| 36th week of 2008 patent applcation highlights part 58 |
| Patent application number | Title | Published |
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| 20080215324 | Indexing apparatus, indexing method, and computer program product - Acoustic models to provide features to a speech signal are created based on speech features included in regions where similarities of acoustic models created based on speech features in a certain time length are equal to or greater than a predetermined value. Feature vectors acquired by using the acoustic models of the regions and the speech features to provide features to speech signals of second segments are grouped by speaker. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215325 | TECHNIQUE FOR ACCURATELY DETECTING SYSTEM FAILURE - An apparatus, method and program for dividing a conversational dialog into utterance. The apparatus includes a computer processor; a word database for storing spellings and pronunciations of words; a grammar database for storing syntactic rules on words; a pause detecting section which detects a pause location in a channel making a main speech among conversational dialogs inputted in at least two channels; an acknowledgement detecting section which detects an acknowledgement location in a channel not making the main speech; a boundary-candidate extracting section which extracts boundary candidates in the main speech, by extracting pauses existing within a predetermined range before and after a base point that is the acknowledgement location; and a recognizing unit which outputs a word string of the main speech segmented by one of the extracted boundary candidates after dividing the segmented speech into optimal utterance in reference to the word database and grammar database. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215326 | SPEAKER ADAPTATION OF VOCABULARY FOR SPEECH RECOGNITION - A phonetic vocabulary for a speech recognition system is adapted to a particular speaker's pronunciation. A speaker can be attributed specific pronunciation styles, which can be identified from specific pronunciation examples. Consequently, a phonetic vocabulary can be reduced in size, which can improve recognition accuracy and recognition speed. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215327 | Method For Processing Speech Data For A Distributed Recognition System - Speech signal information is formatted, processed and transported in accordance with a format adapted for TCP/IP protocols used on the Internet and other communications networks. NULL characters are used for indicating the end of a voice segment. The method is useful for distributed speech recognition systems such as a client-server system, typically implemented on an intranet or over the Internet based on user queries at his/her computer, a PDA, or a workstation using a speech input interface. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215328 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY DETECTING MORPHEMES IN A TASK CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM USING LATTICES - The invention concerns a method and system for detecting morphemes in a user's communication. The method may include recognizing a lattice of phone strings from the user's input communication, the lattice representing a distribution over the phone strings, and detecting morphemes in the user's input communication using the lattice. The morphemes may be acoustic and/or non-acoustic. The morphemes may represent any unit or sub-unit of communication including phones, diphones, phone-phrases, syllables, grammars, words, gestures, tablet strokes, body movements, mouse clicks, etc. The training speech may be verbal, non-verbal, a combination of verbal and non-verbal, or multimodal. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215329 | Methods and Apparatus for Generating Dialog State Conditioned Language Models - Techniques are provided for generating improved language modeling. Such improved modeling is achieved by conditioning a language model on a state of a dialog for which the language model is employed. For example, the techniques of the invention may improve modeling of language for use in a speech recognizer of an automatic natural language based dialog system. Improved usability of the dialog system arises from better recognition of a user's utterances by a speech recognizer, associated with the dialog system, using the dialog state-conditioned language models. By way of example, the state of the dialog may be quantified as: (i) the internal state of the natural language understanding part of the dialog system; or (ii) words in the prompt that the dialog system played to the user. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215330 | Audio Signal Modification - A method of modifying an audio signal comprises the steps of analyzing the input audio signal (x) so as to produce a set of filter parameters (p) and a residual signal (r), modifying the set of filter parameters (p) so as to produce a modified set of filter parameters (p′), and synthesizing an output audio signal (y) using the modified set of filter parameters (p′) and the residual signal (r). The set of filter parameters (p) comprises poles (λ | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215331 | ENABLING SPEECH WITHIN A MULTIMODAL PROGRAM USING MARKUP - A method for speech enabling an application can include the step of specifying a speech input within a speech-enabled markup. The speech-enabled markup can also specify an application operation that is to be executed responsive to the detection of the speech input. After the speech input has been defined within the speech-enabled markup, the application can be instantiated. The specified speech input can then be detected and the application operation can be responsively executed in accordance with the specified speech-enabled markup. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215332 | Methods and apparatus for adapting speech coders to improve cochlear implant performance - Cochlear implant performance is improved by extracting pitch information and encoding such pitch information into the processor of a cochlear implant. One embodiment of the invention is to explicitly extract the pitch and deliver it to the cochlear implant by co-varying the stimulate site and rate. Another embodiment of the invention is to implicitly encode the pitch information via a code book that serves as the carrier of stimulation in the cochlear implant. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215333 | Embedding Data in Audio and Detecting Embedded Data in Audio - A method of embedding data into an audio signal provides a data sequence for embedding in the audio signal and computes masking thresholds for the audio signal from a frequency domain transform of the audio signal. The masking thresholds correspond to subbands of the audio signal, which are obtained from a masking model used to compress the audio signal. The method applies the masking threshold to the data sequence to produce masked data sequence and inserts the masked data sequence in the audio signal to produce an embedded audio signal. A method of detecting data embedded in an audio signal analyzes the audio signal to estimate the masking threshold used in embedding the data and applies the estimated masking threshold to the audio signal to extract the embedded data. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215334 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING SECURITY EVENTS USING SPEECH RECOGNITION - A method of monitoring for security events using a speech recognition system can include receiving a sound signal within the speech recognition system and determining at least one attribute of the sound signal. The attribute of the sound signal can be compared with one or more acoustic models associated with a security event. The method can further include identifying the sound signal as a security event according to the comparing step. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215335 | COMPUTER, DISPLAY CONTROL DEVICE, POINTER POSITION CONTROL METHOD, AND PROGRAM - To provide a pointer position control method and the like for manipulating a pointer more easily. The user moves the pointer P two-dimensionally and perform click and other operations by using only “voice”—by varying the volume and pitch of produced voice without uttering any specific command. The user moves the pointer P by varying the volume and switches the travel direction of the pointer P by changing the pitch. Also, by stopping to vary the volume, the user can automatically enter a fine adjustment mode in which the user can make fine adjustments. Furthermore, the user can perform a click by stopping to produce voice suddenly and return to normal speech recognition mode by keeping silent. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215336 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ENABLING A DEVICE FUNCTION OF A VEHICLE - The current invention provides a method and system for enabling a device function of a vehicle. A speech input stream is received at a telematics unit. A speech input context is determined for the received speech input stream. The received speech input stream is processed based on the determination and the device function of the vehicle is enabled responsive to the processed speech input stream. A vehicle device in control of the enabled device function of the vehicle is directed based on the processed speech input stream. A computer usable medium with suitable computer program code is employed for enabling a device function of a vehicle. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215337 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR ADDING VOICE ACTIVATION AND VOICE CONTROL TO A MEDIA PLAYER - A media player system, method and computer program product are provided. In use, an utterance is received. A command for a media player is then generated based on the utterance. Such command is utilized for providing wireless control of the media player. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215338 | Dialog supporting apparatus - A dialog supporting apparatus which can support an on-going dialog so that the dialog is smoothly completed. The dialog supporting apparatus includes an utterance receiving unit which receives an utterance of a dialog participant and outputs utterance information, an utterance processing unit which translates the utterance identified by the utterance information, an utterance output unit which outputs the translated utterance information, a dialog history database, an utterance prediction unit which generates a first utterance prediction information based on the first utterance prediction information and the second utterance prediction information. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215339 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF CODING SOUND SIGNALS USING SOUND ENHANCMENT - A system and method of processing sound signals are disclosed. In one embodiment, a speech coder applies a first sound signal enhancement process to a first part of a sound signal and applies a second sound signal enhancement process to a second part of the sound signal. The sound signal is then coded using the enhanced first part of the sound signal and the enhanced first part of the sound signal and the enhanced sound part of the sound signal. Examples of the portions of the sound signal that are separately processed include an excitation signal component and a spectral component of the sound signal. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215340 | Compressing Method for Digital Audio Files - A compressing method for digital audio files mainly utilizes a harmonic structure quad tree (HSQT) to re-arrange the frequency coefficient in each frame, and applies concurrent encoding in hierarchical trees (CEIHT) algorithm to increase and simplify the processing speed; the coefficient of the CEIHT is symbolized according to an arithmetic coding; the record of the probability of the symbol is used to determine the number of bits to be stored; the probability is in inverse order of the number of bits requiring storage, and thus increasing the occurrence probability of the symbol may greatly reduce the number of bits to be stored. As a result, the overall compressing method is done in simplified processing procedures and outputting an audio compressed file with a high compression ratio. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215341 | SIGNAL COMPRESSING APPARATUS - An input signal is quantized into a quantization-resultant signal. The quantization-resultant signal is compressed into a compression-resultant signal. The compression-resultant signal is formatted into a formatting-resultant signal corresponding to a predetermined format for a digital recording disc. The formatting-resultant signal includes segments corresponding to user data areas prescribed in the predetermined format. The compression-resultant signal is placed in the segments of the formatting-resultant signal. The formatting-resultant signal is encoded into an encoding-resultant signal of a CD format. The encoding-resultant signal is recorded on a recording medium. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215342 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCING PERCEPTUAL QUALITY OF LOW BIT RATE COMPRESSED AUDIO DATA - A system and method for converting an audio data is described. The method includes separating the audio data into a first set of data and a second set of data. The method further includes converting the first set of data into a track of the audio data. The method also includes converting the second set of data into an at least one created sound and a reference to each created sound. The method includes mapping the at least one reference to the created sound to an at least one position in the track where the created sound is to be played when the track is played. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215343 | AUDIO DECODING APPARATUS AND AUDIO DECODING SYSTEM - A work memory for storing a compressed audio stream to be decoded, a plurality of decoding process sections, and a plurality of output process sections are provided. A control section switches the start and stop of a decoding process between each decoding process section in predetermined switching cycles so that only any one of the decoding process sections uses the work memory to perform a decoding process at any single point of time, and saves, into an outside of an audio decoding apparatus, a compressed audio stream stored in the work memory which has been referenced by a decoding process section to be caused to stop a decoding process. When a stopped decoding process section is caused to resume a decoding process, the control section reads a compressed audio stream saved for the decoding process section to be caused to resume the decoding process, from the outside. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215344 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXPANDING BANDWIDTH OF VOICE SIGNAL - A method and apparatus for expanding a bandwidth of an input narrowband voice signal is provided. The narrowband voice signal is analyzed separately for each frame, and a Degree of Voicing (DV) and a Degree of Stationary (DS) are calculated depending on the analysis. A Degree of Difficulty of Bandwidth Expansion (DDBWE) of the narrowband voice signal is calculated based on DV and DS. Bandwidth expansion is controlled according to DDBWE. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215345 | Materials management system and method - A materials management system and method configured to handle materials events is provided. The materials management system can be configured to receive event information, comprising information pertaining to a hazardous materials event, to store data pertaining to a plurality of hazardous materials, to retrieve stored data based on the event information and to generate a materials event response based on the retrieved information. According to one embodiment, the materials management system can include an automated telephonic interface for accepting caller input and facilitating system responses. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215346 | Systems and methods for identity verification - The present invention may include systems and a methods for verifying the identity of an individual by invoking the services of at least one databroker. The present invention may establish a predetermined identity verification level and, based on the capabilities of associated databrokers, may establish a number of different solutions for verifying an individual's identity to the predetermined level. When a request for identity verification is received, the present invention may examine the possible solutions for the requested verification level and, by invoking the services of one or more databrokers, may attempt to verify the individual's identity. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215347 | COMPUTER SYSTEM CONNECTED TO ELECTRONIC-COMMERCE SERVER AND METHOD AND PROGRAM FOR SUPPORTING INPUT OF NUMERICAL VALUE REQUIRED FOR PERFORMANCE OF ELECTRONIC-COMMERCE TRANSACTION - A computer system which is connected to an electronic-commerce server includes a display unit, a monitoring unit, a table, a display control unit, and a transmitting unit. The display unit displays a combination of a numeric input field and an icon display area associated with the numeric input field. The monitoring unit monitors an input to the numeric input field. The table defines a correspondence between an entry in the numeric input field and an icon associated with the numeric input field. The display control unit causes, based on the table definition, an icon to be displayed before a transmission action is received, where the icon corresponds to the magnitude of the numeric value entered in the numeric input field. The transmitting unit transmits the numeric value entered in the numeric input field to the electronic-commerce server in response to receipt of the transmission action. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215348 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR ADVERTISEMENT AND EVENT PROMOTION - The present invention is directed to a system and methods for targeted advertisement and event promotion. The system comprises a web-based, application which enables event promoters to create, execute and manage event promotional campaigns using advertisements, targeted promotional messages, target user search tools, session tracking tools, campaign analytical tools, event pricing tools, reporting tools, embedded calendar applications and other tools and services provided by the system. The system combines these tools to enable promoters to communicate with and market, events to highly targeted audiences utilizing a wide array of communication tools. Furthermore, each promotional or advertisement campaign enriches and grows promoter's target user list thus continually enlarging the overall group of trusted and targeted system users. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215349 | System and method for generating an alternative product recommendation - A method and system for automatically generating a self-updating naturally-reading narrative product summary including assertions about a selected product. In one embodiment, the system and method includes evaluating an existing narrative product summary, comparing an existing attribute name, attribute value, attribute unit, and assertion model, respectively, to a current attribute name, attribute value, attribute unit, and assertion model to determine if one of the comparisons shows a change. The system and method further determines a new attribute associated with the selected product, selects an alternative product, retrieves a new assertion model with assertions that describe the selected product and identify an alternative product in a natural manner. The system and method then generates a naturally-reading narrative product summary by combining the new attribute with the new retrieved assertion model, and by combining the selected alternative product with another retrieved assertion model to recommend the selected alternative product in the narrative. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215350 | DOCUMENT PROCESSING APPARATUS, DOCUMENT PROCESSING METHOD, COMPUTER READABLE MEDIUM AND COMPUTER DATA SIGNAL - A document processing apparatus includes an activity input unit and a document creation unit. The activity input unit allows a user to input activities each including a name of the activity and a task description. The document creation unit creates, based on the activities input through the activity input unit, a document for an inner control including at least one of a business process narrative describing a flow of each business process, a business flow diagram visually describing the flow of each business process, a risk control matrix indicating assumed risks and control activities corresponding to the respective risk and a separation-of-duties table showing a correspondence relation between a person in charge and each business process. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215351 | SERVICE INFORMATION PROVIDING APPARATUS AND SERVICE INFORMATION PROVIDING METHOD - A service information providing apparatus is provided. A shop information extracting section extracts shop information belonging to a preference genre determined by a preference genre determining section from a shop information database. A shop ranking calculating section calculates a usage frequency ranking of a shop included in the shop information. A shop list transmitting section generates a shop list based on a usage frequency ranking of shops and transmits to a portable phone. A service information extracting section extracts, from a service information database, service information belonging to the preference genre from among the service information of a shop corresponding to shop selection information received from the portable phone. A service ranking calculating section calculates a usage frequency ranking of services included in the service information. A service list transmitting section generates a list based on the usage frequency ranking of the services and transmits to the portable phone. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215352 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR RECRUITING STUDENTS - The present disclosure provides methods and apparatuses for recruiting students. Using the methods and apparatus disclosed herein, educators can more efficiently recruit prospective students. Educational institutions can increase the efficiency of recruitment efforts by automatically generating outbound calls to prospective students. Outbound calls to prospective students are automatically generated when a prospective student is directed to call a recruitment center and the prospective student fails to call within a set time period. Outbound calls to prospective students are also automatically generated when a student is performing an online process to set an appointment and requests an immediate call. In addition, educational institutions can simplify the appointment scheduling process by incorporating an administrator's schedule into a student database. The student database may contain a list associated with a prospective student's preferred interview times, as well as a list of the administrator's available times. The present disclosure provides a method for presenting times to the student that are only present on both lists. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215353 | Method of Frozen Donor Egg Banking - A method is provided for a frozen egg bank comprising a) retrieving egg cells from an egg donor; b) cryopreserving said eggs in a cryopreservation solution; c) quarantining said eggs; and d) testing the egg donor for an infectious agent following a quarantine period of time. Optionally the method may also include testing the egg donor for genetic disorders, stimulating follicular development of the egg donor, and releasing the eggs for sale following step (d). | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215354 | Method and System for Exchanging Business Documents - A method of exchanging a business document between a customer computer and a supplier computer connected to a network, is provided, in which a business document is printed for the supplier; order data from the purchase order is extracted through a printer driver; the order data is transmitted to the supplier computer; the business document is presented on the supplier computer in a form pre-selected by said supplier; the business document is amended by making a change; the amended business document is printed; the amended order data is extracted by the printer driver from said amended business document; the change is determined by comparing the order data from the business document to the amended order data from the amended business document; the amended business document is transmitted to the customer computer, and presented such that said data prior to the change appears as crossed out. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215355 | Method and System for Predicting Causes of Network Service Outages Using Time Domain Correlation - Methods and systems are described for predicting the likely causes of service outages using only time information, and for predicting and the likely costs of service outages. The likely causes are found by defining a narrow likely cause window around an outage based on service quality and/or service usage data, and correlating service events to the likely cause window in the time domain to find a probability distribution for the events. The likely costs are found by measuring usage loss and duration for a given point during an outage and using cost component functions of the time and usage to extrapolate over the outage. These cause and cost predictions supply service administrators with tools for making more informed decisions about allocation of resources in preventing and correcting service outages. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215356 | System and method to administer a patient specific anonymous medical questionnaire over the public Internet using manual decryption of user information - The invention is a system and method for a physician to administer an interactive, branched logic computerized medical questionnaire over a public internet to patients, such that said patients or said physician does not have to be identified on the questionnaire by name, and, therefore, can remain anonymous. The questionnaire is administered on a public Internet site using a personal identification number for the physician which, when interpreted by a third-party database, routes the output to the physician based on information provided by the physician. The output contains patient-related information which only the physician knows. The physician relates the patient information contained in the output, via manual means, to information already known about the patient based on the physician-patient relationship, the patient is identified and the output can be placed within the patients record. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215357 | Detection of unknown scenarios - The present invention provides methods, systems and apparatus for detecting unknown scenarios in a data processing system. An example method includes the steps of: providing known scenario data describing one or more known scenarios in a database; creating element data depending on the known scenario data to form a set of elements, wherein each element is related to at least an actor and the behaviour of the actor; computing subsets of elements by combining at least some of the elements of the set in dependence on their corresponding behaviour; creating new scenario data related to new scenarios depending on the subsets of elements; and comparing the known scenario data with the new scenario data in order to identify the unknown scenarios. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215358 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND STORAGE MEDIUM FOR IMPLEMENTING BUSINESS PROCESS MODULES - Exemplary embodiments include a method for implementing business process modules for performing business process modeling. The method includes identifying tasks required in order to achieve a capability and designing a process module for enabling the capability. The designing includes interconnecting logic flow among the tasks resulting in an optimized, repeatable pattern of logically transformed inputs to outputs required for achieving the capability. The method also includes selecting and associating attributes to the tasks. The attributes are selected from categories including: information technology component services, data, operational business rules, roles, and measurements. The method further includes defining and associating metadata with the process module. The metadata describes functional capabilities provided by the process module and business and technical contexts into which the process module is used. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215359 | System and method for automatically switching prescriptions in a retail pharmacy to a new generic drug manufacturer - An automatic manufacturer switchover function to switch a set of future new, transfer, refill, and/or copy prescriptions to a new manufacturer product for a pharmacy. Furthermore, the claimed method and system may allow for a tiered approach to a manufacturer switch by allowing a corporate entity or owner of a pharmacy network to designate a pharmacy wide preferred manufacturer (or generic product) while giving a local pharmacy the power to decide when to implement a switchover at a local level. In one embodiment, the claimed switching system and process may also provide indications to pharmacists and customers to guide a transition from one manufacturer to another, thereby preserving customer perception of quality and pharmacy reputation. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215360 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MEDICAL DATA INTERCHANGE INTERFACE - A system according to one aspect of the present invention comprises a processor, a device interface, a user interface, a data relay transceiver, and a memory coupled to the processor and storing instructions. The processor executes the instructions in the memory to receive data from a medical device through a wired connection using the device interface, and transmits the data to an intermediary device using the data relay transceiver. This system can be implemented in a small, portable unit that is easy for a patient to transport. The system's user interface may include a microphone and speaker to allow the communication of audible information between the system and a user. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215361 | System and Method for Leveraging Health Care at a Point of Sale - A novel pharmacy messaging system, method and computer program product that leverages healthcare by providing functionality enabling the generation of targeted messages for enhancing the patient's experience while waiting for their prescription to be filled. The invention addresses directly the issue of leveraging healthcare by optimizing the customer time spent waiting to have their prescriptions filled, and particularly, by driving “foot-traffic” to the local pharmacy and successfully transforming patient wait time into a potential revenue generating opportunity for companion products. The pharmacy messaging system delivers targeted messages to patients based on their prescription information and one or more of their demographic, healthcare payor, claims, and past purchase history. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215362 | METHOD AND APPARATUS OF ASSESSING NEED FOR HEALTH CARE AND FACILITATING THE PROVISION OF HEALTH CARE - A health care assessment system and associated methods are provided for providing increased access to individuals for assessing whether a need exists for health care and then also facilitating an individual's access to health care as needed. Embodiments of the system include a health care assessment system for receiving input from a patient and generating an output reflecting an indivdual's risk of one or more disease states. The health care assessment system is further capable of providing resources for health care and visual tools for collecting patient history. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215363 | Tissue management system - The present invention provides a comprehensive tissue management system for transplantable materials like tissues and organs. The tracking portion of the system prompts and verifies that staff members of a medical establishment like a hospital have handled, stored, transported, reconstituted, and used the tissue or organ materials in a safe and regulatory-compliant manner from the point of receipt to the point of issuance or surgical use throughout the hospital's organization. The tracing portion of the system creates an integral record that documents which hospital staff members have provided which processing steps to the tissue or organ, any associated materials used in conjunction with such tissue or organ, and an identification of the tissue or organ that was transplanted or implanted inside a patient. Such a system will enable adverse reaction investigations for transplant patients, and recalls of transplantable materials. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215364 | Business method and system for ordering, purchasing and storing stem cells - An online business method and system enables donors or parents or guardians of donors to order and purchase stem-cells from biological tissue sampled from the donor, such as, for example, cord-blood stem cells of a newborn baby, wherein the ordering process interfaces directly with the attending medical services, and the service steps include collection, extraction, preservation, containment, packaging, delivery and storage of the stem cells in a storage medium that can be cost-effectively maintained by the donor, parent or guardian at home or in a custodial location. In one embodiment, preservation is by freeze-drying, containment is in a vacuum vial, and storage is at room temperature. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215365 | HEALTHCARE DATA SYSTEM - In accordance with one embodiment, a system and method is used for collecting, measuring, and reporting on data associated with healthcare treatment. A healthcare data system collects data from a patient using an interactive voice response system (IVR). The IVR periodically contacts the patient with questions as to severity of symptoms. The severity data is processed along with prior collected data to report treatment progress to the patient, to a provider, to a provider organization and to a payer. Symptom weights are entered by a provider and used in measuring progress. Other methods to collecting severity data may be used, such as email and text messaging. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215366 | ASSET MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHOD - An asset management system and method is disclosed, useful for managing any asset or collection of assets that need to be identified by unique characteristics. The system comprises three basic modules: a data input module for inputting information about an asset; a “gateway” module that checks the accuracy of the incoming data and corrects it as necessary; and a trading module that allows users to list their assets in various ways and perform various actions, such as selling the assets to other users or otherwise disposing of them, purchasing additional assets, etc. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215367 | Personalized Health Records with Associative Relationships - A method for processing a personal health record (PHR) which includes a plurality of events each having a time stamp. The method includes creating a plurality of event-concept pairs by mapping each of the plurality of events in the PHR to a corresponding health concept, assigning to each of the plurality of event-concept pairs the time stamp of the event corresponding to the event-concept pair, identifying associations among the plurality of event-concept pairs, identifying an associative subset of event-concept pairs among the plurality of event-concept pairs, and linking a plurality of members of the associative subset of event-concept pairs to form a thread, in which the thread presents a relationship among the plurality of members of the associative subset of event-concept pairs. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215368 | STANDING ORDER DATABASE SEARCH SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR INTERNET AND INTRANET APPLICATION - An internet and/or intranet based database search system and method for conducting searches of highly confidential records such as individual patient medical records and to automate the process of securing required approvals to make such records available to a properly authorized and authenticated requesting party. The system's central premise is that the patient has a fundamental right to the confidentiality of their personal medical records and should control that right through specific, informed consent each time that a party requests to receive them. It reinforces the widely held conception of privacy in general as well as of the sanctity of the doctor/patient relationship by granting the doctor the right, subject to the patient's express permission, to initiate a search request. At the same time, it provides an expedited and cost-efficient means for transfer of such records as demanded by many healthcare reform proposals and gives the repositories where these records are held the right to stipulate the specific terms and conditions that must be fulfilled before they will release documents entrusted to their care, thereby substantially reducing the risk of litigation alleging breaches of patient confidentiality. And it carries out all of these legitimate interests in a way that is fast, simple to use and easy to audit. The system optionally includes a billing mechanism to pay for any added cost associated with providing this additional protection; and in its preferred embodiment, is applicable to both digital as well as non-digital records. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215369 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY GENERATING FORMS - Selected data from a hierarchical database, such as medical findings of symptoms, physical findings, etc., can be used to generate a form dynamically. A system for generating forms based on a hierarchy of data received from a patient includes an input device for entering data received from a patient into a processor and a web browser. The web browser is configured for generating a form populated with the data entered using the input device. The placement of the data on the form is based on the hierarchy of the data received from the patient. The system also includes a network connection for receiving and transmitting data and the generated form via the web browser or an electronic mail application, a memory for storing data and forms generated by the web browser and an output device for outputting the generated form or received data. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215370 | System and Method for Providing Remote Users with Reports and Analyses Based on User Data and Adaptable Reporting with the Ability to Alter, Modify or Augment Such Reports and Analyses through Web-Based Technology - A system and method for providing remote users with reports and analyses based on user data is disclosed. One such report is a physician score report that includes a physician score. The physician score is determined by analyzing data from multiple data sources. Another such report displays the status of all patients assigned to all measures for a physician. A user may use the report to enter quality codes and clinical values in response to a measure in which a patient has been included. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215371 | ELECTRONIC CHART APPARATUS AND A DIETARY INSTRUCTION SUPPORT METHOD - A main unit of an electronic chart apparatus is connected to a chart database, a medicament information database and a food information database through a LAN. The chart database contains chart data created based on medical records including a diagnosed injury or disease and drugs prescribed for this injury or disease. Based on the medical records on a patient, cautionary information on such foods that can give bad influence on the patient in relation to the diagnosed injury or disease is retrieved from the food information database, and also cautionary information on such foods that must be taken with caution about concomitant intake with the prescribed drugs is retrieved from the medicament information database. With reference to the results of retrieval, a dietary instruction is given to the patient, avoiding such foods that are indicated by the retrieved cautionary information. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215372 | Device and Method for Continuity of Care in a Health Care Environment - The present invention is directed to a method and device for ensuring patient continuity of care. One aspect of the present method includes providing to a patient a hand-held portable device that has at least a portion of the patient's medical record stored thereon. The patient can then carry the hand-held portable device on his person for access of the information thereon whenever necessary or desired. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215373 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AGGREGATING AND PROVIDING SUBSCRIBER MEDICAL INFORMATION TO MEDICAL UNITS - A system and method for aggregating and providing subscriber medical record information to medical units. The system includes an ICE medical record server that stores a plurality of medical records of respective subscribers. When a subscriber is being attended by a medical unit, the medical unit using a communication device sends an identification number to the server. In response, the server sends the subscriber's medical record to the communication device. The communication device may populate a medical form with the information and display it for use in diagnosing and treating the subscriber. The medical unit may annotate the medical form to document the on-going emergency, and upload it to a professional medical record server, which may provide the information to a medical facility to which the subscriber will be transported. The ICE and/or professional medical record servers may perform statistical analyses of the information in their respective databases for the purpose of performing symptomatic surveillance and other public health analyses. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215374 | CLINICAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND METHODS - An automated data processing method for obtaining clinical data for safety, efficacy, and adverse event assessments pertaining to a therapy prescribed for the treatment of a malady, comprising the step of receiving at a location remote from a plurality of patients outcome digital information pertaining to the outcome of therapies performed on said patients, and for the efficient delivery of medications to a patient ordered pursuant to an electronic prescription from a dispensary optimized for delivery of the medication. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215375 | Communication system for indemnification insurance service - The object of the present invention is to provide a communication system for indemnification insurance service; the system contributes to rapid procedures to be performed from the occurrence of an accident to the arrival of a staff to the accident scene, including notification to the company of the indemnification insurance service, and certification of the location of the accident scene and the content of the insurance service of the insured, performed inside the company. The communication system for indemnification insurance service | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215376 | LONG-TERM CARE INSURANCE - An insurance policy in which the initial maximum benefit payable under the policy is less than or equal to the premium. The policy protects an insured's assets under a Government benefit program that has an asset limit for applicants and that allows applicants to shelter assets by obtaining private insurance. Assets may be sheltered under such a Government program by providing such insurance, obtaining payment for a benefit under the insurance; and applying benefits under the Government program. Insurance can be sold to shelter assets under such a Government benefit program by setting the maximum payable benefit to less than or equal to the premium. Optionally, the initial maximum benefit payable under the policy is less than or equal to about 105% of the premium. The Government benefit program may be a Medicaid State Long-Term Care (LTC) Partnership Program and the insurance benefit may be a long-term health care benefit. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215377 | ACCOUNT AND CUSTOMER CREATION IN AN ON-LINE BANKING MODEL - A system, method and article of manufacture are provided for account and customer creation in an online banking model. An application is received from a customer. The application includes information relating to the user and also documentation relating to the user. A first computer is utilized to create a profile for the customer based on the application received from the customer. The first computer is also utilized to create an account for the customer. Information relating to the created profile and account is transmitted from the first computer to a second computer where a notification is generated. The notification indicates that the account has been created. The notification is transmitted from the second computer to the customer utilizing a network. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215378 | CONTENT INSURANCE - The present invention provides for the protection of and ability to upgrade to new formats of digital content by providing consumers of the digital content the capability of purchasing content insurance on digital content they consume. By purchasing insurance on content, at a later time consumers are able to return to the content distribution channels and re-obtain the previously purchased content in the same, or new format as the original purchased. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215379 | CONTENT INSURANCE - The present invention provides for the protection of and ability to upgrade to new formats of digital content by providing consumers of the digital content the capability of purchasing content insurance on digital content they consume. By purchasing insurance on content, at a later time consumers are able to return to the content distribution channels and re-obtain the previously purchased content in the same, or new format as the original purchased. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215380 | Passenger Transportation System and Method for Obtaining Tickets in Such a System - A method for obtaining tickets for journeys in a passenger transportation system (VSY) which comprises stations (S | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215381 | System and Method for Electronic Group Tour Reservation - A method and system for an electronic group tour reservation allows reservation of several components of a tour for an entire group. The method includes receiving hotel reservation request from a user. The method includes receiving activities information from the user. The method includes placing queries to the network of hotels for rates and availabilities. The method includes placing queries to a plurality of activities providers for rates and availabilities. The method includes receiving hotel rates and availabilities from the hotels. The method includes receiving activities availabilities and rates from the activities provider. The method includes presenting hotel rates and availabilities and activities rates and availabilities to the user. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215382 | RECEIVING A REQUEST TO RESERVE A SERVICE - Methods and corresponding system are provided herewith that, in at least one embodiment, include the act or acts of: receiving a request to reserve a service that is provided by a restaurant. The request to reserve is for a particular time and a particular date and the service comprises at least one of: (i) preparing a consumable good that is consumed at the restaurant's location; (ii) preparing a consumable good that is received at the restaurant's location; or (iii) preparing a consumable good that is delivered to a location external to the restaurant's location. The methods and system also include comparing the particular time requested with a schedule associated with the restaurant. The schedule comprises a list of times that are available for reservation. The methods and system also include determining an availability of the request to reserve; and outputting an indicia that the request to reserve the service has been accepted or denied. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215383 | AUTOMATED AIRLINE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A computer based system and method for automated travel related boarding document booking, retrieval, account creation and purchase account credit system which provides for customer receipt of boarding documents via electronic transmission, including notification of same and of allied services. A method for customers with reservations is included to enable early check in and/or have their boarding documents transmitted to them as well as receive updated information regarding transportation status, local terminal conditions and amenities. The system incorporates methodology relating to the customer's establishment of an automated account, the creation of the automated account, payment of a fee for securing the preferred boarding documents, retrieval of a boarding document and the earning of account purchase credits. Allied automated services include providing the registered passenger with updated transportation information, transit terminal amenities, and electronic commerce links for private commercial transactions. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215384 | Negotiated Reservation for Vacation Rental Homes - System and method for reserving and booking vacation rental properties. The method may include receiving first user input from a first user to a website requesting reservation of a vacation rental property. The first user input may include contact information. The method may further include providing the first user input to a second user regarding the requested reservation of the vacation rental property. The contact information may be usable to contact the first user. The method may include receiving second user input specifying a reservation of the vacation rental property. The reservation may include reservation dates and a reservation price. The reservation may be provided to the first user, and payment information may be received for the reservation. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215385 | Methods and systems for services reservations - The present invention relates to systems and methods for making reservations for services provided to guests by a host organization through a central reservation system, wherein the central reservation system comprises a video monitor system, a paging system, and a communications network, wherein the central reservation system is connected to the video monitor system and the paging system via the communications network, and wherein the central reservation system maintains reservation data for one or more provided guest services at a host organization. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215386 | Method of and system for analyzing, modeling and valuing elements of a business enterprise - An automated system ( | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215387 | Automation of Validation Life Cycle and Providing 100% Paperless Electronic Validation Process - The present invention relates to a software process that provides: an increase in the productivity in the validation process; tracking of the validation inventory, paperless execution of validation protocols; automation of revalidation schedule with alert features; increased validation efficiency; and ensures compliance to FDA regulations. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215388 | METHOD, SYSTEM AND PROGRAM FOR CREDIT RISK MANAGEMENT UTILIZING CREDIT LIMITS - Software aggregates and integrates credit exposure and credit data across accounting, trading and operational systems within an organization and generates views of available credit in light of the exposure and credit limits. A comprehensive model of exposure to all counterparties, across all of their divisions and subsidiaries, is assembled, enabling the creation of a hierarchical view of each counterparty that models its real-world parent-child relationships. Credit limits are set across the enterprise, supporting the organization's unique methodology and business process, and on a granular basis, incorporating factors such as external credit ratings, internal credit scores, commodity, geographic region, deal duration, and security instruments. Credit, transactions, and risk are then determined at any level in the hierarchy. After aggregating exposure and credit limit information, the system presents a comprehensive, detailed, real-time, enterprise-wide view of current exposure, collateral requirements and available credit for both a company and its counterparties, making it easy for users to identify trouble spots by counterparty, geography, industry, and credit rating and to manage the company's liquidity. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215389 | Model oriented business process monitoring - A computer implemented method and system for monitoring a business process of an executing business application. Runtime information of a business process element of the executing business application is received. The runtime information is then associated with design time information of the executing business application by a processor. Next, a representation of the business process associated with the business process element is generated to determine a problem in the business process of the executing business application. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215390 | PATH DETERMINATION SYSTEM FOR TRANSPORT SYSTEM - Aspects of the present invention relate to path determination for transport system infrastructure paths. In embodiments, methods and systems are provided for identifying alternative paths and determining optimized transport system paths for projects. The methods and systems may involve providing a client-based application having a GUI that presents a plurality of constraints that relate to a project, a server-based application for calculating the costs of a plurality of potential paths for presenting a subset of paths with associated cost data, and determining optimized paths for at least one of a pipeline, a conveyor, a canal, a multipurpose utility pipe, and a telecommunication line. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215391 | UNIVERSAL LIGHTING NETWORK METHODS AND SYSTEMS - Methods and apparatus relating to the collection of data regarding a plurality of customers in a retail or entertainment environment. Data may be collected via at least one sensor coupled to at least one lighting fixture in the retail or entertainment environment. In one exemplary implementation, data may be collected by one or more lighting fixtures, and data may be communicated via light generated by any one or more fixtures without perceivably affecting a quality of light generated by the one or more fixtures. A map may be generated based on the collected data to display traffic patterns and/or dwell times of the plurality of customers in the retail or entertainment environment, and such a map may be displayed, for example, via a graphical user interface. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215392 | METHOD TO INCREASE COLLECTION OF DEBTS OWED TO GOVERNMENT - A method of increasing the collection of debts owed a government agency by collecting additional names associated with a debtor, verifying that an additional name represents the same person as the debtor, and providing those additional names to the government agency that is owed by the debtor. After the additional names are added, future payments to the debtor can be offset by the amount owed. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215393 | Method and an apparatus for identifying an instance of a variability meta-model and for processing change requests - A method and an apparatus are disclosed for processing a variability model of a product line, wherein a decision is derived on the basis of a predetermined negotiation model. In one embodiment, an instance of a variability meta-model which models a variability in domain requirements is identified on the basis of a QOC-rationale model. In a further embodiment, a decision for a question on an instantiation for a variation point of a variability meta-model instance is generated on the basis of a predetermined negotiation model. In a further embodiment, change requests to change a variability model of a product line are processed to derive a decision whether to accept one or more change requests on the basis of a predetermined negotiation model which is formed by a questions, options and criteria EasyWinWin model. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215394 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR QUALIFICATION AND APPROVAL OF PRODUCT PLACEMENT MARKETING CONTENT - A system and method that provides for the objective qualification and approval of product placement marketing content, based on defined impression parameters, so that advertisers and brand managers can maintain their brands while expanding their suppliers and their reach into online video content and distribution. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215395 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR GOTV EFFORTS - A method for controlling campaign management includes receiving a login request from a user at a central location and receiving a campaign management request from the user responsive to the login request. The method further includes selecting at least a first campaign from a plurality of campaigns based on the campaign management request, associating the selected first campaign with the user based on the selection, recording the association within at least a first database, and compiling a plurality of analytic data based on the recorded association. Additionally, the method includes providing at least a second campaign to the user based on the compiled analytic data. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215396 | FACILITATING ERROR CHECKING OF SERVICE ELEMENTS - A service element is defined and represented by a data structure. It includes one or more components and/or one or more other service elements. A service element providing a complete function is a service offering. Management of service elements and/or service offerings is facilitated by a Service Development Tool. In different aspects, the management includes various tasks associated with creating, modifying and deleting service elements, establishing relationships, error checking and optimization. In a further aspect, service elements are packaged and distributed to enable customers to deliver the service elements. Additionally, the hosting of software packages is facilitated. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215397 | SYSTEM AND MECHANISM TO CREATE AUTONOMIC BUSINESS SOLUTIONS - Automomic business processes management solutions have capabilities to adapt themselves to changes in the business environment. These autonomic business solutions are built by wiring together autonomic solution components called BPbots (Business Process robots). BPbots are granular solution components representing an aspect of a business process. In general, BPbots consist of two parts, an execution module and a managerial module. The execution module represents the standard, non-autonomic solution component, such as a standard process flow model describing the long-running flow or business adapter describing the communication of the solution with service providers (such as applications). The managerial module is responsible for the autonomic behavior of the BPbot. The managerial component has the ability to monitor the execution module, analyze the performance, plan new, more appropriate execution patterns and change the behavior of the execution module according to the new plan. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215398 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR USING A COMPONENT BUSINESS MODEL TO MANAGE AN ENTERPRISE - A method and system are described for using the structure and relationships between components in a component business model of an enterprise to assign components providing monitoring data to a management component. In response to the monitoring data, the management component executes a business rule invoking a service that alters a behavior of the enterprise. The management component contains data rules limiting the information provided by the assigned components, analysis rules defining the interaction between components, and report rules for consolidating recommendations for altering behavior of the enterprise, including decisions to invest in certain aspects of the business, to reengineer certain processes of the business, and to alter operation of certain aspects of the business. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215399 | 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 for the operational process, including data sources and data sinks. A representative model of the process design blueprint is created. If the model is not detailed enough for implementation by IT professionals, model objects and data flows are added to the blueprint and the representative model is modified to be consistent with the blueprint. Surrogate calculations may be made for computational task objects or, alternatively, separate process design blueprints may be generated for such computational task objects. This cycle is repeated until the model is detailed enough for implementation. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215400 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR USING A COMPONENT BUSINESS MODEL TO TRANSFORM WARRANTY CLAIMS PROCESSING IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY - A method, system and service for using a component business model to transform a business process. The invention uses a component business model of a business to prioritize business changes affecting key performance indicators for the business process, defines an information technology architecture to support the business changes, and specifies a roadmap for implementing the supporting information technology architecture. In a particular application of the invention to the automobile manufacturing business, the business process is the warranty claims process, and a length of time to process a warranty claim is a key performance indicator. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215401 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR OPERATIONAL RISK ASSESSMENT AND MITIGATION - Risk in business management is analyzed based on a probabilistic network approach which quantifies the impact of operational risk on financial metrics such as Value-at-Risk (VAR) and/or Potential Losses (PL). This approach provides further capability to determine the optimal placement of one or more countermeasures within a system to minimize the impact of operational risks. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215402 | Methods and Systems for Evaluating Interaction of Medical Products and Dependence on Demographic Variables - A computer implemented method of evaluating interaction two or more medical products or conditions, in the context of a reference condition, based on a dataset of patient records includes developing a reference contingency lattice of lattice subsets from a subset of the patient records containing the reference condition, wherein the lattice subsets correspond to the number of patient records that contain each of the two or more medical products or conditions and combinations thereof. A plurality of comparison contingency lattices are developed, each of the comparison contingency lattices developed from a respective random subset of patient records not containing the reference condition, where each of the comparison contingency lattices include lattice subsets that correspond to the number of patient records that contain each of the two or more medical products or conditions and combinations thereof. The lattice subsets of the reference contingency lattice are compared to the corresponding lattice subsets of the comparison contingency lattices to determine whether a lattice subset is indicative of an interaction between the medical products or conditions with respect to the reference condition. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215403 | INNOVATION SIGNATURE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM - An innovation signature useful in placing an individual within an organization to optimally support creativity and innovation by that individual is developed from information regarding innovative behavior of an individual, a record of motivational rewards and information regarding the current and historical interests, preferably derived from a survey and reward history of an individual. The innovation signature is refined by comparing the innovation signature with a definition of desired innovation activity, alteration of motivational drivers and feedback of the altered motivational drivers to the record of motivational rewards. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215404 | Method for Service Offering Comparative IT Management Activity Complexity Benchmarking - The invention broadly and generally provides a database comprising at least one record, the aforesaid at least one record comprising: (a) solution metadata relating to an information technology solution; and (b) evaluation metadata relating to a complexity evaluation of the aforesaid information technology solution. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215405 | COMPONENT BASED APPLICATIONS RUNNING IN A COMMON SHELL - Applications are provided in as usable and intuitive tasks or subtasks that can be integrated with business solutions. The tasks or subtasks can be reutilized in a code or definition of the application, mitigating the amount of code and memory needed to be installed on a user device. In addition, the tasks or subtasks can be utilized across applications, further conserving device resources. The user can be presented with the tasks or subtasks in a logical flow or progression, allowing for ease of completion of the tasks. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215406 | Scheduling Resources for Airline Flights - Generally, there is provided an airline operations computing system and graphical user interface features that enable users to plan and conduct airline or other types of transportation operations effectively and time efficiently, and in addition, to do so in the face of disruptions due to weather, sick crew members, aircraft in need of repair, and the like. For example, a method and computer program product are provided for scheduling a resource to a scheduled airline flight or other transportation operation. The scheduling of the resource involves receiving a user input that associates a visual display of a selected flight or other transport pairing with a visual display of a selected candidate resource. In addition, a user interface display is provided that includes a listing area and a schedule area for performing scheduling functions. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215407 | Resource Scheduling with Rule Violation Feedback - Generally, an airline operations computing system accomplishes rule checking in an efficient and useful manner and provides functionality that allows multiple different users to accomplish schedule changes in a manner that minimizes conflicts between different schedulers. In addition, an airline operations computing system includes a common rules engine that is used by multiple different optimizer and decision support systems of the airline operations computing system. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215408 | Multiple User Resource Scheduling - Generally, an airline operations computing system accomplishes rule checking in an efficient and useful manner and provides functionality that allows multiple different users to accomplish schedule changes in a manner that minimizes conflicts between different schedulers. In addition, an airline operations computing system includes a common rules engine that is used by multiple different optimizer and decision support systems of the airline operations computing system. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215409 | ITERATIVE RESOURCE SCHEDULING - A request is received to accomplish a task by using a plurality of resources. Once the task is received, attributes of the resources are retrieved from a memory including constraints associated with those resources. These constraints can include hard constraints and soft constraints. A first schedule is then created using a subset of the plurality of resources that complies with each task and resource hard constraint. A score based on the degree of compliance of each soft constraint is determined for the first schedule score. Thereafter the first schedule is modified to form a second schedule, again complying with each hard constraint. A second schedule score is determined associated with the second schedule. These scores are compared so as to determine and select the more optimal schedule. The process continues iteratively until modifications of the schedule no longer yield an improving schedule. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215410 | LARGE INVENTORY-SERVICE OPTIMIZATION IN CONFIGURE-TO-ORDER SYSTEMS - A manufacturing process is migrated from an existing operation to a configure-to-order (CTO) system. As the CTO operation will eliminate the “machine-type model” (MTM) inventory of the existing operation, the emphasis is shifted to the components, or “building blocks”, which will still follow the build-to-stock scheme, due to their long leadtimes, and hence still require inventory. The solution involves an inventory-service trade-off of the new CTO system, resulting in performance gains, in terms of reduced inventory cost and increased service level. Other benefits include better forecast accuracy through parts commonality and risk-pooling, and increased customer demand, as orders will no longer be confined within a restricted set of pre-configured MTMs. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215411 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PREDICTING RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS FOR SERVICE ENGAGEMENTS - A method and system for predicting resource requirements of a current service engagement by modeling records of past service engagements to create and classify templates of service resource usage. This is done by clustering past engagements into groups having similar time series requirements for service resources. A service resource template for the current service engagement is generated from a classified template by using characteristics of the current service engagement to select a group of which the current service engagement is a likely member. The corresponding template is then customized to fit the characteristics of the current service engagement. The invention may be implemented using Hidden Markov Models. An aspect of the invention is use of dynamic time warping to quantify dissimilarity between engagement sequences prior to fitting Hidden Markov Models. Another aspect of the invention is removal of outliers from the clustered groups. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215412 | Train Operation Management System - A train operations management system enables an operations controller to carry out crew deployment disruption resolution easily. Preset restriction conditions stipulating restrictions in paths and crew member deployment disruption information are examined, warnings respective to the paths are outputted, and until all the warnings clear, with respect to paths in which multiple deployment disruptions have arisen, in order from the highest priority of urgent resolution of the deployment disruption, resolution information is successively sent to crew member deployment disruption forecasting means and crew deployment information is updated, and when the warnings have been cleared the crew deployment information recorded in crew deployment information registering means is suggested as resolution information. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215413 | PROGRAM STORAGE DEVICE FOR PROJECT PREPARING A PROCUREMENT AND ACCOUNTS PAYABLE SYSTEM - A program storage device for coordinating a project for designing, implementing, and using a general procurement and accounts payable (GP/AP) system for a customer. A playbook database is created and includes templates of information relating to designing, implementing, and using the GP/AP system. The templates are particularized for the customer. A playbook summary view is generated from the playbook database. The playbook summary view displays a folders and views section, a task title display and selection area, a summary task creation button, and a detailed task creation button, which visually appear together in an undivided display area within the playbook summary view. Communication is between team members of a team and the playbook database via a server coupled to the playbook database and an intranet coupled to both the server and the team members. The team members have responsibility for the designing and implementing of the GP/AP system. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215414 | RESOURCE FORECASTING AND SCHEDULING - Methods and computer systems for forecasting demand and availability of resources of a geographic region are provided. Physical, operational, traffic and construction data for a geographic region for a specified time period is utilized to compare the operational needs for at least one resource for a geographic region to the available resources to forecast demands and availability of the at least one resource for the geographic region over the specified time period and determine whether the demand for the at least one resource exceeds the availability of the at least one resource. The forecasted demand and availability of the at least one resource for the geographic region for the specified time period is stored and presented. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215415 | Mobile advertising - A system for displaying a mobile advertisement is provided. The system includes a mobile carrier for transporting cargo in a geographical region. A control signal receiver is coupled with the mobile carrier, wherein the control signal receiver receives a control signal used to communicate data related to the mobile advertisement. In addition, a display panel is coupled with the mobile carrier, wherein the display panel displays the mobile advertisement in the geographical region based on the control signal. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215416 | SEARCHABLE INTERACTIVE INTERNET ADVERTISEMENTS - A computer-implemented method is provided, including presenting, to first users that visit one or more first websites, an interactive advertisement that includes search functionality for searching a second website different from the first websites. Respective first search queries, each of which consists of one or more first query terms, are received from the first users, via a search field of the search functionality. Respective first search result listings are presented to the first users, each of which first search results includes first search results associated with respective search result documents of the second website. An advertisement profile is constructed for the advertisement that represents interactions between the first users and a plurality of the first search results. The advertisement is presented to a second user that visits one of the first websites, and the search functionality is configured responsively to the advertisement profile. Other embodiments are also described. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215417 | Mass Comparative Analysis of Advertising - Method for rapidly providing analysis data on currently running advertisements. The user can determine which aspects of its or a competitor's recent advertisements are successful, and use that information for purposes such as creating future advertisements. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215418 | MODIFICATION OF ADVERTISEMENT CAMPAIGN ELEMENTS BASED ON HEURISTICS AND REAL TIME FEEDBACK - Enabling the selection, modification, and subsequent generation of online advertisements for either a one time use or as part of an advertising campaign. The performance of an advertisement is iteratively reviewed based on heuristics, statistics, metrics, real-time feedback, and the like, either singly or in some combination. Iterative monitoring of performance information for related, but different, online advertisements is analyzed and employed to recommend and/or automatically generate changes to an online advertisement, or advertising campaign. An editing facility is also provided to enable a user to modify a plurality of elements in an online advertisement, and at least some of these editable/modifiable elements are monitored for performance information. The editing facility can enable editing of different file formats for online advertisements, including, Flash, SVG, and Gnash. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215419 | METHOD, SYSTEM, AND STORAGE MEDIUM FOR IMPLEMENTING A MULTI-STAGE, MULTI-CLASSIFICATION SALES OPPORTUNITY MODELING SYSTEM - A method for implementing a multi-stage, multi-classification sales opportunity modeling system. The method includes receiving operational data relating to past sales activities and receiving parameters identified as being relevant in determining a likelihood of whether exploitation of a sales opportunity will be successful. The method also includes generating a multi-stage model by applying the operational data and the parameters to an analytic engine for evaluating different factors affecting success of the sales opportunity. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215420 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR REWARDING ELECTRONIC AUTHORS - A method and system are disclosed for incorporating affirmation functions into the electronic interfaces that present media creations submitted by electronic authors. The media creations are ranked in overall prominence within the electronic interface based on affirmations of those who receive the media creation. These affirmations can be in the form of votes of approval, monetary contributions of support, or purchases of copies of the media creations. Where the affirmations are monetary these are then shared with the electronic authors as a reward. In the case of streaming media creations, the authors are given notice of their scheduled broadcast appearances to enable them to self promote to their own established audience bases, and the interface includes the capability of accessing the information associated with previous tracks played. The affirmations can also be weighted according to the number of receivers of the media creations. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215421 | Distributing a location based advertising campaign - A method for distributing a location based advertising campaign to a plurality of location based advertising networks is disclosed. A proposed location based advertising creative is received for approval. The proposed location based advertising creative is automatically distributed. Responses from the plurality of location based advertising networks are monitored. The proposed location based advertising creative is determined to have become an approved location based advertising creative. The approved location based advertising creative is automatically distributed to the plurality of location based advertising networks for execution of the location based advertising campaign. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215422 | Coordinating a location based advertising campaign - A method of automatically assigning a set of privileges to a team member in a distribution of location based advertising is disclosed. A process for the distribution of location based advertising is defined, wherein the process includes at least a client portion of the process, a media agency portion of the process, a buying service portion of the process and a creative agency portion of the process. A set of privileges associated with a portion of the process for the distribution of location based advertising is defined. A team member associated with the portion of the process for the distribution of location based advertising is defined. The set of privileges associated with the portion of the process for the distribution of location based advertising is automatically assigned to the team member associated with the portion of the process for the distribution of location based advertising. | 2008-09-04 |
| 20080215423 | Method for Exchanging Mileage for Game Money and Method and Apparatus for Game Service in an Airplane - Disclosed is a method for exchanging mileage for game money and a game service method and system in an airplane using the above method. More particularly, disclosed is a method for a passenger of an airplane to exchange his/her own mileage for a game money to be used in the airplane, and a game service method and system in an airplane that allows a passenger, having exchanged mileage for a game money to be used in the airplane, to enjoy game along or together with other passengers in the airplane using the above game money through each client terminal installed to each seat in the airplane and connected to an in-flight game server by a local area network. | 2008-09-04 |
