15th week of 2016 patent applcation highlights part 36 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20160104027 | IDENTIFIER INVESTIGATION - A method of extracting data from a representation of an identifier, such as a fingerprint is provided. The method includes selecting a plurality of features, such as ridge ends or bifurcations, in the representation of an identifier, considering the positions of those features and generating a reference feature, such a s a centre, from the positions of the plurality of features. The method then links one or more of the features to the reference feature and/or links one or more of the features to one or more of the other features in the plurality of features. From the result, the method extracts data including information on one or more of: one or more of the plurality of features; the reference feature; one or more of the links between a feature and the reference feature; one or more of the links between a feature and another feature. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104028 | Biometric Authentication Device and Method - A biometric authentication device uses IR-VCSELs as light sources for performing a better biometric authentication by providing clearer images. A light guide module is introduced to minimize the size of the device. Moreover, the biometric authentication device uses a single image sensing module to gather the vein image and the fingerprint image into the same detection signal which is then analyzed and compared with the pre-stored vein feature data and fingerprint feature data. Therefore, the biometric authentication device can achieve an approach in lowering hardware costs, simplifying circuit designs and providing an outstanding performance. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104029 | BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION APPARATUS AND BIOMETRIC AUTHENTICATION METHOD - An apparatus performs a biometric authentication by acquiring matching data detected at a time of a biometric authentication and including a matching biometric data, a manner of holding and a posture of a terminal. A processor performs a process including acquiring matching data detected at a time of a biometric authentication and including a matching biometric data, a manner of holding and a posture of the terminal, and performing a matching process. The matching process compares the matching data and registered data including registered biometric data related to manners of holding and postures of the terminal, to extract the registered data including the manner of holding and the posture similar to those included in the matching data, and judge a successful biometric authentication when a similarity of the registered biometric data included in the extracted registered data with respect to the matching biometric data is a threshold value or greater. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104030 | BIOMETRIC INFORMATION CORRECTING APPARATUS AND BIOMETRIC INFORMATION CORRECTING METHOD - A biometric information correcting apparatus includes: a palm print feature point extracting unit that extracts two feature points of a palm print of a user's hand from a first image obtained by capturing the palm print and representing the palm print; and a correcting unit that rotates a vein pattern of the user's hand on a second image or a feature portion of the vein pattern extracted from the second image, according to an orientation of a line joining the two feature points, the second image being obtained by a biometric information acquiring unit capturing the vein pattern, the second image being obtained by a biometric information acquiring unit capturing the vein pattern. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104031 | DEPTH FROM TIME OF FLIGHT CAMERA - Region of interest detection in raw time of flight images is described. For example, a computing device receives at least one raw image captured for a single frame by a time of flight camera. The raw image depicts one or more objects in an environment of the time of flight camera (such as human hands, bodies or any other objects). The raw image is input to a trained region detector and in response one or more regions of interest in the raw image are received. A received region of interest comprises image elements of the raw image which are predicted to depict at least part of one of the objects. A depth computation logic computes depth from the one or more regions of interest of the raw image. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104032 | Face searching and detection in a digital image acquisition device - A method of detecting a face in an image includes performing face detection within a first window of the image at a first location. A confidence level is obtained from the face detection indicating a probability of the image including a face at or in the vicinity of the first location. Face detection is then performed within a second window at a second location, wherein the second location is determined based on the confidence level. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104033 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACE CAPTURE AND MATCHING - According to an example, a face capture and matching system may include a memory storing machine readable instructions to receive captured images of an area monitored by an image capture device, and detect one or more faces in the captured images. The memory may further store machine readable instructions to track movement of the one or more detected faces in the area monitored by the image capture device, and based on the one or more tracked detected faces, select one or more images from the captured images to be used for identifying the one or more tracked detected faces. The memory may further store machine readable instructions to select one or more fusion techniques to identify the one or more tracked detected faces using the one or more selected images. The face capture and matching system may further include a processor to implement the machine readable instructions. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104034 | CONTINUOUS ENROLLMENT FOR FACE VERIFICATION - Techniques for performing continuous enrollment for face verification are provided. In one embodiment, a computing device can receive, from a user, an indication that the user wishes to authenticate himself/herself with the computing device via face verification. In response to the indication, the computing device can capture, using a camera, a series of images of the user's face and can authenticate the user by evaluating each of the series of images against a face template for the user, where the user is authenticated based on an N-th image in the series. Once the user has been authenticated, the computing device can select one or more images from the series prior to the N-th image and can add the selected images to the user's face template. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104035 | PRIVACY FOR CAMERA WITH PEOPLE RECOGNITION - A method to provide privacy protection on a video includes performing people recognition on the video, when a registered person is recognized, determining if a privacy setting is turned on, and, when the privacy setting is turned on, performing privacy protection on the video. Performing privacy protection on the video includes pausing a recording of a live video, obscuring the registered person in the live video or a recorded video, or skipping ahead or deleting part of the recorded video. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104036 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING BLINK - A method and an apparatus for detecting blink are provided. After obtaining an eye image sequence of a user, a currently analyzed image and a previously captured image are obtained from the eye image sequence and reflective regions of the currently analyzed image and the previously captured image are filtered, wherein the brightness values of pixels included in the reflective regions are higher than a brightness threshold. Difference pixel amount between the currently analyzed image and the previously captured image is calculated so as to determine whether the user blinks according to the difference pixel amount. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104037 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR GENERATING MOTION SIGNATURE ON THE BASIS OF MOTION SIGNATURE INFORMATION - A method for generating a motion signature based on motion signature information including detecting an activation-triggering criterion, determining, on the basis of the detection of a motion that corresponds to the activation-triggering criterion, the motion signature information corresponding to the motion; and generating the motion signature by encoding the corresponding motion signature information. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104038 | GENERATING MULTI-LOGOGRAM PHRASES FROM LOGOGRAM RADICALS - For generating multi-logogram phrases from logogram radicals, code may recognize one or more logogram radicals from the display. In addition, the code may generate one or more logogram phrases from the one or more logogram radicals. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104039 | METHOD FOR IDENTIFYING A SIGN ON A DEFORMED DOCUMENT - This invention relates to a method for identifying a sign on an image of a document that can be deformed comprising: | 2016-04-14 |
20160104040 | CATEGORIZER ASSISTED CAPTURE OF CUSTOMER DOCUMENTS USING A MOBILE DEVICE - A computer-implemented system and method for controlling document image capture are provided. The method includes identifying a categorization model for categorizing image frames and configuring an image capture device, based on the identified categorization model. A flow of frames of a same document captured with the configured image capture device is received and an image representation generated for each of a plurality of frames within the flow of frames. With the identified categorization model, for each of the plurality of frames, a confidence for at least one category is assigned to the frame based on the image representation. A category is assigned to the document when a threshold confidence for one of the at least one categories is assigned. An automatic capture of an image of the document is triggered based on the assigned category. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104041 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTITY AND AGE VERIFICATION - Systems and Methods for identity information verification. The system includes an electronic device and a computing authentication unit. The electronic device includes a data capture unit for electronically scanning first data and second data corresponding to respective first and second locations of an identity document indicative of an individual. The computing authentication unit is configured to: perform a first verification to verify whether the first data matches the second data; perform a second verification, when the first data matches the second data, including comparing aggregated data from both the first and second data to identity data in one or more identity databases to verify personal identity information of the individual indicated in the identity document; and cause the electronic device to indicate a result of at least one of the first verification or the second verification. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104042 | SYSTEMS, METHODS, AND DEVICES FOR IMAGE MATCHING AND OBJECT RECOGNITION IN IMAGES USING FEATURE POINT OPTIMIZATION - An image matching technique locates feature points in a template image such as a logo and then does the same in a test image. Feature points of a template image are determined under various transformations and used to determine a set of composite feature points for each template image. The composite feature points are used to determine if the template image is present in a test image. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104043 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR RECOGNIZING IRIS - An apparatus for recognizing an iris includes: a camera configured to acquire eyeball image data; and a control module configured to estimate the iris based on pupil information extracted from the eyeball image data, acquire at least one candidate boundary line for confirming the iris based on the estimated iris, and select a final boundary line from the at least one candidate boundary line. The iris is recognizable according to the final boundary line. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104044 | ROBOT CLEANER AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME - A method for controlling a robot cleaner configured to project light of a predetermined pattern to a floor of an area in front thereof in a specific direction and to acquire an image of the area to which the light is projected, according to the present disclosure, includes: (a) acquiring a front view image of the robot cleaner; (b) detecting the pattern from the image acquired in (a); and (c) discriminating a pattern formed by reflected light from a pattern formed by light directly projected from the robot cleaner, from among patterns indicated in the acquired image, on the basis of geometrical characteristics defined by a projection direction of the light and the direction of an optical axis in which the image is acquired when two or more patterns are detected from the image. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104045 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROVIDING COMBINED-SUMMARY IN IMAGING APPARATUS - A method and apparatus of providing a combined summary by receiving monitored audio and video are provided The method includes: receiving audio and video captured by at least one network camera; generating a video summary by detecting at least one video event from at least one of the audio and the video; generating an audio summary by detecting at least one audio event from at least one of the audio and the video; extracting at least one section of the video summary corresponding to the at least one audio event, and storing the extracted at least one section of the video summary with the audio summary; and providing a display of the video reproducing apparatus with a video summary control interface for controlling the video summary and an audio summary control interface for controlling the audio summary. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104046 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR SAFEGUARDING AN AUTOMATICALLY OPERATING MACHINE - A device for safeguarding a monitoring area in which an automatically operating machine is arranged, having a camera system for monitoring the monitoring area, a configuration unit for defining at least one protection area within the monitoring area, and an analysis unit for triggering a safety-related function. The camera system supplies camera images of the protection area and the analysis unit analyzes whether a foreign object is present in the protection area or penetrates into the protection area. The analysis unit is configured to classify a foreign object, which is present in the protection area or penetrates into the protection area, by analysis of the camera images, to determine on the basis of one or more features characteristic of welding sparks whether the foreign object is a welding spark. The analysis unit triggers the safety-related function if the foreign object has not been recognized as a welding spark. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104047 | IMAGE RECOGNITION SYSTEM FOR A VEHICLE AND CORRESPONDING METHOD - An image recognition system and method for a vehicle, including at least two camera units, each being configured to record an image of a road in the vicinity of the vehicle and to provide image data representing the respective image of the road, a first image processor configured to combine the image data provided by the at least two camera units into a first top-view image. The first top-view image is aligned to a road image plane, a first feature extractor configured to extract lines from the first top-view image, a second feature extractor configured to extract an optical flow from the first top-view image and a second top-view image, generated before the first top-view image by the first image processor, and a kerb detector configured to detect kerbs in the road based on the extracted lines and the extracted optical flow and provide kerb data representing the detected kerbs. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104048 | FUSION OF FAR INFRARED AND VISIBLE IMAGES IN ENHANCED OBSTACLE DETECTION IN AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS - A computerized system mountable on a vehicle operable to detect an object by processing first image frames from a first camera and second image frames from a second camera. A first range is determined to said detected object using the first image frames. An image location is projected of the detected object in the first image frames onto an image location in the second image frames. A second range is determined to the detected object based on both the first and second image frames. The detected object is tracked in both the first and second image frames When the detected object leaves a field of view of the first camera, a third range is determined responsive to the second range and the second image frames. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104049 | Lateral Sign Placement Determination - Systems, methods, and apparatuses are described for predicting the placement of road signs. A device receives data depicting road signs from multiple vehicles. The device analyzes a detected placement of the road signs and at least one characteristic of a collection of the data. The characteristic describes the road upon which the data was collected, an operation of the vehicle from which the data was collected, or an environment in which the data was collected. The device generates a model that associates values for the detected placement of the road signs with values for the at least one characteristic. The model may be later accessed to interpret subsequent sets of data describing one or more road signs. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104050 | MONITORING A DEGREE OF ATTENTION OF A DRIVER OF A VEHICLE - To monitor a degree of attentiveness for a driver of a vehicle, a period is determined on the basis of a speed of the vehicle. It is determined whether an eyelid closed time and/or an eyelid closing time of the driver exceeds the period. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104051 | Smartlight Interaction System - The conference room automation apparatus employs a processor-based integrated movement sensor, lights, cameras, and display device, such as a projector, that senses and interprets human movement within the room to control the projector in response to that movement and that captures events occurring in the room. Preferably packed in a common integrated package, the apparatus employs a layered software/hardware architecture that may be readily extended as a platform to support additional third-party functionality. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104052 | TEXT-BASED THUMBNAIL GENERATION - A method for displaying an image is disclosed. The method may be performed in an electronic device. Further, the method may detect at least one text region in the image and determine at least one text category associated with the at least one text region. Based on the at least one text region and the at least one text category, the method may generate at least one thumbnail from the image and display the at least one thumbnail. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104053 | Hierarchical Interlinked Multi-scale Convolutional Network for Image Parsing - A disclosed facial recognition system (and method) includes face parsing. In one approach, the face parsing is based on hierarchical interlinked multiscale convolutional neural network (HIM) to identify locations and/or footprints of components of a face image, The HIM generates multiple levels of image patches from different resolution images of the face image, where image patches for different levels have different resolutions. Moreover, the HIM integrates the image patches for different levels to generate interlinked image patches for different levels, where interlinked image patches for different levels have different resolutions. Furthermore, the HIM combines the interlinked image patches to identify refined locations and/or footprints of components. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104054 | Saliency Map Computation - Saliency map computation is described. In one or more implementations, a base saliency map is generated for an image of a scene. The base saliency map may be generated from intermediate saliency maps computed for boundary regions of the image. Each of the intermediate saliency maps may represent visual saliency of portions of the scene that are captured in the corresponding boundary region. The boundary regions may include, for instance, a top boundary region, a bottom boundary region, a left boundary region, and a right boundary region. Further, the intermediate saliency maps may be combined in such a way that an effect of a foreground object on the saliency map is suppressed. The foreground objects for which the effect is suppressed are those that occupy a majority of one of the boundary regions. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104055 | Image Cropping Suggestion Using Multiple Saliency Maps - Image cropping suggestion using multiple saliency maps is described. In one or more implementations, component scores, indicative of visual characteristics established for visually-pleasing croppings, are computed for candidate image croppings using multiple different saliency maps. The visual characteristics on which a candidate image cropping is scored may be indicative of its composition quality, an extent to which it preserves content appearing in the scene, and a simplicity of its boundary. Based on the component scores, the croppings may be ranked with regard to each of the visual characteristics. The rankings may be used to cluster the candidate croppings into groups of similar croppings, such that croppings in a group are different by less than a threshold amount and croppings in different groups are different by at least the threshold amount. Based on the clustering, croppings may then be chosen, e.g., to present them to a user for selection. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104056 | SPATIAL PYRAMID POOLING NETWORKS FOR IMAGE PROCESSING - Spatial pyramid pooling (SPP) layers are combined with convolutional layers and partition an input image into divisions from finer to coarser levels, and aggregate local features in the divisions. A fixed-length output may be generated by the SPP layer(s) regardless of the input size. The multi-level spatial bins used by the SPP layer(s) may provide robustness to object deformations. An SPP layer based system may pool features extracted at variable scales due to the flexibility of input scales making it possible to generate a full-image representation for testing. Moreover, SPP networks may enable feeding of images with varying sizes or scales during training, which may increase scale-invariance and reduce the risk of over-fitting. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104057 | TRAINING IMAGE ADJUSTMENT PREFERENCES - Some embodiments include a method of operating a computing device to learn user preferences of how to process digital images. The method can include: aggregating a user image selection and a context attribute associated therewith into a preference training database for a user, wherein the user image selection represents a record of the user's preference over at least one of adjusted versions of a base image when the adjusted versions are separately processed by different visual effects; determining a visual effect preference associated based on machine learning or statistical analysis of user image selections in the preference training database, the user image selections representing experimental records corresponding to the visual effects; updating a photo preference profile with the visual effect preference; and providing the photo preference profile to an image processor to adjust subsequently captured photographs provided to the image processor. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104058 | GENERIC OBJECT DETECTION IN IMAGES - Neural networks for object detection in images are used with a spatial pyramid pooling (SPP) layer. Using the SPP network structure, a fixed-length representation is generated regardless of image size and scale. The feature maps are computed from the entire image once, and the features are pooled in arbitrary regions (sub-images) to generate fixed-length representations for training the detectors. Thus, repeated computation of the convolutional features is avoided while accuracy is enhanced. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104059 | IDENTIFYING VISUAL STORM SIGNATURES FROM SATELLITE IMAGES - Satellite images from vast historical archives are analyzed to predict severe storms. We extract and summarize important visual storm evidence from satellite image sequences in a way similar to how meteorologists interpret these images. The method extracts and fits local cloud motions from image sequences to model the storm-related cloud patches. Image data of an entire year are adopted to train the model. The historical storm reports since the year 2000 are used as the ground-truth and statistical priors in the modeling process. Experiments demonstrate the usefulness and potential of the algorithm for producing improved storm forecasts. A preferred method applies cloud motion estimation in image sequences. This aspect of the invention is important because it extracts and models certain patterns of cloud motion, in addition to capturing the cloud displacement. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104060 | PHOTO IMAGING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A photo imaging system and method for forming an image in porous material is provided. The photo imaging system includes a printing device configured to travel over the porous material for printing a photo on a printing surface area of the porous material and at least one curing device configured to travel over at least the printing surface area of the porous material to perform a curing process. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104061 | SYNTHETIC BARCODE PAYMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD - A payment management system includes a synthetic barcode module, which may be part of a smart phone. The module comprises light management components and a controller. The light management components may include an optical receiver (e.g., camera or light sensor) and an optical emitter (e.g., display elements). A processor decodes drive data from files corresponding to barcodes. The decoded data is used to drive the controller which causes the emitter to emit light pulses that emulate light reflected from a series scanned barcode to communicate the payment barcode optically. The barcodes convey payment information to a point of sale. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104062 | TEMPORARY CUTANEOUS INFORMATION DEVICE, ASSOCIATED METHOD AND RESORT INFRASTRUCTURE - A method for associating a guest with information relating to said guest, comprises accepting a guest for hotel services and associating an identifier with said guest. The identifier is also stored in a storage device guest information is also stored in a storage device. A temporary cutaneous identification device which comprises an adhesive layer with markings deposited there on formed by depositing ink in a configuration representing guest identification and at least a portion of associated guest information. The same is applied to the skin of said guest. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104063 | CONTACT SMART CARD - A contact smart card has a smart card contact pad and an IC chip. The smart card contact pad includes a circuit substrate, a card-reader contact element on a first side of the circuit substrate, and a connection element on a second side of the circuit substrate. The card-reader contact element has a noble metal electrically conductive surface, and the connection element has a chip terminal connection surface which is not a noble metal. The IC chip is preferably flip-chip mounted at the second side of the circuit substrate and electrically connected to the chip terminal connection surface. Furthermore, the chip terminal connection surface is preferably an organometallic electrically conductive corrosion protection layer. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104064 | IC MODULE, DUAL IC CARD, AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING IC MODULE - An IC module of the present invention includes: a sheet-like base having a first surface and a second surface and having a first through hole and a second through hole spaced apart from the first through hole; an IC chip provided to the first surface, having a contact communication function and a contactless communication function, and having two terminals formed thereon; a connecting coil formed on the first surface and having two ends; a contact terminal portion provided to the second surface and configured to contact an external contact machine; bridge wiring provided to the second surface, provided at a position overlapping with the first and second through holes, and electrically insulated from the contact terminal portion; a first conductive wire inserted through the first through hole and connecting the first terminal of the IC chip to the bridge wiring; a second conductive wire inserted through the second through hole and connecting the bridge wiring to the first end of the connecting coil; and a third conductive wire connecting the second end of the connecting coil to the second terminal of the IC chip. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104065 | DUAL IC CARD - A dual IC card of the present invention includes: an IC module having a contact terminal portion contacting an external machine, a connecting coil configuring a contactless terminal portion by electromagnetic coupling, and an IC chip having a contact communication function and a contactless communication function; an antenna formed along a coil wiring path that defines an inductance and having a coupling coil portion electromagnetically coupling with the connecting coil of the IC module, a main coil portion formed along a coil wiring path that defines an inductance and connected to the coupling coil portion for performing contactless communication with the external machine, and a resistance-increasing portion provided in a section that forms the coil wiring path of at least one of the coupling coil portion and the main coil portion increase electrical resistance in the section; and a plate-like card body in which the antenna is arranged. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104066 | OPTIMIZATION METHOD FOR A COMPUTER SYSTEM - A method for the optimization of the design and/or operation of a computer system is disclosed. According to the invention the method constructs an initial set of solutions as input to an iterative optimization procedure by evaluating a preliminary set of solutions according to at least one selection criterion. From this evaluation, a first subset, which contains solutions which satisfy the at least one selection criterion to a degree better than a predefined first threshold, results. The method then identifies common features of the solutions in the first subset. From these common features deployment rules are derived, which constrain the solutions selected for the initial set, and which optionally also constrain the modifications of solutions during the iterative procedure. The deployment rules may be updated during the iterative procedure. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104067 | RECOMMENDATION PLATFORM - Disclosed are some examples of systems, apparatus, methods and storage media for providing customized recommendations to users. Some implementations more particularly relate to a recommendation platform that enables authorized third parties to create, customize and add new recommendations that are then available to be served to target users or audiences of users. Some implementations further relate to a recommendation platform that enables authorized users to define audiences, scheduling settings, scheduling policies, and rules to customize or influence the provision of associated recommendations to the users. The recommendation platform includes a recommendation engine that serves the recommendations to users based on such defined audiences, scheduling settings, policies or other rules. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104068 | MATCH ENGINE FOR DETECTION OF MULTI-PATTERN RULES - Methods, systems and computer program products are disclosed for detecting patterns in a data stream that match multi-pattern rules. One embodiment of the invention provides a method of recognizing a specified group of patterns in a data stream. The method comprises identifying a rule for said specified group of patterns in the data stream, and using a first array of finite state machines to scan the data stream for at least some of the patterns in the specified group. For patterns in the specified group that are found in the data stream by the first array of finite state machines, pattern identifiers are sent to a second array of finite state machines. The second array of finite state machines determines if the specified group of patterns is in the data stream in accordance with the identified rule by, at least in part, using said pattern identifiers. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104069 | AUTOMATIC ANOMALY ALERTS FOR SCHEDULED POSTS - Techniques are disclosed for automatically detecting anomalies in the content of a scheduled social media post, alerting a user to the presence of such anomalies before the content is posted and recommending a course of action when an anomaly is detected. A set of keywords is extracted from a scheduled post using an ontological classification technique. At predetermined time intervals, the keywords are compared with information obtained from one or more data sources to determine if an anomaly is present. If an anomaly is detected, the scheduled post is classified into one of at least three categories: supporting the post, neutral, or opposing the post. Once the anomaly is detected and the scheduled post is classified, the author of the post is alerted to the anomaly along with the categorization. Subsequently, the author may reschedule the post to an earlier or later time, delete the post, or change the post. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104070 | INFERENCE ENGINE FOR EFFICIENT MACHINE LEARNING - An inference engine is described for efficient machine learning. For example, an inference engine executes a plurality of ordered steps to carry out inference on the basis of observed data. For each step, a plurality of inputs to the step are received. A predictor predicts an output of the step and computes uncertainty of the prediction. Either the predicted output or a known output is selected on the basis of the uncertainty. If the known output is selected, the known output is computed, (for example, using a resource intensive, accurate process). The predictor is retrained using the known output and the plurality of inputs of the step as training data. For example, computing the prediction is fast and efficient as compared with computing the known output. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104071 | SPATIO-TEMPORAL FORECASTING OF FUTURE RISK FROM PAST EVENTS - Computational processes and their associated data structures representing past events of interest in a geographic area and recent time period, contextual information such as terrain data, and labeled space-time probability fields are continuously executed to generate and update a spatial probability field that conveys the risk of similar such events occurring in the near future at given locations in the area of interest. The invention specifies two computational processes operating in shared data structures, one tracing back in time known past events to probable origin locations while accounting for movement constraints and location preferences, the other projecting event risk forward in time from likely origin locations, accounting for movement constraints and targeting preferences. The invention further specifies that these two processes may tune each others' parameters through the evaluation of the accuracy of the recall of past events, thus generating more accurate future event risk forecasts. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104072 | PIPELINING AND PARALLELISM FOR IMPLEMENTING A MIXTURE MODEL - One factor in limiting the speed of conventional implementations of mixture models is that the algorithm involves many decisions where different operations are fetched and performed depending on the outcome of the decisions. These decisions cause flushing of the pipeline, and thus prevent the realization of a highly parallel pipeline in a processor. Without parallelism, the throughput of the pipeline in the processor, i.e., the ability to process many samples of the digital input at a time, is limited. To alleviate this issue, implementation of the mixture model is reformulated, among other things, by embedding decisions into the process flow as multiplicative factors. The resulting implementation alleviates the need to use if-else statements for the decisions and reduces the number of times the pipeline has to be flushed. The implementation enables a pipeline with a higher degree of parallelism and thereby increases throughput and speed of the implementation. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104073 | Radiation Suppression of Superconducting Quantum Bits Using a Conductive Plane - This invention relates to a quantum computing device and the means for fabrication thereof. One side of the device includes a circuit containing at least one qubit patterned in a film of superconducting material. The other side of the device includes a conductive plane, also formed from a film of superconducting material. The proximity of the conductive plane suppresses radiative decay of the qubit, while readout is achieved by coupling the qubit to a resonator. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104074 | Recommending Bidded Terms - Systems and methods for recommending bidded terms are disclosed. The system collects a plurality of bidded terms and separates them into ad groups. The add groups are then combined into sequences of terms, which are fed into a deep learning network to build a multidimensional word vector in which related terms are nearer one another than unrelated terms. An input term is then received and the system matches the input term in the multidimensional word vector and recommends the nearest neighbors to the term. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104075 | IDENTIFYING SALIENT TERMS FOR PASSAGE JUSTIFICATION IN A QUESTION ANSWERING SYSTEM - According to an aspect, a term saliency model is trained to identify salient terms that provide supporting evidence of a candidate answer in a question answering computer system based on a training dataset. The question answering computer system can perform term saliency weighting of a candidate passage to identify one or more salient terms and term weights in the candidate passage based on the term saliency model. The one or more salient terms and term weights can be provided to at least one passage scorer of the question answering computer system to determine whether the candidate passage is justified as providing supporting evidence of the candidate answer. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104076 | ADAPTIVE KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATOR THRESHOLDS - Techniques are disclosed for providing adaptive thresholding technology for Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). Adaptive thresholding technology may automatically assign new values or adjust existing values for one or more thresholds of one or more time policies. Assigning threshold values using adaptive thresholding may involve identifying training data (e.g., historical data, simulated data, or example data) for the time frames and analyzing the training data to identify variations within the data (e.g., patterns, distributions, trends). A threshold value may be determined based on the variations and may be assigned to one or more of the thresholds without additional user intervention. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104077 | System and Method for Extracting Table Data from Text Documents Using Machine Learning - Systems and methods for extracting table data from text documents using machine learning are provided. The systems and methods comprise electronically receiving at a computer system a document having one or more tables, each table having one or more whitespace features, processing the document using a first computer model executed by the computer system to classify each row of the one or more tables as a header row or a data row, processing the document using a second computer model executed by the computer system to classify each whitespace feature in each row conditional on classification of each row by the first computer model, the second computer model identifying whether a whitespace feature corresponds to information missing from the one or more tables, and generating an output of the classified whitespace features and storing the output in a digital file. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104078 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING EVENT LISTINGS WITH AN ASSOCIATED VIDEO PLAYLIST - Providing media relating to an event ticket marketplace is described. A method to provide media related to an event list can include maintaining or identifying a user profile and associating the user profile with a request of the user to access an event ticket marketplace. The method can include determining an event list including information associated with one or more events based on the user profile, which may include, for example, a media consumption history and current location, as permitted by the user. The method can include determining a media playlist including one or more media files (e.g., videos) associated with the identified events. A media file from the media playlist is selected, and a graphical user interface (GUI) is generated and presented which includes the event list, the playlist and the selected media file. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104079 | CREATING AND DELIVERING A DIGITAL TRAVEL COMPANION OF A WRAPPED PACKAGE OF CARDS - Creating and delivering a digital travel companion for a traveler that is an adjunct to a ticket for travel, a reservation and/or a hospitality rental. The digital travel companion is electronically delivered to the traveler and/or customer in the form of a wrapped package of cards. The cards in the wrap are selectively authored to include (i) an itinerary card, (ii) media content and (iii) a palette of application functionality and/or e-commerce related services. In addition, the cards are arranged into one or more linear sequences. Thus, as the wrap package is consumed, the user experience is analogous to the turning of the pages of a book. In non-exclusive embodiments, the media content of the cards can further be authored to convey a narrative. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104080 | CREATING AND DELIVERING A WRAPPED PACKAGE OF CARDS AS A DIGITAL COMPANION TO A MOVIE RELEASE - Creating and delivering a wrap package of cards as a digital companion to the release of a movie. When the wrapped package is created, the cards are preferably authored to include (i) one or more linear sequences intended to convey a book-like narrative including preferably a wide variety of multimedia content related to the movie and (ii) a palette of application functionality and/or e-commerce services. As a result, during consumption, the viewer experiences the unfolding of the narrative as the cards are sequentially browsed. With the application functionality and e-commerce services interwoven within the narrative, the wrap package has the unique ability to deliver multimedia content, interactively engage viewers, and enable the viewers to immediate participate in e-commerce, such as by purchasing tickets and other movie-related merchandise, all while consuming the wrap. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104081 | DYNAMIC SPACE-TIME DIAGRAM FOR VISUALIZATION OF TRANSPORTATION SCHEDULE ADHERENCE - A method for generating a visual representation of transport schedule adherence in a transit system including collecting transport schedule data received by a plurality of sensors deployed in a plurality of transit vehicles of the transit system, organizing and saving the received transport schedule data to a data storage facility, and receiving a user selection for the generation of a visual representation of transport schedule adherence in the transit system. The method may further include, by a transportation system analysis module, extracting a portion of the transport schedule data from the data storage facility and using the extracted transport schedule data to generate and display a dynamic space time diagram of transport schedule adherence in response to the user selection, automatically generating aggregated statistics and inference based on the dynamic space time diagram, and automatically generating a suggestion for improving transport schedule adherence based on the aggregated statistics and inferences. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104082 | Healthcare workflow analytics - Systems and methods that monitor the movement of a patient through the medical treatment process and collect, process, and display various statistics concerning that movement, while also making suggestions that improve patient flow, providing tools to appropriately revise schedules and templates to make future schedules more efficient. Embodiments of the invention treat each patient visit as a multi-stage process and collect information of interest concerning the various stages of the process, such as arrival time, departure time, etc. The collected data may be used to study the treatment process and how it relates to certain individual patients or classes of patients, as well as, e.g., potentially making recommendations to improve the treatment process, modifying future schedules to increase efficiency, making real time optimizations of patient visits, etc. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104083 | METHOD OF ACHIEVING HEALTH AGENCY AIMS THROUGH A PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT DASHBOARD - The present invention is directed to a management method to achieve organizational aims, comprising listing organizational aims, determining one or more goals to meet in order to reach the organizational aims, defining one or more performance measures each having numeric year to date measure data to measure attainment of each of the goals in a twelve month period, describing why each of the performance measures was chosen, naming person or personnel position responsible for ensuring entry of the year to date measure data, specifying frequency of entry of the year to date measure data within a twelve month period, labeling the year to date measure data with an appropriate unit of measure, stating a source from which the year to date measure data is to be collected, demarcating an annual target and a red line target for each of the year to date measure data, entering the year to date measure data to create entered year to date measure data, updating the year to date measure to create updated year to date measure data, calculating a progression of each of the entered year to date measure data and/or each of the updated year to date measure data in relation to the annual target and the red line target, and displaying the progression of the entered year to date measure data and/or the updated year to date measure data over the twelve month period. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104084 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SCHEDULE-BASED AND ALERT-BASED CLEANING OF PV SYSTEMS - A method for scheduling cleaning of a photovoltaic (“PV”) system is implemented by a soiling monitoring computer system. The method includes determining a soiling level and a soiling rate for a photovoltaic (PV) system, calculating a cost associated with cleaning the PV system at each of a plurality of possible cleaning times, determining an expected energy output gain associated with cleaning the PV system at each of the plurality of possible times based on the soiling level and the soiling rate, calculating an expected benefit associated with cleaning the PV system at each of the plurality of possible cleaning times based on the expected energy output gain associated with each possible cleaning time, determining a first time of the plurality of possible times when the expected benefit exceeds the cost, and scheduling a cleaning time based on at least the determined first time. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104085 | SALES ESTIMATING TOOL FOR BUILDING CONTROL SYSTEM - A method for providing an estimate for a defined building control system comprises displaying on a user interface a plurality of areas in which the defined building control system would be installed. Pluralities of subsystems are associated with the plurality of areas and include at least one typical subsystem that is associated with a defined plurality of building automation components in a database. The method further comprises displaying on the user interface the typical subsystem in association with the plurality of areas. A number of instances of the typical subsystem that are associated with the plurality of areas are also displayed on the user interface. A cost estimate is generated for the defined building control system based at least in part on the number of instances of the typical subsystem. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104086 | SYSTEM FOR SELECTING ENVIRONMENTALLY-SUSTAINABLE BUILDING PRODUCTS - An enhanced system is provided to assist a building professional in selecting products for building projects which minimize environmental impact. Accurate data on many different building products that has previously been collected, categorized and subcategorized by product type is provided to the system. This information has previously been separated into ranks (spheres) based upon how well the data has been collected according to ISO Product Standard data requirements. A user may then interactively select values for the environmental impact parameters. Products matching the selected environmental impact parameter values are displayed, while those not matching the values are not displayed. The user may select various products. The amount of each selected product to be used on a project is acquired and used to weight the environmental impact. Costs and financial benefits are determined from the products used and a payback period is determined. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104087 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING MASTER PROCESS PLANS - A method for validating material requirements planning data is disclosed. The method includes receiving a first set of scheduling data from a first resource planning tool, receiving a second set of scheduling data from a second resource planning tool, performing a comparison of the first set of scheduling data and the second set of scheduling data, and generating a report based on the comparison. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104088 | DEMAND-SUPPLY ADJUSTING DEVICE AND DEMAND-SUPPLY CONDITION CONSOLIDATING METHOD - A logistics network that is optimum under consolidated demand-supply conditions is obtained. A demand-supply information storing unit stores demand-supply information about demand and supply. A similarity degree calculating unit calculates a degree of similarity between items that are included in the demand-supply information. A grouping unit groups together the items included in the demand-supply information together, based on the degree of similarity. An impact degree calculating unit calculates, for items that are grouped by the grouping unit and for items that are not grouped by the grouping unit, the degrees of impact of the items on demand-supply conditions to be used in processing of searching for an optimum logistics network. A determining unit determines, based on the degrees of impact calculated by the impact degree calculating unit, whether or not the demand-supply conditions of the items are to be used in the logistics network search processing. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104089 | Handling data about a company specific supply chain network - An apparatus and method are provided for obtaining, for a particular company, data specifying entities, each of the entities being one of a supply chain node and a supply chain lane. The apparatus automatically supplements stored data about a company specific supply chain network based on the obtained data. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104090 | STATE DETERMINATION USING PER-ENTITY THRESHOLDS - A GUI displays information about a service, such as a service in an IT environment, and the specification for a related key performance indicator (KPI). The service can be provided by a number of entities (e.g., servers) for which machine data is generated and collected. The KPI is defined by a search query that produces a KPI value from the relevant machine data. Thresholds can aid in translating KPI values into a simpler, and possibly, common set of state values (e.g., Normal, Warning, Critical). A user can supply via a GUI, one or more thresholds that are applied on a per-entity basis in the process of determining a state value for the KPI. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104091 | TIME VARYING STATIC THRESHOLDS - A system, method, and graphical user interface (GUI) are disclosed for defining and applying time varying static thresholds. Time varying static thresholds may enable a user (e.g., IT manager) to define multiple sets of key performance indicator (KPI) thresholds that vary over time, for example, one set may apply during week-days and another set may apply on weekends. This may enable a user to have thresholds that take into account cyclical patterns of behavior (e.g., repeat every week). The KPI thresholds may be based on any unit of time, such as an hour of the day, days of the week, a month of the year (such as a holiday season). Each set may include KPI thresholds that specify values that when exceeded may initiate an alert or some other action. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104092 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MANAGING BUSINESS AWARD WORKFLOW - Included are embodiments for managing business award workflow. Some embodiments include receiving information related to a policy, receiving information related to a project, where the project includes a business award to a supplier, and comparing the policy with the information to determine whether the business award adheres to the policy. Similarly, some embodiments include, in response to determining that the business award adheres to the policy, sending at least a portion of the information to a predetermined approver, in response to determining that the business award does not adhere to the policy, preventing the business award to occur and identify a reason that the business award does not meet the policy. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104093 | PER-ENTITY BREAKDOWN OF KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS - A service monitoring system (SMS) produces key performance indicator (KPI) scores that indicate the performance of a service. To produce the KPI scores, the SMS may process the data for a large number of machine entities that perform the service. This data can be processed on a per-entity basis to produce a per-entity KPI score representing the contribution of a particular machine to the overall KPI. The per-entity KPI scores can be transformed to statistical representations which can be visualized as a distribution stream graph. The visualization may be presented with interactive aspects. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104094 | FUTURE MEETING EVALUATION USING IMPLICIT DEVICE FEEDBACK - This document relates to meeting evaluation. One example determines previous meeting attributes of previous meetings that were attended by a user or to which the user was invited, and obtains implicit feedback about the previous meetings from a device of the user. The example includes training a predictive algorithm to evaluate future meetings for the user using the previous meeting attributes and the implicit feedback about the previous meetings. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104095 | SYSTEMS AND COMPUTER-IMPLEMENTED METHODS OF AUTOMATED ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE MONITORING ACTIVITIES - A system for automatic assessment of performance monitoring activities. the system comprises an interface for receiving commands to perform the automatic assessment of performance monitoring activities, memory comprising an executable assessment application and at least one processor configured to access and execute the assessment application to automatically assess performance monitoring activities in response to receiving a command from the interface. The assessment application comprises an assessment module for obtaining a performance record associated with an employee, wherein the performance record comprises at least one performance objective and a parsing module for parsing the performance report to determine whether each objective includes assessment criteria, wherein the assessment criteria comprises a hard verb, a quantity measure, a time measure and a quality measure and for determining a first parsed result, the first parsed result being based on the determination of whether each objective includes assessment criteria, and wherein the assessment module is configured to determine a first assessment result based on the first parsed result. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104096 | MATCHING SHORT-TERM STAFFING ASSIGNMENTS BASED ON PREVIOUS EMPLOYEE AND EMPLOYER RATINGS AND A REAL-TIME LIVE INTERVIEW - Described are platforms, systems, media, and methods for providing an on-demand temporary staffing exchange. Automatic identification of individual staffers suitable for particular temporary staffing positions is based in part on ratings of the individual staffer and of the employer. When a suitable individual is identified, immediate booking is effectuated. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104097 | Sales Process Management and Tracking System - A system for managing a sales force that includes at least one sales associate comprises a management console and a mobile console that is in communication with the management console via a data communication network. The mobile console includes a positioning module for determining a geographical position of the mobile console, an interface for receiving input from the sales associate, a display for presenting information to the sales associate, a wireless communication interface for sending and receiving information via the data communication network, a data reader, a memory for storing information and operational instructions for the mobile console, and a processor for controlling and for sending information to and receiving information from the positioning module, the interface, the display, the wireless communication interface, the data reader, and the memory. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104098 | CONTACT CENTER DELIVERY IN-BUILDING HOMING SERVICE - The delivery of goods to a customer comprises a substantial portion of human activity. To correct address errors and/or to more precisely locate delivery locations, systems are provided to assist human, human operated vehicle, or autonomous vehicles to locate a delivery point. Often the location of a delivery point is inaccurate or imprecise. GPS and other coordinate systems often fail or are imprecise without an unobstructed view of the sky. Even with coordinates available, the delivery point may be different from the coordinates or, more commonly, coordinates that are different from some standard point within a postal address associated with the coordinates. Providing a delivery system that utilizes a broadcasted identifier, such as an identifier associated with the order of the item, the delivery of the item may be made proximate to the source of the broadcasted identifier or further refined using the broadcasted identifier as a reference. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104099 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCING AN AUTOMATED DELIVERY SYSTEM - The present invention relates to a system and method for enhancing an automated delivery system by implementing a laser scanning mechanism. The method accepts the consumer's order over the network and instructs the delivery vehicle to collect the item(s) as per the order placed by the consumer. As the delivery vehicle receives the order from the consumer, the vehicle starts moving towards the placer robot over a guideway track to collect the ordered item(s). Further, as the delivery vehicle identifies a light emitting device (LED) over the guideway track, the delivery vehicle stops at the specified location. As the delivery vehicle stops at the specified location, the motion detector instructs the LED device to emit a laser signal for scanning the delivery vehicle and based on the scanned information, the processing device instructs the placer robot(s) to retrieve and dispense the ordered item(s) into delivery vehicle. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104100 | TANK BIN INVENTORY SIGNALING IN A TANK MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - A tank inventory signaling apparatus that has bins with aligned parallel rows of industrial gas cylinder tanks stored in a cage having upright posts forming fences that define storage bins. Tanks in each bin are separated from each other by hinged gates that can be closed by magnetic or electronic latches. The logic state of all latches, open or closed, is reported to a local server that communicates gate state logic to a remote server. Tank inventory is inferred by opening of gates since it is necessary to open a gate to remove a tank. All gates in a cage have a collective gate state. Changes in the gate states of all tank storage units is reported to a remote server having associated tank management and supply software and route management software. In this manner, local tank usage can be tracked at remote locations for resupply of tanks and delivery of replacement tanks can be optimized. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104101 | Distributed Enterprise Equipment Inventory Location System - Management controller awareness and cooperation between nodes within an IT environment are used to provide a secure, optional and altruistic system to identify environment inventory. Such a system minimizes a management controller compute overhead, network burden via an optimized search space and provides an opportunistic scheduled time for response. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104102 | Utility Timers in a Food Freshness Printer - A method of adding a plurality of customizable event timers to a food freshness printer or smart printer is disclosed. The customizable event timers are added by the operator for the purpose of sounding an alarm to indicate an elapse in time and/or printing labels at a predetermined interval. When the event timer expires and the user acknowledges the audible tone, the user has the option to restart the timer for the next event or delete the timer. Further, the event timers enable the user to either display a message or print a set of labels when the timer expires. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104103 | GAS CYLINDER COUNTING SYSTEM - A gas cylinder counting apparatus that has bins with aligned parallel rows of industrial gas cylinders stored in a cage having upright posts with gas cylinder movement detectors. Gas cylinders in each bin are separated from each other to form a cylinder array. Proximity sensors attached to posts count cylinder removals by changes of state of the cylinder array and report removal of a cylinder from the bin to a local server. When gas cylinders are removed from other cages, local servers report to a remote server and to the management software for gas cylinder ordering and delivery. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104104 | Asset Management Service for Distributed Computing Environments - Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for an asset management service. The asset management service can receive asset record creation requests and can store asset records at an asset data repository. The asset records can identify assets and associated information such as, for example, asset identifiers, personnel, organizations, users, geographic locations, time and date information, status information, or the like. A user device can execute an asset management application to generate asset tags including the asset identifiers and to scan existing asset tags. When asset tags are scanned, the user device also can capture device and/or user information that can be used to set a status or provide available status choices. Status updates can be provided to the asset management service for updating of the asset records. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104105 | Systems and Methods for Identifying Potential Shipments of Prohibited Goods from Merchants - Systems and methods are provided for use in identifying potential shipments of prohibited goods from merchants in connection with processing transactions relating to the goods. In one exemplary embodiment, a request is initially received, at a computing device, to process a transaction relating to goods provided by a target merchant where the request includes an address or other data associated with the target merchant. A database of merchants that have previously been identified as, or associated with, selling and/or shipping prohibited goods to consumers is then searched for the address or other data associated with the target merchant. When the address or other data associated with the target merchant is in the database, the target merchant is flagged at the computing device and the transaction is declined. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104106 | Handling of information on incidents - When an indication of an incident is received, it may be determined whether the incident is located in an area that is defined to surround an entity of a supply chain network and whether the entity of the supply chain network is relevant for a shipment associated with a company. The entity is one of a supply chain node and a supply chain lane. A reporting of the incident to a user may be caused, in case at least one criterion is met. The at least one criterion comprises that it is determined that the incident is located in an area that is defined to surround an entity of the supply chain network and that the entity of the supply chain network is relevant for a shipment associated with the company. A company may make use of the report for an incident monitoring. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104107 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DYNAMIC MANAGMENT OF OBJECT TRANSMISSION - A method for dynamically orchestrating a set of driver functions, the method comprising (1) authenticating credentials of a driver (2) displaying a main interface presenting a set of options to the driver (3) displaying an inventory list interface enumerating the items to be moved and packed (4) displaying a furniture list enumerating a set of items and an associated set of furniture attributes for each item in the set of items (5) displaying an estimate interface indicating a set of load attributes as received by the estimator at time of booking (6) presenting a set of valuation coverage options to the client to protect the contents of the move (7) displaying an inventory check in interface at the destination location for the client to inspect each item in the inventory and (8) presenting a final bill of lending to the client before displaying a payment screen interface for the driver to select a form of payment. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104108 | Generating data relating to a supply chain network - An apparatus determines a degree of involvement of each of a plurality of entities of a supply chain network in transports of shipments associated with a particular company, based on data on shipments associated with the company that have been transported in the past. An entity of the supply chain network is a supply chain node or a supply chain lane. The apparatus moreover estimates a relevance of each of the plurality of entities for the company based on the determined degree of involvement of each of the plurality of entities in transports of shipments associated with the company. The apparatus causes storage of an indication of the estimated relevance for at least some of the plurality of entities of the supply chain network for further use. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104109 | IDENTIFYING INVENTORY ITEMS IN A STORAGE FACILITY - Systems and methods for enabling a picker to correctly identify and pick inventory items from a warehouse or storage facility are provided. An exemplary portable picking-assistance device comprises first and second communication devices. The first communication device is configured to electronically receive a first item list including one or more items to be retrieved by an operator from a predetermined storage area. The one or more items may be selected from a plurality of items stored in the predetermined storage area. The second communication device is configured to communicate radio frequency signals to a first radio frequency (RF) tag of a plurality of RF tags. The first RF tag is associated with a first item listed on the first item list. An indication is provided to the operator confirming an identification of the first item to be retrieved by the operator. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104110 | TRANSPORTATION SERVICE MATCHING WITH ARRIVAL ESTIMATION ADJUSTED FOR EXTERNAL FACTORS - Matches for load or transportation services with transportation service providers (TSPs) are established, and estimated arrival times are provided. A transportation service request is arranged and an estimate of time of arrival is made based on an estimation of a time for performing a delivery of the load or provide the transportation service, and the time of arrival estimate is adjusted by at least one external factor expected to affect transit time. An anticipated turn-around time for availability of the TSP is made for a subsequent leg or backhaul and the adjusted time of arrival estimate and the anticipated turn-around time are used to estimate a time of availability of the TSP for the subsequent leg or backhaul. An accepted bid for the subsequent leg or backhaul is made based on an estimated time of availability. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104111 | OBTAINING LOADS FOR NEXT LEG OR BACKHAUL - Transportation services are matched with a specified demand for transportation services. Categories of transportation services met by capabilities of the transportation service provider is determined, along with preference data concerning the transportation service provider. Candidate service interest is used to match the transportation service provider to the specified demand for transportation services. Competitive bids are obtained to meet a specified demand for transportation services, and the transportation service provider is offered inclusion in the competitive bids based on the candidate service interest. If the transportation service provider wins the bid, provision of the transportation service are arranged, and if the transportation service provider loses the bid, repeating the sequence of using the candidate service interest to match the transportation service provider to the specified demand for transportation services. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104112 | Peer to Peer Delivery System - A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage to implement an N-tier application package delivery service. Drivers can register for the system and then be presented with automatic alerts when pick up points (for delivery tasks) are nearby or along their current route so that drivers can make extra money by picking packages that are available on or near their current route and then deliver them. Driving patterns of each driver are detected, stored, and analyzed so that their destinations can automatically be predicted. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104113 | Peer to Peer Delivery System - A method, apparatus, and computer readable storage to implement an N-tier application package delivery service. Drivers can register for the system and then be presented with automatic alerts when pick up points (for delivery tasks) are nearby or along their current route so that drivers can make extra money by picking packages that are available on or near their current route and then deliver them. Driving patterns of each driver are detected, stored, and analyzed so that their destinations can automatically be predicted. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104114 | Supporting the transport of shipments - An apparatus receives an indication of an incident potentially affecting a particular route in a section between two supply chain nodes. The particular route is usable for a transport of a shipment, and the particular route comprises a supply chain lane or a sequence of supply chain lanes connecting the two supply chain nodes. The apparatus determines at least one possible alternative route based on stored data about supply chain lanes that have been used successfully for a transport of at least one shipment between a respective pair of a plurality of pairs of supply chain nodes in the past. The apparatus provides data about the determined at least one possible alternative route. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104115 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COLLABORATIVE COMMUNICATIONS AND INFORMATON SHARING - A computer-implemented system facilitates collaborative communications and information sharing in a network defined by a model. The model of the network is accessible by a user through at least one terminal having a processor. At least a portion of the system, and the model, are stored on a storage component coupled to the terminal. The system includes a context component for capturing context information and user-defined data, the user-defined data provided during user interaction of the user in a first domain of the network, the context component dynamically storing the context information as metadata associated with the user-defined data, the user-defined data and the metadata stored on the storage component of the system, a tracking component for tracking a change of the user from the first domain to a second domain of the network and dynamically updating the stored metadata based on the change, where the user accesses the user-defined data from the second domain; and an interface to the system accessible by the user at the terminal, the interface permitting the user to create and view the user-defined data according to the model of the network. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104116 | CREATING AND DELIVERING AN EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK IN THE FORM OF AN INTERACTIVE WRAPPED PACKAGE OF CARDS - Creating and delivering an employee handbook, to employees of an organization, in the form of an interactive wrap package of cards. When the wrapped package is created, the cards are authored to include (a) one or more linear sequences, including a wide variety of employee-related multimedia content, such as organizational policies and/or procedures, (b) a palette of application functionality embedded, in one or more of the cards, providing two-way interaction between the employer and employee, and/or (c) at least one acknowledgement card requiring that the employee provide an electronic acknowledgement that certain policies and/or procedures have been reviewed and accepted. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104117 | Employment Verification and Recruiting Platform and Method of Use - An apparatus, comprising at least one memory including computer program code and at least one processor. The apparatus designed to: catalog users in a user list table as being an applicant, an educator, and/or a recruiter; correlate one or more open opportunities with a one or more credentials; correlate the one or more credentials with a one or more educational resource. The one or more educational resources each comprising a test. A portion of the users comprising applicants qualify under a portion of the one or more credentials and apply for a portion of the one or more open opportunities correlated with the one or more credentials. The portion of the users comprising the educators selectively create the one or more educational resource to support the credentialing process for the applicants and the recruiters. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104118 | BENEFIT PLAN DESIGNER - In a method, system, and computer-readable medium having instructions for a reverse benefits designer, one or more objects available for creating a plan design framework are displayed in a graphical user interface, an indication of an object from the one or more objects selected for placement in a hierarchy of the plan design framework depicted on the graphical user interface is received, and data is stored in a repository for the plan design framework in accordance with the object placement. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104119 | VISUALISING MULTIPLE TIME ZONES - This disclosure concerns visualising multiple time zones in a calendar. A processor receives trip data that identifies a trip day, a first time zone of a departure location and a second time zone of an arrival location. The processor determines time gained or time lost due to travelling from the first time zone into the second time zone and causes the display of a time range and a graphical element. The time range represents the trip day with time values extending to the end of the trip day. The end of the trip day is relative to the first time zone. The graphical element extends from the day change and has an extension based on the difference between first and second time zones, such that the graphical element indicates the determined time gained or time lost due to travelling from the first time zone into the second time zone. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104120 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SCHEDULING PROJECT MEETINGS - A method and apparatus for scheduling project meetings includes a meeting organizer module of an electronic computing device receiving, from a project manager module, a first criticality for a first task and a second criticality for a second task of a plurality of tasks for a project. The method also includes the meeting organizer module scheduling a project meeting for the project based on the first criticality and the second criticality, wherein scheduling the project meeting includes determining an ordered agenda in which presentations for tasks for the project are presented for the project meeting. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104121 | Digital Flyer Service - The instant application discloses, among other things, a Digital Flyer Service. In one embodiment, it may comprise a software application for a mobile device which may allow a user to search for and view digital images of flyers around the world. The search may be based on various filters such as location, hashtags or event categories, for example. Digital Flyer Service may also allow users to take a photo of a flyer and have the photo and details, such as event information, for example, uploaded to a searchable database. The database may be accessible through an application on a mobile device, for example. Users may also integrate the flyers and details with their personal calendars and online social networks, for example. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104122 | REMOTE VIDEO CONFERENCING SYSTEM - Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system, method, and computer program product to check-in for a specialist session. The system typically including a memory, a processor and a module configured to receive an indication that a customer has an appointment scheduled to participate in a specialist session at a business location; determine that a mobile device in possession of the customer is located within a geographic area defined by the business location and encompasses the business location; and in response to determining that the mobile device is located within the geographic area defined by the business location, place the customer in a queue associated with the specialist session. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104123 | Predictive Maintenance - Vehicular maintenance is predicted using real time telematics data and historical maintenance data. Different statistical models are used, and an intersecting set of results is generated. Environmental weather may also be used to further refine predictions. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104124 | Systems and Methods for Fleet Maintenance Management - A computer-implemented method includes identifying a plurality of services for a machine. Each of the plurality of services has a service type, and the service type includes an interval service and an independent service. The method includes receiving an input indicative of a usage history of the machine and determining, based on at least one of the service type and the usage history, an estimated due date for each of the plurality of services. The method includes displaying service identifiers, each of which represents one of the plurality of services and indicates the service type, wherein a location of each of the service identifiers along a date axis corresponds to the estimated due date of the at least one of the plurality of services indicated by the service identifier. The location of each of the service identifiers along a service axis corresponds to the service type. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104125 | COMPUTING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING INFORMATION RELATING TO MAINTENANCE ACTIONS - A method, computing system and computer program product provide additional information relating to maintenance actions to address an issue with a structure. For each maintenance action that has corrected an issue, a first group of structures in which the issue has reoccurred and a second group of structures in which the issue has not reoccurred are identified. The method then determines an actual correction duration value for each of the structures in the first and second groups, generates a correction duration estimate for the structures in the first group using the actual correction duration values and uses the correction duration estimate to identify a portion of the structures in the second group. The method also uses the actual correction duration values calculated for the first group and the identified portion of the second group to generate a fix duration estimate representing an overall time estimation for issue reoccurrence. | 2016-04-14 |
20160104126 | METHOD OF RETRIEVING AND UNIFORMALIZING ELEVATOR MAINTENANCE AND CALLBACK DATA AND CODE EVENTS - A method for data retrieval and uniformalization of code events data for an elevator, comprising the steps of transmitting code events from an elevator controller to a business partner by means of a web services application, the business partner retrieving the data, storing the data in a business partner's data storage, and uniformalizing the data, and the business partner presenting the data by means of web and mobile applications. Another method for data retrieval and uniformalization comprising the steps of a service provider storing elevator data, the service provider transmitting said data to a web services application, a business partner retrieving said data by means of the web services application, the business partner storing the data in a business partner's data storage, the business partner uniformalizing the data, and the business partner presenting the data by means of a web and mobile device application. | 2016-04-14 |