least one rate model for the first item of process equipment receives values of one or more properties of the feedstock and calculates predicted rates of deterioration by the one or more deterioration mechanisms for the first item of process equipment from the values of one or more of the feedstock properties. The data processor additionally provides an output containing information relating to the predicted rates of deterioration by the one or more deterioration mechanisms for the first item of process equipment.

Abstract: A method for managing projects in a software factory is presented. A project management tool includes an end-to-end project plan for a project to create a software product by using a software factory in a global delivery network. A status block is appended to a work packet that is utilized when executing the project. After initiating the project, an alert is automatically triggered whenever the execution status of the work packet changes. The alert is transmitted to the project management tool to update a project schedule for the project, such that a completion status of the end-to-end project plan reflects a status of a project schedule for the project described by the end-to-end project plan.

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: Embodiments include a method for managing processes. The method includes collecting, by a processor, data from a plurality of processes. The method also includes recognizing, by the processor, commonality among two or more of the plurality of processes based on the data. The method also includes generating suggestions for transforming one or more of the plurality of processes based on the commonality.

Abstract: Embodiments include an apparatus for managing processes including a processing circuit for obtaining process data corresponding to a plurality of processes from at least one of storage, an external device, and a user, and for performing a method. The method includes parsing the process data to identify key features of the plurality of processes and recognizing, by the processor, commonality among two or more of the plurality of processes based on the key features. The method further includes generating suggestions for transforming one or more of the plurality of processes based on the commonality among the two or more of the plurality of processes.

Abstract: Provided is a system and method for a continuous event and incident management approach to regulatory and compliance management, and business process management.

Abstract: A computer-readable storage medium stores a program for causing a computer to execute a process. The process includes: analyzing log data related to a business which includes information regarding a calling relationship between programs in a transaction in which a plurality of programs are executed in order to implement a business process; and generating information which indicates an execution sequence of a plurality of programs in the transaction by excluding a program that has a program executed immediately before and a program executed immediately after, based on the analyzing.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating identification and prioritization of opportunities for marketers of goods and services. According to one aspect of the disclosed system, upon identification of one or more opportunities for a marketer, the system verifies whether or not the one or more opportunities satisfy certain preexisting threshold criteria. Those opportunities that satisfy certain preexisting threshold criteria are then scored, prioritized and presented to marketers. The disclosed system generates opportunity scores by analyzing various kinds of lead- and non-lead-based information and data. Aspects of the disclosed system are communicably coupled to marketers, leads, and third party information services to extract such information and data.

Abstract: A preferred method for acquiring information during an underground drilling operation includes providing a sensing device capable of acquiring information concerning the underground drilling operation from a down-hole location on a selective basis in response to an input from the surface, and drilling for a first period of time. The preferred method also includes sending the input to the sensing device after drilling for the first period of time, and drilling during a second period of time while acquiring the information using the sensing device.

Abstract: An improved system and method is provided for using sampling for scheduling advertisements in an online auction with budget and time constraints. A multi-armed bandit engine may be provided for sampling new advertisements by allocating advertisements for web page placements of equal quality and optimizing payments to maximize the welfare of the advertisers while remaining within advertiser's budget and time constraints. Advertisers may report their private information including arrival time, departure time, value per click, and budget. And the multi-armed bandit mechanism may approximate the maximal welfare that may be achieved under budget and time constraints by bounding the possible gain from any possible lie an advertiser might submit in reporting private information. Advertisers departing from the online auction may be charged using a payment method that may provide truthful guarantees on budget, arrivals, departures, and valuations for a budget-constrained online auction.

Abstract: A method, computer program and single enterprise resource planning (ERP) system for procuring a product or service. The single ERP system includes an input for receiving information relating to product demand for a plurality of end users via a cooperative buying group, a predictive engine for accumulating the received product demand into a single demand schedule and an output for transmitting the single demand schedule to a manufacturer/original source of the product. An optimization engine is provided for receiving product availability information from the manufacturer/original source of the product by the cooperative buying group, and for determining one or more options for ordering the products. A procurement system is also included for providing the product availability information to the one or more options for ordering the products, for receiving one or more product orders, for ordering product from the manufacturer/original source of the product, and for managing shipping the product.

Abstract: A point of view shopper camera system is provided to generate and analyze shoppers' view data. The point of view shopper camera system may comprise a head device including an eye camera and a head orientation sensor, a position tracking sensor to identify a shopper's position, and an analysis computing device. The eye camera may be configured to be mounted to the head of the shopper, and to capture a still or moving image of the field of view of the shopper. The analysis computing device may be configured to receive the captured image data from the eye camera, head orientation data from the head orientation sensor, and the shopper's position data from the position tracking sensor, and determine an estimated field of view of the shopper during a trip in a shopping environment.

Abstract: Aspects of the invention provide for the use of transactional data in determining a corporate action alert. Further aspects of the invention provide for determining a merger and acquisition utilizing employee base information generated from analyzing trends in historical transactional data. The method and processes may include the following: receiving transactional data corresponding to transactions associated with a set of customer accounts, wherein the transactional data includes business name patterns; generating employee base information using the transactional data, wherein the employee base information includes a total number of employees and a total amount of salary paid; identifying a trend for a merger and acquisition utilizing the employee base information; determining a list of the mergers and acquisitions from the trends for the mergers and acquisitions; and comparing the merger and acquisition list to a corporate database to identify data discrepancies.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are described for determining a succession planning track for a registered investment advisor. A server generates a plurality of statements associated with business and personal goals, and each statement in the statement sets is associated with one or more succession planning tracks. The server determines one or more preliminary tracks based on selected statements received from the remote computing device. The server generates a set of business and personal value statements associated with the preliminary tracks. The server determines a final track based on a priority ranking for at least one of the business and personal value statements. The server generates a succession action plan corresponding to the final track.

Abstract: Systems and methods for facilitating identification and prioritization of opportunities for marketers of goods and services. According to one aspect of the disclosed system, upon identification of one or more opportunities for a marketer, the system verifies whether or not the one or more opportunities satisfy certain preexisting threshold criteria. Those opportunities that satisfy certain preexisting threshold criteria are then scored, prioritized and presented to marketers. The disclosed system generates opportunity scores by analyzing various kinds of lead- and non-lead-based information and data. Aspects of the disclosed system are communicably coupled to marketers, leads, and third party information services to extract such information and data.

Abstract: A method and system for automated corrective and predictive maintenance is described herein. In one embodiment, a failure notification associated with a tool is received, wherein the failure notification indicates one or more failure events for the tool. Maintenance data associated with the tool is obtained, wherein the maintenance data includes one or more maintenance events for the tool. An optimal schedule is created for the tool by merging the failure notification and the maintenance data.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system and program product for modeling a business transformation process. In accordance with one embodiment, a transformation modeling tool receives as input multiple operational resource values associated with a specified transformation process. The operational resource values include at least one value expressed as a labor resource metric and at least one value expressed as a technology resource metric. The modeling tool comparatively processes the operational resource values with respect to one or more target operational resource values. Responsive to the comparative processing step, a cost value associated with the specified transformation process is generated.

Abstract: Technician control, in which a control system is configured to control scheduling and dispatch operations for work orders being handled by technicians. Multiple technician devices are each associated with one or more technicians, are configured to communicate, over a network, with the control system, and also are configured to provide output in response to communications that are received from the control system and that are related to the scheduling and dispatch operations performed by the control system. A set of scheduling configuration options may be pre-defined and user input weighting at least one of the scheduling configuration options relative to other of the scheduling configuration options may be received. A scheduling application used by the control system to perform scheduling operations may be configured based on configuration data that reflects the weighting and scheduling operations may be performed using the configured scheduling application.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing and reporting information and data, such as business information, and more particularly, to systems, software, hardware, products, and processes for use by businesses, individuals and other organizations to collect, process, distribute, analyze and visualize information, including, but not limited to, business intelligence, data visualization, data warehousing, and data mining. Real-time monitoring of web site interactions allows users to modify and fine-tune their websites to maximize value realized.

Abstract: Systems, methods, distributed networks, and computer-readable media are provided that relate to recruiting and employment services. Background information associated with talent-capability attributes is received from talent. Job description information is received from employers. Prospective matches are identified between employers and talent, and employers and talent are given an opportunity to consent to exchange of talent contact information.

Abstract: The disclosure relates generally to methods and apparatus to optimize a supply plan through a hybrid meta-heuristic approach based on genetic algorithms to optimize inventory and generate a supply plan. The apparatuses include a supply chain planner that interacts with the processes of a supply chain network. To provide a complete optimization for the type of platform being deployed in theater a heuristic algorithm is devised to decompose the supply plan problem into a production center schedule and an asset routing problem, which will be tackled one after the other. The decomposed supply plan problem is solved with different heuristic algorithms. Namely, genetic algorithms are used to optimize the supply plans based on ever changing set of operational demands from in theater and the priority of those demands to the assigned depots, while efficient constructive heuristics are used to deal with footprint and timing constraints.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system and method supporting microfinance funds aggregation for a retail investor are disclosed. A particular example embodiment includes receiving a purchase request at a host site from an investor at an investor site, the purchase request including information identifying a security offered for sale by a security issuer on the host site; facilitating payment for the security by the investor via a financial site; receiving confirmation of payment for the security; and sending confirmation of payment for the security to the investor.

Abstract: A system and method for predictive modeling of building energy consumption provides predicted building energy load values which are determined using kernel smoothing of historical building energy load values for a building using defined scaling factors for scaling predictor variables associated with building energy consumption. Predictor variables may include temperature, humidity, windspeed or direction, occupancy, time, day, date, and solar radiation. Scaling factor values may be defined by optimization training using historical building energy load values and measured predictor variable values for a building. Predicted and measured building energy load values are compared to determine if a preset difference threshold has been exceeded, in which case an alert signal or message is generated and transmitted to electronically and/or physically signal a user.

Abstract: Operations to manage statements relating to a computer system state include obtaining, in a computer system and from any of several sources, statements that relate to a current state of the computer system. Each statement comprises several elements. The operations comprise assigning focus values to the elements of each statement, each focus value indicating a relevance of the element to the current state of the computer system. The operations comprise identifying a subset of the statements based on the focus values. The operations comprise making a first output to a user, the first output being selected from several predefined outputs using the subset of the statements. The output may represent the current state to the user or it may present at least one of several predefined goals to the user for selection, the at least one goal being identified as being possible to accomplish based on the current state.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a method for implementing an identity management system for an organization includes developing a process flow diagram, the process flow diagram including one or more icons representing at least one process step for each of the events included in an event group and one or more icons representing at least one process step for each of the functional entities in an entity group, and implementing at least one of the process steps represented in the process flow diagram. The event group includes a status change for a system user, a request for an audit report, and an implementation of a new software application. The entity group includes a human resources department, an information technologies department, and a facilities department.

Abstract: A system includes a structure information obtaining unit which obtains structure information containing information on components of a development target in a project and on dependency relationships between the components, the structure information described, e.g., in SysML, a work item determining unit which determines work items and a work execution order based on the structure information obtained by the structure information obtaining unit; a detailed item determining unit; a date scheduling unit and a WBS storage which manages the determined work items and work execution order as work schedule definition information. The work item determining unit determines a work item related to a leaf component, which is a component not including any other component, and determines, in a case where all of the multiple components included in a single predetermined component are leaf components, a work item related to a coupling relationship between the leaf components.

Abstract: Disclosed is a computer implemented method of determining an aggregated web analytics value. A first data storage medium stores a sequence of episodic values, each associated with a respective time interval. A second data storage medium stores a sequence of aggregate values, each aggregating an equal number of the episodic values. Further aggregates are stored and provided in a like manner, until an additional sequence of higher level aggregate values cannot be created using the same base number. When a request for an aggregate value over a range of episodic values is received, the system queries the storage mediums in a parallel operation, retrieving as little aggregated values and episodic values needed to compute the requested value.

Abstract: Various arrangements for determining a customer lifetime value metric are presented. A first customer record stored by the cloud host computer system on behalf of a first client may be accessed. The first customer record may include information about a first financial relationship between a customer and the first client. A second customer record stored by the cloud host computer system on behalf of a second client may be accessed. The second customer record may include information about a second financial relationship between the customer and the second client. The clients may not have access to each other's customer records. The customer indicated in the first customer record and the customer indicated in the second customer record may be determined to be the same. The customer lifetime value metric may be determined using information from the first financial relationship and the second financial relationship.

Abstract: A technology maturity evaluation (TME) computer device is provided for evaluating a technology asset of an entity is provided. The TME computer device includes a memory device for storing data including a plurality of business value questions and a plurality of technical maturity questions, and a processor in communication with the memory device. The TME computer device is programmed to receive an asset identifier identifying an asset selected for evaluation and to electronically display business value questions and technical maturity questions for the selected asset, wherein each question is designated for a response by a subject matter expert. The TME computer device is further programmed to receive response data from each of the subject matter experts and calculate a business value score and a technical maturity score for the selected asset based on the response data.

Abstract: The system provides a method to automate the complex processes that occur at the end-of-life of IT hardware assets, and at the same time, increase the resale value of these assets. Using the system, an IT manager is able to identify a scalable number of systems for Secure Disk Wiping, Diagnostic Testing, Hardware Audit, License Recovery and Backup. These tasks are schedule driven in one embodiment, performed on multiple systems simultaneously, and minimizing the usage of network bandwidth. (In one embodiment, the system is agentless). At the same time, an IT manager can increase resale value by; restoring operating systems to hard drives once wiped, diagnostically testing systems, and capturing detailed hardware information all of which can be supplied to potential buyers or new users of repurposed/refurbished components.

Abstract: Systems for assisting a user in a process of decision-making or analysis involving a topic comprising a computer and one or more computer applications comprising: a module for displaying a screen set soliciting a set of input data, and inputting said set of input data, wherein at least some of the data is characterized with a value representing a degree of certainty regarding the data; and a module for displaying a screen or screen set showing a current recommendation or analysis where the degree of certainty regarding the input data is reflected in the recommendation, calculations, or output; wherein said module optionally provides information or links to modify those inputs which are determined to have one or more of: the highest importance, the greatest effect on the calculated certainty of the current recommendation or analysis, and the greatest effect on the calculated certainty of a particular calculated result.

Abstract: Methods and systems for structuring and operating an integrated energy merchant enterprise are provided. Enterprise core value creation functions are first identified. The core value creation functions are those that are primary profit and loss drivers and are generally market facing entities. The core value creation functions are then integrated with one or more integration functions. The integration functions and core value creation functions are controlled with one or more governance functions.

Abstract: The risk of losing sales of an item in a retail store due to the item not being on the retail store's shelves for customers to purchase is reduced. An item an item at a retail store may be identified as being at risk based at least in part on a sales volatility of the item and on a frequency of the item selling beyond its sales floor capacity within a day. A minimum number of facings for the item in the retail store may be determined based at least in part on an average daily capacity of the item, an average number of facings for the item, and a specified amount of daily sales of the item. The determined minimum number of facings for the item in the retail store may be reported.

Abstract: One embodiment of a system for detecting a lost sale due to an out-of-shelf condition in a retail environment includes a plurality of sensors distributed throughout the retail environment for monitoring a current behavior of a customer in the retail environment, a database for storing a purchasing history of the customer, and a matching system for automatically detecting when the customer fails to purchase an expected product, based at least in part on the current behavior and on the purchasing history, and for inferring, based on the automatically detecting, that the expected product is out-of-shelf.

Abstract: A method for providing a real time view of heterogeneous enterprise data of operational systems includes capturing streams of operational events in real time, combining the events with contextual data, and materializing a resulting view. The resulting view includes a dynamically defined view of the stream of events and provides visibility into a current state of the operational system. A view snapshot is continuously incrementally updated by a view maintenance engine as a stream of rows. The views are used to evaluate a business rule. An alert is fired when a business rule holds true. To enable the view in a view engine, a SQL string characterising the view is parsed into a parse tree, which is normalized to form a query graph. The query graph is then optimized to obtain a query plan, which is compiled into an operator graph. Queries are executed based upon the operator graph.

Abstract: One embodiment of a method for detecting a lost sale due to an out-of-shelf condition in a retail environment includes automatically detecting when a customer fails to purchase an expected product, based at least in part on an observation of a current behavior of the customer in the retail environment and on a purchasing history of the customer, and inferring, based on the automatically detecting, that the expected product is out-of-shelf.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for determining supplier environmental impact (EI) can include identifying a number of tiers of suppliers for an activity of an entity, mapping the activity of the entity to an economic sector and an environmental sector using data accessed from a public database, and determining an EI for each supplier in the number of tiers of suppliers for the activity based on data associated with the mapped economic sector and the mapped environmental sector, wherein the method is performed by a computing device.