Operations Research

Operations Research patent applications listed are from June 2005 to current and include Date, Patent Application Number, Patent Title, Patent Abstract summary and are linked to the corresponding patent application page.

11/23/06 - 20060265261 - Managing maintenance for an item of equipment
A method and system for maintaining an item of equipment supports the provision of predictive maintenance in a manner which eliminates or reduces downtime of the equipment. The method includes tracking performance data on the equipment or a particular component of the equipment. At least one required maintenance activity is ...

11/23/06 - 20060265260 - System and method for browsing and comparing products
A system and method permit a user to browse and compare products of a merchant using information about a competitor. In one embodiment of the system and method, a page server serves a competitor electronic page to a customer browser which permits the user to select a competitor. The competitor ...

11/23/06 - 20060265259 - Automated attachment of segmentation data to hot contact leads for facilitating matching of leads to interested lead buyers
In an automated leads-and-bids matching system, bid profiles are defined to describe desires of lead buyers. Received leads are matched to active ones of the bid profiles whose specifications the leads substantially match. Lead segmentation data is captured on-the-fly for example by inducing potential consumers to navigate their way through ...

11/23/06 - 20060265258 - Apparatus and methods for an application process and data analysis
One aspect of the invention relates to a method of simplifying an application process. The method includes a series of steps that can be performed in any particular order. The steps include dividing the application process into a plurality of sub-processes, arranging a portion of the plurality of sub-processes in ...

11/23/06 - 20060265257 - Analysis of a model of a complex system
Disclosed is a method for analyzing a computer-based data processing model of a complex system, said model comprising at least two modeling levels on which the system is represented at different degrees of abstraction. The inventive method comprises the following steps: a first partial model of the system is created ...

11/16/06 - 20060259338 - System and method to improve operational status indication and performance based outcomes
A system and related method to assist a business in evaluating the rapid response to one or more product fabrication bid requests. The system includes a survey function for gathering information from individuals of identified groups. The information includes assigned values associated with a plurality of defined outcomes. The system ...

11/16/06 - 20060259337 - System and method for managing business partner qualifications
A system and method for managing business partner qualifications. According to one embodiment, an application receives a request by an external business partner to assign a qualification to an entity associated with the external business partner, determines whether the qualification is authorized for direct assignment by the external business partner, ...

11/16/06 - 20060259336 - Methods and systems for managing risks associated with a project
Methods and systems for assessing risks associated with a project. The method includes building a tier 1 library and a tier 2 library. The tier 2 library includes project templates specific to a service/product offering or project type. Building the tier 1 and tier 2 libraries includes identifying project activities ...

11/09/06 - 20060253309 - On demand selection of marketing offers in response to inbound communications
A database system and method for ordering on demand a plurality of marketing offers for offering to a candidate in response to an inbound communication from the candidate. The database system comprises a first database structure storing a first list identifying marketing offers, a second database structure storing a second ...

11/02/06 - 20060247960 - System for managing customer productivity through central repository
A system and a method for managing various Customer Productivity Applications utilize a web-enabled interactive database to organize, store and retrieve information for the benefit of the customer community to effectively manage the business. The system captures all customers related information and provides on-line, up-to-date information to the users upon ...

11/02/06 - 20060247959 - System and method for provisioning, fulfilling, and delivering full service information technology, management and other professional services and ancillary consulting support in real time via an integrated technology architecture while enabling end clien
A system and method for selling, provisioning, transacting, fulfilling, delivering and supporting simple and complex business and technical professional services in an on demand fashion for various service industries specifically around the development life cycle relative to the industry. On demand professional services is accomplished through a previously unused system ...

11/02/06 - 20060247958 - Performing a customs procedure
A method includes receiving an electronic logistics document containing logistics data of received goods, processing the logistics data, and generating an electronic customs declaration. Generating can include extracting from the logistics document logistics data, deriving from the extracted logistics data customs data related to a customs procedure, and generating for ...

11/02/06 - 20060247957 - Method and system for facilitating analysis of risks
A method and system for facilitating analysis of risks. Items, families of items, risks, sub-categories of risks, and categories of risks are weighted. Items are related to each other by a common business function. The risks are associated with each item. For each item, each associated risk is evaluated to ...

11/02/06 - 20060247956 - Risk environment modeling for predicting decisions
A modeling method for predicting a decision is disclosed. A risk environment is simulated for one or more control groups. One or more experimental groups are exposed to an intervention, and the risk environment is simulated for the experimental groups. ...

10/26/06 - 20060241989 - Financial planning method and computer system
A computer system, program, and method for assisting financial professionals in determining appropriate financial products (or clients. The system and method present a first set of questions to a client and receives a first set of answers, then the system presents subsequent sets of questions to the client which are ...

10/26/06 - 20060241988 - Method and system for generating an assignment binder within an assessment management system
A system of hardware and software provides a systematic and systemic method for performing assessment of the effectiveness of different levels within an institution. The system includes template driven definitions that span multiple tiers of hierarchically arranged operating units within the institution thereby providing flexibility and customization to handle a ...

10/26/06 - 20060241987 - Communication of project information
A system, a method and computer-readable media for presenting project information to a user. A project is represented by multiple objects. Items of information are received, and each of these items is associated with one of the objects. A user input selecting an object is received. In response to this ...

10/26/06 - 20060241986 - Production optimizer for supply chain management
One embodiment of the invention provides a method for optimizing a supply chain management (SCM) problem. A genetic algorithm optimization technique may be used to generate a production solution for the production side of an SCM problem and an ant colony optimization technique may be used to generate a solution ...

10/19/06 - 20060235734 - Method and system for determining buffer inventory size
A method and system for determining buffer inventory size. The method comprises the steps of selecting an item for which demand data is to be reviewed, collecting demand data from a data source that relates to the selected item, processing the demand data with a processing resource to determine the ...

10/19/06 - 20060235733 - System and method for providing integration of service-oriented architecture and web services
A system and method for providing integration of service-oriented architecture (SOA) is provided. Generally, the method comprising the steps of: identifying SOA drivers, thereby determining matters that are driving the company to integrate the SOA and Web services into the company; developing a business initiative roadmap, thereby performing an analysis ...

10/19/06 - 20060235732 - Accelerated process improvement framework
The present invention relates to a method and related system for assisting and expediting an organization production of a more mature product. The method and system may include implementation of processes using a combination of both electronic hardware and software and implementation locally or over a network such as an ...

10/12/06 - 20060229922 - Association and visualization of schematized business networks
The present invention extends to associating and visualizing schematized business networks. Users can visualize and navigate a business network without having got understand or create associations between structures of different business layers. Users can configure the level of detail by zooming in and zooming out of relevant portions of the ...

10/12/06 - 20060229921 - Business control system
The Business Control System (BCS) is a management method designed to facilitate the control of complex business operations. The method combines project management principles with control system engineering modeling, analysis and design techniques within a robust information technology framework. The BCS provides managers with the ability to design their business ...

10/05/06 - 20060224425 - Comparing and contrasting models of business
The present invention extends to comparing and contrasting models of business. Model processing modules implement formal operators that can be used to manipulate models of business. A compare operator can be used to compare similarly typed models of business. A contrast operator can be used to contrast differ types of ...

10/05/06 - 20060224424 - Business context services for adaptable service oriented architecture components
A method, system and apparatus for a commerce system having a service oriented architecture (SOA). The SOA commerce system of the present invention can include a component logic container exposing an interface to one or more accessing clients and having a configuration for hosting one or more business components. The ...

10/05/06 - 20060224423 - Transportation planning with parallel optimization
Systems, methodologies, media, and other embodiments associated with parallel optimization in transportation planning are described. One exemplary method embodiment may include selecting, in parallel, candidate loads to satisfy a set of orders, selecting final loads from the candidate loads, and in parallel selectively manipulating the final loads into a transportation ...

09/21/06 - 20060212326 - Method for predicting call center volumes
A computer method that is used to predict when recipients of mail pieces will contact a call center in response to information contained in the mail pieces. The method involves, utilizing previous mailing campaign data to determine when the mail piece arrives in the home and when a call center ...

09/21/06 - 20060212325 - Method and computer program product for evaluating a project
A method and computer program product, for evaluating a project, the method includes: receiving task timing information and task relationship information; locating at least one hidden critical path; and estimating a robustness of the project in response to at one characteristic of the at least one hidden critical path. ...

09/21/06 - 20060212324 - Graphical representation of organization actions
A system for graphically representing an organization action includes a communication interface and a processor. The communications interface receives communication messages between an application arid a server. The processor processes the communication messages to determine organization actions performed in the application. The processor also determines at least one metric of ...

09/21/06 - 20060212323 - Production management system
A system is provided that can reset a production schedule in accordance with a change caused in a production This system optionally displays, when a demand from a customers is changed and product order receiving conditions are changed, component procurement conditions required to receive the change of the demand to ...

09/14/06 - 20060206369 - Collection method of and collection system for collecting costs of energy-saving facilities
A collection method and system which restrains an increase in initial cost of energy-saving facilities. According to the invention, the reduced amount of running cost of energy-saving facilities for a predetermined period is computed based on a prediction of operation of the facilities, and an initial cost is determined. Actual ...

09/14/06 - 20060206368 - Integration of mes and controls engineering
Integration of MES and Controls engineering The invention relates to a system and a method for integrated development of projects of different levels, especially of automation projects in the MES and Controls area. The integrated development is facilitated by the use of uniform models. In this case a first project ...

09/14/06 - 20060206367 - Mission console
The invention introduces a secure, graphical method and system for developing, analyzing, selecting, executing, measuring, and improving extensible, cohesive plans in single user, and multiple user environments. It presents a logical system for recycling plan related information. Mechanisms are introduced for brainstorming and collaborating during plan development and execution. Techniques ...

09/14/06 - 20060206366 - Enterprise process documentation and analysis system and method
According to an exemplary embodiment of this invention a method of displaying a process characterized by multiple process steps is provided. The process comprises the step of displaying a first process flow representing the process in a flow chart format on a report, wherein the first process flow represents a ...

09/14/06 - 20060206365 - Sample store forecasting process and system
A method and system of predicting market information includes the steps of receiving first data, forecasting further data based on the first data, receiving second data and comparing the further data with the second data, and creating an adjustment factor to account for any difference between the further data and ...

09/14/06 - 20060206364 - Relationship assistant
A relationship assistant is used in conjunction with an electronic device in order to monitor a person's communications with others. The relationship assistant gathers information from a variety of applications in order to determine whether there are particular contacts with whom the user has not recently communicated. The relationship assistant ...

09/07/06 - 20060200371 - Relating to expert systems
A method of traversing a workflow is described. The workflow comprises a plurality of interconnected question and answer nodes, each question node being linked to a respective stored pre-determined question and each answer node being linked to a respective stored answer. The method comprises: determining the type of the current ...

08/31/06 - 20060195346 - Labor market information analyzer for researchers, employers, staff and others
A computerized information system for analyzing labor market information consisting of a server having a plurality of categorizing and processing services for researchers, employers, staff and the like, a database of standard and proprietary format data and optional stored procedures operatively coupled with the server, and a plurality of input/output ...

08/31/06 - 20060195345 - Selective merchandise price optimization
An interface that enables a user to determine optimum prices of products for sale. The interface includes a scenario/results processor through which the user prescribes an optimization scenario, and through which optimum prices are presented to the user. The optimum prices are determined by execution of the optimization scenario, where ...

08/24/06 - 20060190312 - Method for assembly of projects and system for practicing method
The present invention teaches a method and system for assembling projects. The method comprises the steps of 1) gathering and assembling expert knowledge; 2) identifying relevant parameters and defining rules; 3) programming key parameters into a core system; and 4) providing a computer based medium for users to input information, ...

08/24/06 - 20060190311 - System and method for product level projections of pharmacy prescriptions within product therapy classes
Systems and methods for product level projections of pharmacy prescriptions within product therapy classes are provided. Average wholesale dollar sales amounts are obtained or estimated at channel/outlet/product-therapy levels. All of the average wholesale dollar sales amounts are converted to prescription data at channel/outlet/product-therapy levels using a correlation function. The correlation ...

08/24/06 - 20060190310 - System and method for designing effective business policies via business rules analysis
Methods and systems are provided for analyzing the business rules, business metrics, and decision parameters for a firm or organization, processing a subset of such data to form output, and offering access to selective views of such output including evaluation and comparative data regarding execution of such business rules, information ...

08/24/06 - 20060190309 - Method and system for reservation and management of recreational activities
A reservation and management system for recreational activities offered by a plurality of activity operators, comprises a database for storing information regarding a plurality of recreational activities, including inventory information and a financial record containing financial information, for reservation transactions carried out for said activity and profile information for a ...

08/17/06 - 20060184407 - Operation information management device and surgery system
An operation information management device for managing a use history of multiple medical apparatuses has a management item setting section for setting management items which classify the use history of the various medical apparatuses, a management item storing section for storing the use history information of the various medical apparatuses ...

08/17/06 - 20060184406 - Delivery operations information system and methods of use
The present invention provides a system for managing information related to a delivery service provider and systems of using such a system. The system and systems provided herein allow a delivery service provider to coordinate with efficiency the volume of mail or packages to be delivered with the carrier resources ...

08/17/06 - 20060184405 - Delivery operations information system with planning and scheduling feature and methods of use
The present invention provides a system for managing information related to a delivery service provider and systems of using such a system. The system and systems provided herein allow a delivery service provider to coordinate with efficiency the volume of mail or packages to be delivered with the carrier resources ...

08/17/06 - 20060184404 - Delivery operations information system with daily workload management feature and methods of use
The present invention provides a system for managing information related to a delivery service provider and systems of using such a system. The system and systems provided herein allow a delivery service provider to coordinate with efficiency the volume of mail or packages to be delivered with the carrier resources ...

08/17/06 - 20060184403 - Delivery operations information system with route adjustment feature and methods of use
The present invention provides a system for managing information related to a delivery service provider and systems of using such a system. The system and systems provided herein allow a delivery service provider to coordinate with efficiency the volume of mail or packages to be delivered with the carrier resources ...

08/17/06 - 20060184402 - Hospitality analytics
Hospitality Analytics is an advanced suite of interactive analysis tools developed to thoroughly analyze any hospitality environment. Analysis is of both physical and virtual workspaces and their interrelationship with each other. The tool suite allows for design and implementation to be correct by construction. ...

08/17/06 - 20060184401 - System and method for resource and cost planning of an it migration
A system, method and program product for managing an information technology (IT) migration. A system is disclosed that includes: a database of inventory data records, wherein each inventory data record includes a set of migration parameters for a system to be migrated; a set of estimation tables that provide migration ...

08/10/06 - 20060178918 - Technology sharing during demand and supply planning in a network-based supply chain environment
A system, method, and article of manufacture are provided for technology sharing during demand and supply planning in a network-based supply chain environment. Steps included are providing locator and mapping capabilities utilizing the network. Technology that includes streaming audio, stereo audio and video data is also shared utilizing the network. ...

08/10/06 - 20060178917 - Office document assessment method and system
A method and system for the assessment of the office document production environment(s) in a facility, and more particularly to a client-based method and system that can be used to collect, analyze, model, optimize, and report on document output costs and efficiencies in an office environment. ...

07/27/06 - 20060167728 - Methods and systems for assessing security risks
The assessment of security risks associated with linear corridors, such as transportation corridors and utilities corridors, is provided. Initially, a site is selected for evaluation. Survey data and context sensitive information, such as demographic information, environmental information, corridor asset information, and the like, is collected for the site. Linear corridors ...

07/27/06 - 20060167727 - Method for the controlling of a logistics chain
According to the method, the current measurements from sensors S1, S2 are transmitted into a Supply Chain Management-application. In this way, the current measurements are always available to the Supply Chain Management-application. ...

07/27/06 - 20060167726 - Office routine work management system and office routine work management method
A period managing system includes at least a management condition creating unit 1, a management information storing unit 2, a management condition determining unit 3, and a management condition storing unit 4. The period managing system is operated on the basis of period management information stored in the management condition ...

07/20/06 - 20060161466 - System and method for building business service model
A modeling system has a database that stores information of resources of a computer network service. A server f has a graphical user interface application for creating and editing service models. The application receives user-entered search criteria and searches information in the database based on the criteria. The search criteria ...

07/20/06 - 20060161465 - Systems and methods for optimizing total merchandise profitability
In one such aspect, the invention provides a method for optimizing merchandise profitability that includes the step of modeling gross margin as a function of product breadth and depth for each of at least one class of goods retailed by each of at least one retail site in a group ...

07/20/06 - 20060161464 - Method and system for web-based organizational reporting management
A method and system that include a number of functionally and interactively integrated components for assistance with recording services provided to a number of individuals by various organizations. The organizations include, for example, those providing social services, educational assessments, training, job placement, or other services to individuals. In one variation, ...

07/13/06 - 20060155594 - Adaptive step-by-step process with guided conversation logs for improving the quality of transaction data
The present invention discloses a method and system that can produce high quality documentation for real estate transactions by the preparation of a set of real estate related templates with context help and guided questionaires. The real estate transaction process is first organized into various steps, with each step having ...

07/13/06 - 20060155593 - Systems, methods and computer-implemented architectures for performing supply chain planning
Methods, systems and computer-implemented architectures are provided for performing supply chain planning. In one implementation, a system is provided that comprises a database configured to store master data descriptive of supply chain items, a model generator coupled to the database and configured to derive a master data-based core model representative ...

07/13/06 - 20060155592 - Method for taking stock and/or monitoring the inventory of stored object and /or merchandise, resource planning system, computer program for a resource planning system, and computer program for a sensor device
To take stock or monitor the inventory of stored objects or merchandise, a storage place or an optically scannable identifier, by which the object or the piece of merchandise can be identified, are assigned to a stored object or piece of merchandise. An electronic image is recorded at a given ...

07/06/06 - 20060149607 - Led lighting system
A method for optimizing an LED lighting system cost includes steps of determining LED costs, power source costs, and total costs associated with a plurality of LED quantities, and identifying a lowest total cost as an optimal cost. A LED lighting system includes an LED operated by a constant-current driver ...

07/06/06 - 20060149606 - System and method for agent assisted information retrieval
Online information resources are searched. The system acts an assistant to the user during the search of online resources by pursuing search paths that the user did not recognize, or was unable to pursue due to time or skill limitations. After constructing a preliminary model of the user's information need ...

07/06/06 - 20060149605 - Exception reduction and event reordering in an item tracking system
A current state of an item being tracked by an item-tracking system may be determined using prior state information about the item. To ensure proper temporal order of the state information, software events triggered by physical events associated with the item are received from a reader at an event interpretation ...

06/29/06 - 20060143059 - System and method for minimizing transfer of motion picture data manipulated with outsourced labor
System and method for minimizing transfer of motion picture data manipulated with outsourced labor to allow locations with low bandwidth communications links to be used. Allows for transfer of a small version of a workpiece, e.g., a compressed version of an image, receipt of manipulation commands from outsourcing site and ...

06/29/06 - 20060143058 - Operator network that routes customer care calls based on subscriber/device profile and csr skill set
An operator network is capable of routing incoming customer care calls to specific customer care representatives based on a subscriber profile and customer service representative (CSR) skill set. The device profile is retrieved from the mobile handset while the incoming customer care call is in a queue waiting to be ...

06/29/06 - 20060143057 - Integration of distributed business process models
A process modeling tool provides a process designer with the ability to design a plurality of business process models that include tasks for achieving a desired result(s). The process modeling tool allows the process designer to merge the process models into a merged process model by replacing event flow coordinators ...

06/22/06 - 20060136276 - System and method for linking quality function deployment to system engineering
The present invention is directed to a method, system, and computer program managing a product lifecycle. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention offers a product design system linking a PDM tool supporting a System Engineering process to a Quality Function Deployment (QFD) tool. ...

06/22/06 - 20060136275 - Method and a device for optimizing a company structure
A method for optimizing a company structure consists of subdividing the company structure at least into a producing section and a non-producing section. For each section, value chains are generated with their respective participating structural elements. A matrix is build by optimizing the value chains. A device for optimizing a ...

06/15/06 - 20060129439 - System and method for improved project portfolio management
A system and method for managing a portfolio or projects is disclosed wherein the relationships between the goals of an organization are determined and a weight is applied to each goal. These weights are indicative of the importance of each goal in achieving another goal. Each project in the organization ...

06/08/06 - 20060122874 - Method and system for making donations to charitable entities
A method and system for making a donation to a third party, wherein a user executes a purchase transaction using a card linked to a user account at a financial institution, the user account storing at least one indicia of value associated with the user. The user is queried via ...

06/08/06 - 20060122873 - Method and system for managing risk
A system for managing risk includes a user interface enabling selection of a particular affected entity from a plurality of predetermined types of affected entities, in response to a user command. A repository includes information associating the selected affected entity with a particular hazard potentially adversely affecting the selected affected ...

06/01/06 - 20060116917 - Time polynomial arrow-debreu market equilibrium
A concept for providing a process and apparatus for allocating a gamut of assets/resources across a spectrum of consumers is described. The concept includes an apparatus for allocating resources across a spectrum of users. The apparatus includes one or more processors and a memory coupled to the one or more ...

05/25/06 - 20060111952 - Method of qualifying small business ownership for first-time buyers
A business brokerage process is provided for identifying key issues for locating appropriate buyers and sellers for a successful business purchase. The method includes the steps of psychological testing, process awareness through coaching and education, spousal support through involvement, and access to financing through introduction to providers of capital. ...

05/25/06 - 20060111951 - Time polynomial arrow-debreu market equilibrium
A concept for providing a process and apparatus for allocating a gamut of assets/resources across a spectrum of consumers is described. The concept includes an apparatus for allocating resources across a spectrum of users. The apparatus includes one or more processors and a memory coupled to the one or more ...

05/25/06 - 20060111950 - Method for business process mapping, design, analysis and performance monitoring
A method of creating a systems requirement document by using a numerical modeling tool, such as a spreadsheet, to prototype an operational process in terms of a numerical picture of the goals, metrics, performance targets and constraints used by managers of the operational process. A process design blueprint is defined ...

05/18/06 - 20060106659 - System and method for monitoring and analyzing data trends of interest within an organization
A system and method for identifying, monitoring, and analyzing various trends and patterns of interest within an organization in order to maximize aspects thereof, including, for example, productivity, efficiency, and employee health and safety. The invention utilizes a centralized data repository to accessibly store and maintain data; date gap analysis ...

05/18/06 - 20060106658 - Activity based cost modeling
A computer system, computer-readable medium and a method for performing activity based cost modeling. A cost object array has dimensions defined by weight arrays each corresponding to facets of the business by which one would assess profitability and efficiency, such as by products and customers. Each element of the ...

05/18/06 - 20060106657 - Systems and methods for estimating costs and characteristics of enterprise training facilities
A training enterprise cost estimating system and method to automatically provide an optimized estimate in response to user provided inputs. A user enters enterprise related parameters including types of tasks, types of vehicles, types of simulators, costs, and optimization priorities. The user can carry out simulations of the proposed training ...

05/18/06 - 20060106656 - Method and computer program for field spectrum optimization
In a planning model, a decision variable optimization process (200) generates a planning function (122) describing the planning model, the planning function (122) depending upon a set of decision variables (125). The planning function (122) is separated into independent planning functions, SPi, each of which depend upon different decision variables ...

05/11/06 - 20060100916 - System, method, and software for convergence-based project planning
A product development technique is provided that enables a user to define a product family design structure. The product family design structure includes a number of customer concerns, a number of physical properties associated with components of the product, and a number of relation models. Each customer concern is associated ...

05/11/06 - 20060100915 - Plant apparatus operation support device
It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus that selects and specifies an optimal operating method for plant equipment while estimating risk-cost that relates to damage, performance deterioration, and functional stoppage, of the plant equipment, and comparing the risk-cost with profit gained from operation. To achieve the ...

05/04/06 - 20060095308 - Application of supply chain unit cell or cell group or boundary conservation of value and quantity to computer management system
The invention is specifically appropriate to apply to the supply chain management system concerning any change of quantity or value of raw material, semi-products as well as finished goods etc. It can also be used among the electronic business computer systems in various enterprises supply chain cell groups. In other ...

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05/04/06 - 20060095307 - Method and system for establishing a defined benefit plan
A computer-implemented method of establishing and maintaining a defined benefit plan for a party. A user interface is associated with a computer system for requesting and receiving employment information from the party through the user interface. The computer system automatically determines an eligibility of the party for the defined benefit ...

05/04/06 - 20060095306 - Market allocation design methods and systems
Techniques for determining constrained market allocation for a travel network having a plurality of origin-destination market pairs include using a first device that computes constrained market allocation based on the capacity of at least a first leg of the travel network and the passenger utility of at least one path ...

04/27/06 - 20060089864 - Formal sequential lagrangian algorithm for large scale resource scheduling optimization
A method and computer program product for optimization of large scale resource scheduling problems. Large scale resource scheduling problems are computationally very hard and extremely time consuming to solve. This invention provides a Lagrangian relaxation based solution method. The method has two distinct characteristics. First, the method is formal. It ...

04/20/06 - 20060085240 - Aggregate transit times
A method and system to provide aggregate transit time. In one embodiment, the method, which may be performed by a system, comprises receiving information identifying a shipping destination; and in response to the information, providing data related to on-time performance for one or more shipping vendors providing shipping services to ...

04/20/06 - 20060085239 - Method of selecting and matching professionals
A method of selecting desired professionals in a system by a user which includes the process of forming a collective of repair persons on a system and allows users to sign on to the system. Once signed on to the system, users are able to search for matching repair persons ...

04/20/06 - 20060085238 - Method and system for monitoring an issue
The present invention is a web-based software application designed to monitor implementation of an issue. The invention includes receiving information from a user on the issue to be monitored; receiving information from a user on an assignment on the issue; and sending the assignment to a recipient. An acknowledgement is ...

04/20/06 - 20060085237 - Method of improving information technology processes of a business using value stream management
A method for improving an information technology process of a business comprises the steps of selecting an administrative value stream having a series of steps, preparing a current state value stream map corresponding to the administrative value stream, preparing a future state value stream map based on lean concepts to ...

04/20/06 - 20060085236 - Automated management of airport revenues
A solution is described which provides an airport with the tools to accurately manage all sources of airside revenues, including operational revenues and capital programs. The system of the present invention relies on the acquisition of any and all data related to the operations, property, lease, and revenue management of ...

04/20/06 - 20060085235 - Inventory mitigation and balancing system for dynamically and iteratively tracking, matching, and exchanging inventory excess and storage
A computer-implemented inventory management system is provided in which inventory data and inventory balancing transactions are conducted external to existing inventory databases by means of automated and computerized system permitting the participation of multiple users and warehouse locations to track, search, match and complete inventory mitigation and balancing transactions. More ...

04/20/06 - 20060085234 - Method and apparatus for constructing a forecast standard deviation for automated valuation modeling
A method and apparatus for deriving Sigmas or forecast standard deviations for valuations of properties valued by an automated valuation model without reference to the underlying mathematical architecture and without reference to a particular data structure of the automated valuation model and for providing right-tail and responsive confidence scores consistent ...

04/20/06 - 20060085233 - Peer-to-peer complaint system and method
A method and system of managing and handling consumer complaints is provided. The method includes receiving a complaint from a consumer regarding a merchant, forwarding the complaint to the merchant for a merchant's response, displaying the complaint and the merchant's response, if one is received, for a plurality of users ...

04/13/06 - 20060080156 - Outsourcing command center
An outsourcing command center collects and processes outsourcing data for multiple engagements and multiple outsourcing offerings. The command center may apply a metric set to the outsourcing data that is broadly applicable across multiple outsourcing offerings, but also tailored to specific outsourcing offerings, and extended by engagements to meet their ...

04/06/06 - 20060074726 - Software system for managing information in context
A software system that uses the rigor and rules of business process automation to capture and structure organizational expertise, processes, and procedures—the non-automatable activities and actions of an organization—into a single, common, enterprise-wide, information framework. The capture function is engineered for usability and structured to reflect the patterns and semantics ...

04/06/06 - 20060074725 - Method and apparatus for simulating implementation models of business solutions
A method (and system) for simulating an implementation model of a business solution includes simulating business artifacts that invoke the implementation model of the business solution, at least one of simulating and executing a component of the business solution during at least one intermediate stage of a development and integration ...

03/30/06 - 20060069596 - Workflow hosting computing system using a collaborative application
A workflow hosting collaborative application computing system is disclosed. The workflow hosting collaborative application computing system comprises a collaborative application able to support workflow services; workflow services supported by the collaborative application including a virtual workflow operating system and workflow management tools; one or more application programs for communicating with ...

03/30/06 - 20060069595 - Business system management procedures research and analysis methodology
The invention is a business services method (BSM) for procedures research and analysis, which comprises a process for selecting an appropriate medium for a given set of procedures, business procedure decomposition, and technology decomposition. More particularly, the inventive process comprises: organizing service requirements; collecting data; documenting “source activities,” the intended ...

03/30/06 - 20060069594 - Method and computer program product for resource planning
According to a tendency of a resource allocation request from a customer, a resource configuration that a resource provider provides is changed. The resource allocation request from customer's client machine with respect to a resource that a local domain including a server, a network, and a storage provides is accumulated ...

03/30/06 - 20060069593 - Notification transmission over a network based on observed data
One embodiment includes an apparatus that comprises a storage medium to store a database. The apparatus also includes a port to receive, over a network, data related to a number of observations at a work site based on input into an electronic device. The apparatus includes a processor to store ...

03/23/06 - 20060064336 - Method an system for facilitating electronic outsourcing value assessment
One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates performing a value assessment of electronic outsourcing of information technology. The system operates by first conducting marketplace research to determine an industry that would benefit from electronic outsourcing of information technology. Next, the system qualifies a prospect within the ...

03/23/06 - 20060064335 - Method, system, and storage medium for performing business process modeling
Exemplary embodiments include a method for performing business process modeling. The method includes identifying capabilities, activities, and requirements associated with a business problem or an opportunity. The activities are operable for implementing the capabilities and the capabilities are operable for resolving the business problem or exploiting the opportunity. For each ...

03/23/06 - 20060064334 - Process-based documentation method and system
A process-based method and system for mapping and documenting a business process integrates information from a plurality of sources into a process map in such manner that only those sources needed to perform the task at hand are accessed in turn through steps in the process map. Such sources may ...

03/16/06 - 20060059028 - Context search system
A computer based media, method and system for context search for an individual, a team, a division, an organization, an organization combination or some combination thereof. ...

03/16/06 - 20060059027 - System and method for specifying functional and non-functional requirements for a project
A method for modeling requirements of a product includes defining an abstract use case for each feature of said product; hierarchically decomposing each abstract use case until concrete use cases are specified for each feature; depicting every actor who would use said product as communicating with a concrete use case ...

03/16/06 - 20060059026 - Compliance workbench
An audit system formally communicates the results of an audit to company officers. The audit system allows company officers to review the audit information in detail to identify specific risks, their associated financial controls, and the potentially impacted financial accounts. The audit system displays a summary of audit results identifying ...

03/09/06 - 20060053040 - Home and area pages
A method of generating a user interface for an application includes storing a profile for a user of the application, where the profile contains information that relates to a function of the user in an organization and personal information for the user, selecting elements to include in the user interface ...

03/09/06 - 20060053039 - Method and apparatus for business process analysis and optimization
A methodology for business process analysis and optimization. This enables firms to analyze business processes using stochastic processing network models to estimate process key performance indicators. Based on these indicators, alternate process models can be further developed and analyzed, in order to optimize business objectives. The analysis methodology can be ...

03/02/06 - 20060047546 - Computer-based retail data management system and method thereof
The invention broadly comprises a computer-based system for managing data in a business entity and includes a central application for the business entity, a local application linked to the central application, a first interface linked to the local application, and a plurality of user interfaces located in the location and ...

03/02/06 - 20060047545 - Rfid enabled information systems utiling a business application
The subject invention provides a system and/or a method that facilitates extending data within an RFID network to a business application. An interface can receive real-time RFID data from a process with at least one device collection within the RFID network. An integration component can seamlessly expose such real-time RFID ...

03/02/06 - 20060047544 - Software training method and apparatus
A software training approach utilizes customized training activities to provide effective customized learning operations for users. Through an association of the user identifier, such as a login, an application determines when an activity occurs requiring training. Based on the user identifier, a customized training activities are retrieved and executed providing ...

03/02/06 - 20060047543 - Electronic emergency response management system with automated rule-based alert notifications and response deployment
A computerized method and related system (10) for identifying matches between emergency response units (ERU) and stationary response units (SRU) includes identifying a group of emergency response units, wherein each emergency and stationary response unit has particular physical attributes. A beacon (20, 36) is installed on each emergency response unit ...

03/02/06 - 20060047542 - Apparatus and method to optimize revenue realized under multiple service level agreements
A method to optimize revenue realized under multiple service level agreements with multiple data storage clients is disclosed. The method provides an information storage and retrieval system. The method includes entering into (N) service level agreements to provide data storage services for (N) applications using the information storage and retrieval ...

02/23/06 - 20060041458 - Scenario editors and scenario rules aggregators for resource-allocation systems
The present disclosure relates to scenario-management systems for use in resource-allocation systems. In an exemplary embodiment, a scenario editor comprises means for creating, editing, and storing business rules, rule groups, and in a database; and means for creating links among selected business rules, rule groups, and scenarios, such that changes ...

02/23/06 - 20060041457 - System and method for forming business alliances
A method for forming a strategic alliance between two or more entities is disclosed. The strategic alliance may be formed between the two or more entities to jointly manage the development, marketing, distribution and/or sale of a product and/or service sold to consumers through retailers. A joint business plan may ...

02/23/06 - 20060041456 - Systems and method for determining the cost of a securities research department to service a client of the department
Embodiments of the present invention are generally directed to two different techniques for determining the cost of an equity research department to service a client of the department. The first technique generally includes estimating the time spent by each analyst of the department servicing the client over a specified period ...

02/16/06 - 20060036477 - System and method for providing information about an operation's applicability to an item
A system and method for providing information about an operation's applicability to an item. A processor may provide a list of selectable items in a display area and may provide for each of the listed items, in response to receiving a command to perform an operation on selected items of ...

02/16/06 - 20060036476 - System and method for tracking information in a business environment
A system and method for tracking information in a business environment. The system uses a tree-view hierarchy whereby alerts and time triggers are set by the user and upon the triggering of an event, the visual attributes of the tree-view folders change to reflect the triggering event. ...

02/16/06 - 20060036475 - Business activity debugger
A method, an apparatus, and a computer program are provided to better analyze business activities. Metrics are utilized to mine information gathered on a businesses operations. At times of user labeled events, snap shots of the state of the business can be taken. Statistical analyses are performed on the data ...

02/09/06 - 20060031107 - Advertisement portfolio model, comprehensive advertisement risk management system using advertisement risk management system using advertisement portfolio model, and method for making investment decision by using advertisement portfolio
An advertisement portfolio model reduces risk in an advertisement transaction for an individual advertisement product. First, a relational expression is used to determine a comprehensive advertisement risk management index for statistically representing a maximum unexpected loss amount to which the advertisement product is subject at a certain probability during the ...

02/09/06 - 20060031106 - Personal support infrastructure for development of user applications and interfaces
A system and method that are directed towards developing a computer user interface employing a Personal Support Infrastructure (PSI) stack. The PSI stack is arranged to represent various layers of a human being employing a holistic approach. In one embodiment, the PSI stack may enable organization, development, and solicitation of ...

02/02/06 - 20060026048 - Method and apparatus for automated selection, organization, and recommendation of items based on user preference topography
A computer system representing user preferences in an N-dimensional preference topography and making recommendations based on such topography. The preference topography depicts user ratings of products in a recommendation database. Each product is represented by a product vector associated with N objectively measurable characteristics. The user rating of a product, ...

02/02/06 - 20060026047 - Package delivery notification system and method
A package delivery notification system reports impending package deliveries and precisely notifies recipients of when to expect the deliveries. The package delivery notification system utilizes memory, a communications device, and a system manager. Package data identifying a package that is to be delivered to a recipient is stored in the ...

02/02/06 - 20060026046 - Method for affording preferential status to selected suppliers each in a respective service industry category
A method for affording preferential status to selected suppliers each in a respective service industry category, the service industry category being included in a group of service industry categories. The method includes selecting at least one preferential status supplier each from a respective service industry category. The method also includes ...

01/26/06 - 20060020500 - Method and apparatus for a creative guidance system
A system, methods and apparatus for use in creating a dynamic plan for achieving a desired outcome is provided. Methods for identifying and describing the desired outcome by an individual or group are provided, methods for evaluating the current set of circumstances of the group or individual are provided, and ...

01/26/06 - 20060020499 - Asset visibility management system with event correlator
An asset visibility management system that includes an asset transaction system interface, an asset data acquisition and communication device interface, and an event correlator. The asset transaction system interface provides communication between one of a plurality of asset transaction systems and a common communication format. The asset data acquisition and ...

01/26/06 - 20060020498 - Asset visibility management system with rule engine
An asset visibility management system that includes a visibility application interface, an asset data acquisition and communication device interface, and a rules engine. The visibility application interface provides communications between one of a plurality of visibility applications and a common communication format. The asset acquisition and communication device interface provides ...

01/19/06 - 20060015383 - Generic contextual floor plans
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for generic contextual floor plans. A computer-implemented method for providing a user interface for running business processes, wherein process data are handled in data objects by one or more service-oriented business applications, including enabling a generalized information architecture for presenting modeled-business situations, including ...

01/19/06 - 20060015382 - Ad-hoc coordination actions in business processes
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for ad hoc coordination actions in business processes. A computer-implemented method for implementing an ad-hoc coordination action framework, extending on a business process framework, includes enabling ad-hoc coordination actions as generic callable services in a work context, implementing the ad-hoc actions as templates ...

01/19/06 - 20060015381 - Business lifecycle management system
In accordance with the embodiments described herein, a method and system for development and implementation of business and process strategies is disclosed. The disclosed business and process strategies system and method is an integrative approach that includes the integration of strategic frameworks with corresponding value drivers, with business lifecycle methods, ...

01/19/06 - 20060015380 - Method for business lifecycle management
In accordance with the embodiments described herein, a method and system for development and implementation of business and process strategies is disclosed. The disclosed business and process strategies method is an integrative approach that includes the integration of strategic frameworks with corresponding value drivers, with business lifecycle methods, including industry ...

01/19/06 - 20060015379 - Method for tracking components in a utility meter
A method of assembling a utility meter having a plurality of components on a subassembly is disclosed herein. The method comprises associating an identification code, such as a barcode, with the subassembly and then entering the barcode associated with the subassembly into a first memory. Next, a lot identification code ...

01/19/06 - 20060015378 - Publishing, browsing, rating and purchasing of groups of media items
Improved techniques to create, browse, rate and/or purchase media asset groups are disclosed. Media assets groups can be created by various users and published to a digital assets manager. Thereafter, the media assets groups can be finalized and made available for on-line purchase. Once the media asset groups are made ...

01/19/06 - 20060015377 - Method and system for detecting business behavioral patterns related to a business entity
A method and system for detecting business behavioral patterns related to a business entity is provided. The method comprises determining a model for business behavioral patterns in which the likelihood of a particular business behavioral pattern is associated with the occurrence of a qualitative event and a quantitative metric. The ...

01/12/06 - 20060010021 - Apparatus for environmental impact estimation and method and program stored in a computer readable medium for executing the same
An apparatus comprising a storage device which stores information concerning first objects to be reused and second objects to be recycled, and a modeling device which performs life cycle modeling. The life cycle modeling includes reading information concerning the first objects and the second objects that configure a product from ...

01/12/06 - 20060010020 - Non-stale incremental planning
Exemplary methods and systems of the invention include a value chain management program that uses the most current, up-to-date data to re-plan a value chain. The value chain management program of the invention is an event-driven solution that updates the data in the value chain whenever a change in state ...

01/12/06 - 20060010019 - Method and system for providing customer service for a household appliance
In a customer service system and method, a customer of a household appliance has a personal service representative who is a main contact for the customer. The customer has access to at least part of a customer master data file that contains information related to the customer and to the ...

01/12/06 - 20060010018 - Method and device for optimizing processes
The invention relates to a process-optimizing device, particularly a manufacturing execution system device. Such a process-optimizing MES device is mounted between an enterprise production planning system, especially an enterprise resource planning device, and a control system, particularly a process instrumentation and control device. The inventive MES device comprises at least ...

01/12/06 - 20060010017 - Method and system for simulating order processing processes, corresponding computer program product, and corresponding computer-readable storage medium
The invention relates to a method for simulating order processing processes used for producing a complex product, particularly a motor vehicle, and a simulation system, a corresponding computer program product, and a corresponding computer-readable storage medium. The inventive method comprises the following steps: a) requirement figures for at least one ...

01/05/06 - 20060004617 - System and method for network visualization and plan review
A computer-implemented system, a method thereof, and a computer-readable medium comprising a supply chain visualizer providing a plurality of graphical elements in a multi-dimensional supply chain network view and a plan display providing a plurality of graphical elements in a multi-dimensional tabular view, a multi-directional capability for traversing between the ...

01/05/06 - 20060004616 - Method and system for solution design and recording medium
A solution design method and system for designing solution specification and estimating a period and a price speedily on the basis of customer needs, the budget of solution, the target period of implementation of solution, etc. The customer budget or period is used as a constraint so that a gap ...

01/05/06 - 20060004615 - System and method for filtering exceptions generated by forecasting and replenishment engine
A system and method for storing, filtering, selecting and manipulating business exceptions generated by forecasting and replenishment processes and systems. When an exception is generated, it will be associated with attributes corresponding to those business objects and business areas to which the exception relates. Exceptions may also be associated with ...

01/05/06 - 20060004614 - Content management system
A method for monitoring technology information for vulnerabilities, the method comprising an automated workflow process for detecting a vulnerability, researching the vulnerability and documenting the vulnerability within vulnerability data. ...

12/29/05 - 20050288982 - Configuration system for solution business and composition method for that
A configuration system that composes a configuration for solution business in accordance with restrictions on availability to combine between items, and facilitates maintenance of the configuration when the number of items is increased. An item registration unit registers specifications and the like for each item in a database. An item ...

12/29/05 - 20050288981 - Method and apparatus of customer support through the use of automated assistance technology, live customer support, and predictive account maintenance and management for industries where there are services which relate to a customer account(s).
The present invention generally relates to a customer support methodology which can be enacted with a combination of automated support solutions and support technicians for industries where there are services which relate to a customer account(s). Its main purpose is the effective use and acquisition of data to better understand ...

12/29/05 - 20050288980 - Application of data envelopment analysis in auditing
A data processing procedure DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) is described as an analytical tool in an audit engagement. DEA receives data inputs from financial statements of a plurality of clients, constructs efficiency frontiers and evaluates relative income efficiencies. DEA can be used in the overall review stage to detect any ...

12/29/05 - 20050288979 - System and method for mitigating inventory risk in an electronic manufacturing services-based supply chain management and manufacturing execution system
A system and method for mitigating inventory risk and an enterprise resource planning (ERP) system incorporating such system or method. In one embodiment, the system includes: (1) a uniqueness factor calculator configured to assign, to parts in an associated production database, uniqueness factors that are a function of a number ...

12/29/05 - 20050288978 - Method for supply and demand chain integration of test data
Disclosed is a method/system for transferring test data from a supply chain to a demand chain. This process includes performing a supply side reconciliation of the test data and a demand side reconciliation of the test data upon the occurrence of a trigger event in the supply chain. Then, the ...

12/29/05 - 20050288977 - Method and system for data transmission between a package mailbox and at least one central data processing unit in a logistic system
The disclosure relates to a method and system for data transmission between a package mailbox and at least one central data processing unit in a logistic system for the operation of one or more package mailboxes. Events at a package mailbox are evaluated by means of a communication device, which ...

12/22/05 - 20050283391 - Tool for organizing project-execution-management-related knowledge
A tool for organizing the project manager's project-execution-management-related (PEMR) knowledge. The tool includes a framework which is a hierarchically organized categorical structure utilized to categorize the project manager's PEMR knowledge. The tool includes a framework content editor which performs text creating, modifying, storing and retrieving for editing clues for the ...

12/22/05 - 20050283390 - Method and apparatus for constrained system attribute allocation under uncertain usage profiles
A method (and structure) of planning allocation of life cycle resources for a system including a plurality of components whereby the system inherits attributes from its components according to its structural architecture and in terms of an uncertainty of usage in operation. ...

12/15/05 - 20050278205 - Network-employing matching system in providing information on positions/help wanted and related information
On websites devoted to help-/positions-wanted information, highly matching help-wanted information is made available to job-seekers. Sites devoted to positions-/help-wanted information are set up on a network, and on the one side, hiring businesses provide help-wanted information and solicited information through the specialty site, and on the other side, through the ...

12/15/05 - 20050278204 - Auction system
An integrated system for the sale of personal possessions in conjunction with a home. When engaged by a homeowner, a real estate agent can provide optional sales channels for personal possession associated with the existing home that the homeowner may no longer need or want. Providing significant convenience to the ...

12/15/05 - 20050278203 - Method, apparatus, and computer product for procurement negotiation and alternative negotiation
A combination of target product, difference between forecasted sales and previous year's sales performance, and data for explaining a reason as negotiation factor data is stored in a database. Moreover, a combination of target product, difference between desired procurement quantity condition and previous year's contract performance, and data for explaining ...

12/15/05 - 20050278202 - Information technology transformation assessment tools
Disclosed are assessment tools and related methods for analyzing potential transformations to a business' IT capabilities. In particular, a tool for scoping the potential opportunity incorporating a top-down approach and using previous credentials to make accurate estimations is disclosed. Additionally, a shaping tool employs a bottom-up approach to the assessment ...

12/08/05 - 20050273374 - Determination of a bottleneck
A bottleneck determination method and system are disclosed. Sequential processes are defined and certain attributes for each process are quantified. These attributes may include a beginstock amount, a production amount, and a spoilage amount. Using the attributes, calculations are performed, and the results of these calculations are used to select ...

12/01/05 - 20050267791 - Product offering management and tracking system
Disclosed is a system for product tracking and management of merchandise and a method of accomplishing the same. The disclosed system can also be used to forecast and adjust projected allocations of merchandise based upon the product tracking information collected and managed. There is also provided a method for substantially ...

12/01/05 - 20050267790 - System and method for applying and verifying a retrievable quality mark for foods and raw materials thereof
Retrievable quality assurance certifying means are associated with products by providing a plurality of specification records characterizing a product's quality profile, compiling a plurality of standard records comprising predetermined parameters adapted to characterize said product's quality standard by a commercially independent Quality Assurance Authority, logging a predetermined set of parameters ...

12/01/05 - 20050267789 - Portal generation for industry specific business roles
Described is a method for software developers to generate a portal for a business role. The portal includes portlets arranged in a page layout for accessing web based resources. Industry specific information associated with the business role is mapped to web based resources. Portlets for providing data associated with the ...

12/01/05 - 20050267788 - Workflow decision management with derived scenarios and workflow tolerances
Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for workflow decision management. Embodiments include maintaining a device state history; identifying a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history; and identifying a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern. The derived scenario has a tolerance. Embodiments ...

11/17/05 - 20050256753 - Automated system for generating proposed markdown strategy and tracking results of proposed markdown
The present invention discloses a method, program product and system for controlling pricing of a product or service using a markdown profile. The method includes: selecting a markdown profile to be used for the product or service, selecting a retail price for the product or service, acquiring updated sales data ...

11/17/05 - 20050256752 - Method for managing and controlling stability in business activity monitoring and management systems
A stabilization methodology and system component in Business Activity Monitoring and Management systems. This enables firms to use Business Activity Management (BAM) systems to manage business activity by only responding to monitored data when the overall business performance can be improved. This enables firms to identify appropriate tradeoffs between potentially ...

11/10/05 - 20050251434 - Configurational density process and structure
A computer program product is described for solving the traveling salesman problem in polynomial time. The probability distribution of the space of all paths is modeled in a configurational density distribution. A Hamiltonian is constructed specifying the costs, distance, or penalty associated with different legs of paths encompassed in the ...

11/10/05 - 20050251433 - Method and system to assess, track and implement capital projects by municipalities
A computer-based organizing, planning, implementing and tracking system is provided, the system is more particularly directed to a tracking method and system to assist municipal clients in organizing planning, implementing and tracking events and expenditures of capital projects. ...

11/10/05 - 20050251432 - Systems engineering process
A method for implementing a project for a customer. Business requirements are developed for the project and are reviewed for acceptability in accordance with Business Requirements Review (BRR) exit criteria. System requirements are developed for the project and are reviewed for acceptability in accordance with system requirements review (SRR) exit ...

11/03/05 - 20050246215 - System and method for alignment of an enterprise to a component business model
A system and method for representing a business with a component map of a target state of the business, arraying the components by competency and by management level, where each component is a group of cohesive business activities within a competency, and each competency is a non-overlapping partition of the ...

11/03/05 - 20050246214 - Method/process for monitoring the progress of six sigma projects during implementation
Six Sigma is practiced as a methodology of process improvement to achieve business excellence by Companies all over the world today. The inventor Mr. Mahesh Chinnagiri addresses the present fallacy during Six Sigma implementation namely; Method of calculating “Sigma Level”/“Sigma Rating” for any project at any given point of time ...

11/03/05 - 20050246213 - Method and system for planning and facilitating a venture
A business planning and project facilitation method, program, and system for a new or existing venture is provided. Default values based on data retrieved from a knowledge database according to user-provided venture estimate information, are provided to the user. The user can enter additional information based on the user's estimate ...

11/03/05 - 20050246212 - Process navigator
Embodiments of the present invention provide methods, computer-readable media, and systems for coordinating and managing a process. A task involved in the process is identified. At least one resource involved in the task is identified. The at least one resource is associated with the task. A location of the resource ...

11/03/05 - 20050246211 - Methods and systems for detecting user satisfaction
Methods and systems are provided to detect user satisfaction based on user interaction patterns and properties. Methods and systems may monitor an interaction between a user and a computer and may compare the monitored interaction with a baseline value to determine a deviation from baseline. The deviation may be used ...

10/27/05 - 20050240457 - Systems, methods and computer program products for facilitating evaluation of job applicants by search committees
Evaluation of job applicants by academic institution Search Committees is facilitated. Applicants can apply online for vacancies by entering specific information and/or attaching documents. The applicant's information is then organized and displayed for Search Committee Members online. The Search Committee Members can rate each applicant's suitability for the vacancy online ...

10/27/05 - 20050240456 - Independent research analysis, aggregation and delivery system and method
An independent research aggregation, analysis and delivery system and method are provided for enabling automated aggregation, analysis and delivery of, independent research relating to a plurality of securities provided by a plurality of independent research providers under the direction of a financial investment firm representative. ...

10/27/05 - 20050240455 - Method and system for receiving and analyzing an electronic personal statement
A method and system for receiving and analyzing an electronic personal statement is disclosed. An evaluating entity selects one or more attributes used to assess applicants. A plurality of questions and associated response-options are generated based on the one or more attributes. The electronic personal statement includes the questions, response-options ...

10/27/05 - 20050240454 - Method and system for communicating semiconductor manufacturing information to customers
A method of communicating semiconductor manufacturing information. The method includes providing, by a first service provider, a lot of semiconductor components to a second service provider for processing. The method also includes receiving from the second service provider, by the first service provider, first information associated with the processing. The ...

10/20/05 - 20050234755 - Method, system, and computer program product for assessing information security
A method, system and computer program product for assessing information security interviews users regarding technical and non-technical issues. In an embodiment, users are interviewed based on areas of expertise. In an embodiment, information security assessments are performed on domains within an enterprise, the results of which are rolled-up to perform ...

10/20/05 - 20050234754 - Organizational settings for a price planning workbench
A method for defining a price planning schedule according to one or more organization settings. The method includes receiving a default organization setting for at least one article, receiving a pricing level for the default organization setting for the at least one article, receiving at least a second organization setting ...

10/20/05 - 20050234753 - Predictive model validation
Models are generated using a variety of tools and features of a model generation platform. For example, in connection with a project in which a user generates a predictive model based on historical data about a system being modeled, the user is provided through a graphical user interface a structured ...

10/20/05 - 20050234752 - System and method for a made to specification e-commerce quoting and orders processing system on a stand alone or integrated portal
An E-commerce system logic of defining product specifications with or without option variable questions by means of a XSD file. The XSD file (or other Document Type Definitions (DTD) files) defines: type of data input, more information links, format ability, edit rules on the answer, and error message words if ...

10/20/05 - 20050234751 - Inventory control system for body art studio
A method for operating a tattoo studio includes identifying a customer selection of a tattoo design and a bin designator for a stencil for the tattoo design; locating a storage bin containing a stencil for the tattoo design; and scanning a bar code assigned to the stencil. The method can ...

10/13/05 - 20050228703 - Systems and methods for manufacturer certification in collaborative design, construction, and maintenance of fluid processing plants
Systems and methods for the collaborative design, construction, and maintenance of fluid processing plants are provided. A collaborative commerce application may provide project management utilities, visualization utilities, dynamic pricing utilities, material procurement utilities, and certification utilities. These features may be integrated seamlessly into the collaborative commerce application. Communication among project ...

10/06/05 - 20050222882 - Quality problem treatment supporting system
A quality problem treatment supporting system includes a storage portion and a processing portion. The processing portion includes a claim code checking program; a parts number checking program; an attached file search program; a temporal registration data determination program; a claim history data determination program; a delivery result search program; ...

10/06/05 - 20050222881 - Management work system and method
The present invention provides for a system and method for managing work including a two-dimensional display depicting work performance data including cost performance, technical performance, and schedule performance. The work performance data includes project work and non-project work. Further, the two-dimensional display can display the cost performance, technical performance, and ...

10/06/05 - 20050222880 - Device for removing raindrops on umrella and system for promoting installation of the device
The device for removing waterdrop of umbrella is constituted such that a number of water absorption members with elastic property at certain intervals radially in the inserting opening of umbrella of device body, inserting space is in the central part of a number of water absorption members, thereby closed rainy ...

09/29/05 - 20050216323 - Paid-for research method and system
A method of providing paid-for research includes allowing at least one selected analyst to contract with a third-party facilitator to provide research within a specific business sector. A user is allowed to contract with the third-party facilitator to have research produced by the at least one selected analyst concerning the ...

09/29/05 - 20050216322 - Data structure with experience descriptors
A data structure includes two or more data records, each of which includes a first data field and a second data field. The first data field defines an analyst that is available to provide paid-for research within a specific business sector, and the second data field defines one or more ...

09/29/05 - 20050216321 - Method and system for transferring data from a data warehouse
A method for transferring data from a data warehouse. The method includes selecting data from a data warehouse, generating a data transfer worklist including the data, and transferring the data transfer worklist from the data warehouse to a price planning workbench. ...

09/29/05 - 20050216320 - Method of determining requirements for modification of a business operation
The invention is a method of determining requirements for modification of a business operational system. The method includes the step of compiling an inventory of current business capabilities, and also includes the step of enumerating at least one modified capability that differs from the current business capabilities. The method also ...

09/22/05 - 20050209898 - Optimization method and optimization apparatus
The solution of a constrained optimization problem is easily solved by linearly approximating a point of interest to a first hypersurface given as a constraint and finding the extreme value of the objective function by moving a point r along a curved line having second-order osculation with the geodetic line ...

09/22/05 - 20050209897 - Builder risk assessment system
A builder risk assessment system that assesses the quality of a builder's operations is disclosed. In various embodiments, the system assesses the builder on a variety of quality measures that are deemed to be associated with potential risk and determines an overall risk assessment for the builder that may be ...

09/15/05 - 20050203787 - Integrated account management system
A fully integrated account management system is provided which permits users in multiple locations to enter and access information and manage client accounts, projects associated with accounts, and jobs associated with projects. Preferably, information is organized and stored on the basis of originating nodes or locations. Consequently, data analysis may ...

09/15/05 - 20050203786 - Method, system and program product for assessing a product development project employing a computer-implemented evaluation tool
A product development project assessment approach is provided which includes identifying multiple possible root causes of trouble for a product development project, identifying question sets related to the multiple possible root causes of trouble, and providing a computer-implemented tool to evaluate answers to the question sets and provide guidance regarding ...

09/15/05 - 20050203785 - Automated dispute settlement method
A web-based automated settlement system and method provides on-line access to a settlement system that maintains the offers of the parties confidential unless and until certain negotiation conditions arise. A first party registers the dispute on the web-site and enters information concerning the parties and the dispute, including the e-mail ...

09/15/05 - 20050203784 - Services component business operation method
A method of providing business process services to a client company involves building a map of components of activities. The components are groups of cohesive business activities supported by appropriate processes, applications, infrastructure, and metrics. Components are filtered by cost, revenue, and competitive levels forming a heat map. Attributes are ...

09/08/05 - 20050197876 - Transport vehicle capacity maximization logistics system and method of same
Disclosed is a system for substantially optimizing logistics for loading vehicles and transporting goods and a method of accomplishing the same. ...

09/08/05 - 20050197875 - System and method for infrastructure design
The present invention relates generally to a system and method for operations management. More specifically, the present invention determines robust processes for performing one or more tasks. ...

09/08/05 - 20050197874 - System and method of representing personal profile in symmetrical graphical form
A computer system generates a symmetrical graphical image or other sensory representation which is representative of a personal profile of a subject. Personal attributes of the subject are acquired through an assessment tool. The personal attributes are acquired through website and stored on a computer system. The personal attributes are ...

09/08/05 - 20050197873 - Method and apparatus for stakeholder alignment
A process and apparatus for creating Guiding Principles and Leverage Points for aligning Stakeholder Interests of an Organizational Group diffuses individual Stakeholder interests and biases. The individual Stakeholder interests are eliminated, or at least minimized, through customized Stakeholder questions presented to representative Stakeholders in an ordered fashion. The ordered fashion ...

09/08/05 - 20050197872 - System and method for performing assortment planning
A system, method and program product are provided for defining an assortment for use in an operative execution system. The method includes assigning a plurality of articles to the assortment for one or more article validity periods, assigning a plurality of stores to the assortment for one or more store ...

09/08/05 - 20050197871 - System and method for providing centralized management and distribution of information to remote users
The invention includes systems, methods, and software applications for centrally maintaining information and automatically distributing relevant portions of the information to remote users. In one embodiment, a central server stores the information, which is maintained on the central server. Periodically, or each time the server information is updated, the server ...

09/08/05 - 20050197870 - Method of analyzing information to provide an objective assessment of a defined subject
A system and method is disclosed for identifying a technology bias of a company located within a community. Information is gathered regarding technology production, where the technology production includes technology that relates to technology produced by the company. Other information is gathered regarding technology absorption, where the technology absorption includes ...

09/08/05 - 20050197869 - System for mergers and acquisitions
A system for mergers and acquisitions includes a reference center for the most updated best practices documents, and a collaboration room featuring areas for the deal team, the functional team or teams, and the integration team, also featuring a data room and a contacts database, all accessible via a simple ...

09/08/05 - 20050197868 - Method and device for representing a process flow
The invention relates to a method and device for representing a process flow. According to the invention, an optimal process flow is represented by means of an optimal point and the actual values of the variables of the processes are represented as points which are respectively arranged at a distance ...

09/01/05 - 20050192856 - Method and apparatus for processing electronic records for physical transactions
A method and apparatus for processing transactions. In particular, the mechanism of the present invention is used for processing information for physical transactions. A data structure is received at a customer data processing system for a physical transaction entered into by the customer. This information is extracted and used to ...

09/01/05 - 20050192855 - System for evaluating over and underbalanced drilling operations
A method and a computer program for economic evaluation of completion methods for drilling a well. An extensive user interface is provided for inputting of reservoir data and parameters relating to a first completion method. A rigorous first skin factor is generated based on the reservoir data and first drilling ...

09/01/05 - 20050192854 - Feedback system for visual content with enhanced navigation features
A feedback system for visual content is described that allows individual users to obtain feedback regarding selected visual content. The feedback system includes a content navigation enhancer that provides useful navigation and feedback features to a feedback-providing user. When the selected visual content includes a plurality of screens of visual ...

09/01/05 - 20050192853 - Feedback system for visual content
A feedback system for visual content is described that allows individual users to obtain feedback regarding selected visual content. A user of the system uploads any desired visual content, and associates the content with a feedback campaign having user-defined characteristics. The user also may associate feedback elements with the visual ...

09/01/05 - 20050192852 - Method for promoting individual fitness
A method for promoting individual fitness includes the initiating a competition that one participant will exercise more than the other. This initiating step includes the steps of designating a time period during which credits will be earned for a qualifying exercise, and designating a total number of time periods to ...

08/25/05 - 20050187803 - Systems and methods for modeling approximate market equilibria
The present invention leverages demarcation of an agent into both a demander and a supplier to provide a polynomial-time method of approximating a supply and demand system's equilibrium value. This provides, in one instance of the present invention, a simplified means to iteratively extract the equilibrium value. By providing demarcated ...

08/11/05 - 20050177406 - Workflow system and method
Provides workflow systems and methods. A workflow system having a matchmaking unit for receiving a task query from a workflow, and a plurality of task definer units, each providing a definition of a task. The matchmaking unit communicates with the task definer units to evaluate the task definitions against the ...

08/11/05 - 20050177405 - Method and apparatus for enhancing influence
A system, methods and apparatus for use in planning, preparing, setting up, facilitating, conducting and concluding an event where attendees expand their sphere of influence by engaging in frank dialogue sessions on self-selected topics is provided. Apparatus for enabling the attendees to self-select the topics on which they will conduct ...

08/11/05 - 20050177404 - Device and a method for using an enhanced high priority calendar event
The invention relates to an enhanced high priority event of a calendar application. The invention also relates to a method for using an enhanced high priority calendar event. A device for handling a calendar application comprises means for browsing a calendar application; means for receiving a high priority event; means ...

08/11/05 - 20050177403 - System and method for measuring and controlling the quality of medical consulting reports
Medical consulting reports are assessed for quality with respect to a plurality of predetermined criteria. Each criterion comprises a plurality of parameters and a scoring scale relating the parameters to the report. A QA reviewer assesses the report with respect to the criteria and generates a numeric score for each ...

08/04/05 - 20050171823 - Systems and methods for dynamic pricing events in collaborative design, construction, and maintenance of fluid processing plants
Systems and methods for the collaborative design, construction, and maintenance of fluid processing plants are provided. A collaborative commerce application may provide project management utilities, visualization utilities, dynamic pricing utilities, material procurement utilities, and certification utilities. These features may be integrated seamlessly into the collaborative commerce application. Communication among project ...

08/04/05 - 20050171822 - Responsive confidence scoring method for a proposed valuation of aproperty
A method of computing a confidence score in response to a suggested valuation of a property such as a home or townhouse, using a computer system. A customer identifies a property and suggests its valuation to the computer system. Using an automated valuation model, the computer system computes an automated ...

08/04/05 - 20050171821 - Method and apparatus for measuring revenue performance for a lodging establishment
Methods and apparatuses for calculating an optimal revenue total yield for both sleeping and function space in a hospitality establishment for a set of demand that includes both group and transient demands. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the revenue optimization problem is characterized as a mixed-integer linear programming ...

07/28/05 - 20050165632 - System and method for sharing information among provider systems
A system is provided wherein information is provided once, and that information is provided to multiple provider systems. Information provided by a user is stored and implemented for each provider as needed. The information is provided by a user to a central server that distributes the information to one or ...

07/28/05 - 20050165631 - Time management representations and automation for allocating time to projects and meetings within an online calendaring system
Systems and methods are provided for representing multiple tasks and their associated properties, including the time and nature of a deadline and preferences about the granularity of time for focusing on the task. This includes providing several services, including automated scheduling of project focus meetings with the owner of the ...

07/28/05 - 20050165630 - Computer-based planning and control system for companies that manufacture and market products
CBBS forecasts and plans production, with minimum throughput time, of product in units that the company advertises for sale and sells those units before, during, or after production. The principle advantage that CBBS has compared to ERP is that CBBS fills customer orders without need to expedite component shortages and ...

07/21/05 - 20050159989 - Method and apparatus of managing product for recycle planning
A profit of a product using a recycled component is calculated and presented in an actual production plan. Developed and stored beforehand in a memory of a computer are: cost data involved in disassembling a recycled product and manufacturing a new product, including a component unit price, an assembly cost, ...

07/14/05 - 20050154625 - Finite capacity scheduling using job prioritization and machine selection
In a method, device, and computer-readable medium for finite capacity scheduling, heuristic rules are applied in two integrated stages: Job Prioritization and Machine Selection. During Job Prioritization (“JP”), jobs are prioritized based on a set of JP rules which are machine independent. During Machine Selection (“MS”), jobs are scheduled for ...

07/14/05 - 20050154624 - Scenario-oriented solution maps
Displaying information relating to a business includes obtaining an aspect of the business that can affect an objective of the business, obtaining a business scenario that corresponds to the aspect, obtaining a business process in the business scenario, and generating a map for display that associates the business process, the ...

07/14/05 - 20050154623 - Software toolbox supported procedure for online/offline simulation of company internal logistic processes (like arrival, warehousing, picking, shipping, production of goods) with integrated interfaces where the potential processes are manually and/or tech
Integrated simulation procedure and software toolbox for material handling processes and systems including flexible integrated online interfaces. ...

07/07/05 - 20050149369 - Method for digital color grading of gems and communication thereof
A computer based expert system and method of grading gems by their inherent properties of shape and color, including hue-tone-saturation. Each of the properties is variable over a practical range derived from a data-base; the database prepared by digital methods from real gems. The grading is conducted interactively on-screen by ...

07/07/05 - 20050149368 - Mobile care engine system
A mobile care engine system is provided for delivering customer care to mobile devices, comprising. The mobile care engine system compares profile data from a mobile device with reference data and highlights any inconsistencies between the data, so that the device can be optimized. The inconsistencies are preferably determined using ...

07/07/05 - 20050149367 - Inter-enterprise collaborative process management system
The present invention relates an inter-enterprise collaborative process management system that manages all the processes and other computer systems of the participating companies by making all the processes and other computer systems of the participating companies interwork with each other so that various specialized companies are integrated in one virtual ...

07/07/05 - 20050149366 - Human activity coordination system
A system for coordinating the activity of a plurality of humans in teams with a central automated controller having reasoning capability based on a predetermined set of criteria by sending messages to and from each of the humans. The controller processes input from each of the humans in accordance with ...

06/30/05 - 20050144052 - Profiling item sellers to inform item purchasing decisions and build trust in a multiple-seller marketplace
A facility for responding to a request for information about an item is described. The facility receives a request for information about the item. Among a plurality of sellers, the facility identifies those sellers (1) that are offering the item for sale, (2) whose availability level for the selected item ...

06/30/05 - 20050144051 - Method and system for analyzing resource allocation
The method and the system of the present invention transforms economic and eligibility information produced over calendar/clock time (CCT) per a unique unit of analysis (e g. UOA-ID) that meets the criteria for inclusion into a specific Population (Type) into information organized by Cohort Time and summarized across all UOA-Ids ...

06/30/05 - 20050144050 - Apparatus, system and method for determining maximum payoff in multiparty negotiations
An apparatus, system, and process for determining solutions with maximum payoff in a negotiation are provided. The invention includes calculating a sum of weighted option preference values for each option set of each issue across all parties. The sum of weighted option preferences is calculated from negotiation parameters determined by ...

06/23/05 - 20050137921 - Method for evaluating the costs and benefits of environmental construction projects
A method for evaluating environmentally-friendly construction projects according to a multiple certification levels to determine which certification level is cost effective for the environmentally-sound construction project. The method establishes a construction rating system used in analyzing the construction project and having multiple certification levels corresponding to a number of credits ...

06/23/05 - 20050137920 - Information technology enterprise manager and product portfolio manager application module
This document discusses, among other things, an information technology (IT) enterprise manager system. In one example, the system includes data groups organized into IT Services, IT Resources, and IT Consumers data groups. The IT Resources data group may include one or more of an IT Applications data group, an IT ...

06/23/05 - 20050137919 - Method, system, and storage medium for integrating return products into a forward supply chain manufacturing process
An exemplary embodiment of the invention relates to a method, system, and storage medium for integrating returned products into a forward supply chain manufacturing process. The method comprises forecasting returns for at least one product by quantity for a given time period. The product includes a product identifier. Based upon ...

06/23/05 - 20050137918 - Method, system and program product for assessing an enterprise architecture
Under the present invention, data corresponding to an enterprise architecture is first gathered. This data includes, among other things: responses to a plurality of questions pertaining to the enterprise architecture; information pertaining to integration challenges of enterprise applications within the architecture; and any risks within the enterprise architecture. Based on ...

06/16/05 - 20050131747 - Method, system, and storage medium for providing a disciplined approach to business management activities
Embodiments of the invention relate to a method, system, and storage medium for providing a disciplined approach to business management activities. The method includes developing an activity list of tasks and behaviors that relate to an identified opportunity, performing a time study of observable behaviors associated with the activity, and ...

06/16/05 - 20050131746 - Games using pair-wise entanglements
A quantum approach to the economically significant n-player public goods or similar n-player game requires only two-particle entanglement and is thus much easier to implement than games requiring n-particle entanglements. Two-particle entanglements are sufficient to give near optimal expected payoff when players use a simple mixed strategy for which no ...

06/16/05 - 20050131745 - Barcode based time tracking method and system
The invention relates to a method, system and computer program product for tracking time spent at a location by a person. The invention involves (a) providing at least one machine-readable location identification code at the location to provide location information for the location; (b) providing the person with a reader ...

06/16/05 - 20050131744 - Apparatus, system and method of automatically identifying participants at a videoconference who exhibit a particular expression
An apparatus, system and method for automatically identifying participants at a conference who exhibit a particular expression during a speech are provided. To do so, the expression is indicated and the participants are recorded. The recording includes both audio and video signals. Using the recording of the participants in conjunction ...

06/09/05 - 20050125272 - Method for validating software development maturity
A validation procedure for assessing the status a software engineering process for compliance, and improving the measured compliance, with the Carnegie Mellon SEI/CMM Software Maturity Model includes a validation meeting in the course of which a validation team reviews deliverables demonstrative of the process being performed and asks a structured ...

06/09/05 - 20050125271 - Web services project planning
Systems, methodologies, media, and other embodiments associated with producing a metaplan for a Web services development project are described. One exemplary method includes establishing sets of criteria for planning a Web services project and selectively organizing selected members of the sets of criteria into a metaplan. ...

06/09/05 - 20050125270 - Efficient presentation of correction options in a speech interface based upon user selection probability
A method, a system, and an apparatus for efficiently presenting correction options. The present invention is capable of analyzing user voice commands and sorting multiple input requests based on user selection probability to determine whether a confirmation step should be presented and, if so, the manner in which the confirmation ...

06/09/05 - 20050125269 - Information security and resource optimization for workflows
Workflows are constructed to minimize a cost function that can be representative of information exposure risk and resource overhead. Given a workflow specification that defines a predetermined input and a required output, a set of possible workflows that meet this workflow specification can be constructed. The possible workflows are constructed ...

06/02/05 - 20050119925 - Private collaborative planning in a many-to-many hub
The invention provides a method and system for collaborative planning among multiple collaborators and multiple trading partners, in which individual collaborators and individual trading partners can both make use of global information regarding parties using the system, while still being able to maintain secure and separate information regarding how those ...

06/02/05 - 20050119924 - Computerized methods and software for business management
Computer-implemented methods and software for managing business of service providers including, without limitation, Internet-related service providers. According to one aspect, the life cycle of a customer can be managed via a single application program, and preferably via a single interface, from initial contact through service cancellation. According to another aspect, ...

06/02/05 - 20050119923 - Value movement forecasting system and method
A system and method for computing a value movement forecast for a financial measure collects publications related to the financial measure. Keyword expressions related to the financial measure are obtained. Linguistic analysis is performed on the publications to identify significant word expressions from the publications, identify characteristic variables based on ...

06/02/05 - 20050119922 - Method of and system for analyzing, modeling and valuing elements of a business enterprise
An automated system (100) and method for analyzing, modeling and valuing elements of a business enterprise on a specified valuation date. The performance of the elements are analyzed using search algorithms and induction algorithms to determine the value drivers associated with each element. The induction algorithms are also used to ...

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