42nd week of 2009 patent applcation highlights part 45 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20090259427 | Analyzer - Analyzers are described that includes a mode selector for selecting one measurement mode from said plurality of measurement modes; a display for displaying a screen; and a display controller for displaying on said screen a picture representing contents of the measurement mode selected by said mode selector. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259428 | METHOD AND PRODUCT FOR TESTING A DEVICE UNDER TEST - In a method of testing a device under test (DUT) using a test device adapted to provide a connection to a central controller, a test procedure activation signal is supplied from the central controller to the test device. A test procedure for testing the DUT is performed on the basis of test procedure data, upon receipt of the test procedure activation signal. The test procedure is adjustable upon receipt of a feedback signal from the DUT. The test procedure is adjusted by 1) receiving a feedback signal from the DUT, 2) determining from the feedback signal properties of a physical connection between the test device and the DUT, and 3) adjusting the test procedure to modify the test signal and compensate for the properties of the physical connection between the test device and the DUT. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259429 | Method And System Of Performing A Functional Test Of At Least One Embedded Sub-Element Of A Wind Turbine - A method of performing a functional test of at least one embedded sub-element of a wind turbine, the wind turbine being controlled by a control algorithm of a wind turbine controller, includes the steps of: executing a predefined event pattern activating at least one sub-element of the wind turbine, obtaining measure data on the basis of measurements of at least one sub-element according to the predefined event pattern, and relating the measure data to predefined reference data and establishing a test result indicating the condition of the embedded sub-element on the basis thereof. The predefined event pattern is executed by a test algorithm overriding the control algorithm of the wind turbine controller at least partly. It is a very advantageous feature according to the present invention that the sub-elements may be tested while being embedded in the wind turbine. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259430 | Method and Apparatus for Synchronizing Signals in a Testing System - The preferred embodiments of the present invention provide approaches for synchronizing signals in a testing system. In some embodiments, the timing signal associated with each device under test (DUT) is maintained at an integer multiple of the tester timing signal. Additionally, in other embodiments, the timing signal associated with various DUTs is used as a timing reference for other devices. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259431 | ELECTRON BEAM WRITING APPARATUS AND POSITION DISPLACEMENT AMOUNT CORRECTING METHOD - The present invention provides an electron beam writing apparatus and an image placement error correcting method each capable of calculating a high-accuracy correction amount relative to an image placement error in consideration of a difference in required unit area of height distribution data between the shape of a back surface of an EUV mask and the shape of a surface of a pin chuck. Of back surface shape data of the EUV mask necessary to perform an image placement error correction of each pattern, the back surface shape data of a position brought into contact with each pin of the pin chuck is extracted. The image placement error is calculated only from the extracted back surface shape data. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259432 | TRACKING DETERMINATION BASED ON INTENSITY ANGULAR GRADIENT OF A WAVE - Handheld device, base station, computer readable medium and method for detecting a position of a handheld device. The method includes measuring intensities of at least one beam emitted by a base station; calculating relative intensities based on the measured intensities; and determining the position of the handheld device based on the measured intensities and the calculated relative intensities. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259433 | Method and System for Measuring a Diameter, and Assembly Line Employing This System - This method for measuring the diameter of a circular track on a component comprises: a) a step ( | 2009-10-15 |
20090259434 | Monitoring motion of a crusher - A method of measuring one or more motion parameters of a main shaft in a gyratory or cone crusher is disclosed. Signals are directed from a stationary sensor means located apart from the main shaft to one or more signal reflective surfaces situated on a target located on or adjacent to an upper portion of the main shaft. The target rotates and otherwise moves in unison with the movement of the main shaft. From the elapsed time the distances from the sensor the reflective surfaces on the target are determined. Analyzing the distances over time will yield information on the movement of the main shaft. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259435 | Roundness Measuring Instrument and Method of Determining Quality of Tip Head - To realize a roundness measuring instrument of which the measurement precision when there is eccentricity has been improved. The instrument comprises a mount base | 2009-10-15 |
20090259436 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO DETERMINE BOARD EXPOSURE LEVELS - Methods and apparatus to determine board exposure levels are disclosed herein. In a disclosed example method, exposure levels associated with a plurality of media boards are obtained and a plurality of probability distributions indicative of probable exposure levels for the plurality of media boards are determined. The example method also involves selecting one of the plurality of probability distributions corresponding to an expected distribution and smoothing the selected probability distribution. Each of the plurality of media boards is then credited with a respective processed exposure level of the smoothed probability distribution. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259437 | NOISE MEASUREMENT IN VIDEO IMAGES - A method and apparatus are disclosed wherein the horizontal and vertical variances of the pixels of an image are determined to calculate a noise measurement in a received image. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259438 | RELATIVE NOISE - Relative noise is a single scalar value that is used to predict the maximum value of the expected noise at any point and is calculated from the measured signal and a mathematical noise model. The mathematical noise model is selected or estimated from an observation that includes statistical and/or numerical modeling based on a population of measurement points. An absolute noise for a plurality of points of the measured signal is estimated. An array of values is calculated by dividing each of a plurality of points of the absolute noise by a corresponding expected noise value calculated from the mathematical noise model. The relative noise is calculated by taking a standard deviation of a plurality of points of the array. The relative noise can be used to calculate scaled background signal noise, filter regions, denoise data, detect false positives from features, calculate S/N, and determine a stop condition for acquiring data. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259439 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR THE DETECTION AND/OR REMOVAL OF SINUSOIDAL INTERFERENCE SIGNALS IN A NOISE SIGNAL - A method for removing sinusoidal interference signals from a noise signal. The method includes transforming a measured signal (x(t), x(μ·Δt)), which is composed of a limited number of sinusoidal interference signals (A | 2009-10-15 |
20090259440 | PART STANDARD GEOMETRY MANAGEMENT IN A COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN SYSTEM - A computer implemented method for managing parts used by different types of computer aided design systems. A master model of a part may be created. The master model is independent of a format used by the different types of computer aided design systems to handle parts. A view of the master model is created to form a geometric view in response to a request to distribute the part. The geometric view comprises parametric information about the part and dimension information for the part. A specific part model usable by the selected type of computer aided design system is created from the content stored in the storage system in response to a request for the part for use by a selected type of computer aided design system. The instance of the part is sent to the selected type of computer aided design system. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259441 | COMMUNICATION NETWORK DESIGNING METHOD, COMMUNICATION DESIGNING APPARATUS, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - The present invention is to provide a communication network designing method based on an actual condition of social network structured on a communication network, a communication network designing program, and a recording medium on which the program is recorded. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259442 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GEOMETRIC EDITING - A system, method, and computer program for modifying a solid model representation that is manipulated in a computer having software instructions for design, comprising: a computer system, wherein the computer system includes a memory, a processor, a user input device, and a display device; a computer generated geometric model stored in the memory in the memory of the computer system; and wherein the computer system receives user input and accesses at least one data file having a plurality of geometric model definitions that define a geometric model; converts the geometric model definitions into a geometric representation of the geometric model; calculates a plurality of geometric conditions between at least one geometry identified by a user and the geometric model to create a set of constraints; and calculates a modified geometric model with a modified geometry according the set of constraints to display to the user; and appropriate means and computer-readable instructions. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259443 | INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD AND INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS - While a recording mode is being set, a manipulation log about a manipulation target virtual object is recorded in a memory (S | 2009-10-15 |
20090259444 | Method and/or device for controlling and/or monitoring the movement of industrial machines - There is described a method for controlling and/or monitoring a movement of a free body in an industrial machine, wherein the industrial machine comprises an actuator for carrying out a movement, wherein the movement of at least one free body is either mechanically coupled to the movement of the actuator and/or is decoupled from the movement of the actuator. At least one of the following physical variables of the free body: weight, density, frictional parameters, geometric form and/or center of gravity is input into a simulation program, whereupon with the aid of at least one of these physical variables, the movement of the free body is simulated, wherein the simulation takes place, in particular, in real time. This enables a better simulation of dynamic and/or static processes in an industrial machine. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259445 | Method and apparatus for simulating packet delay variation of a multi-switch network - A packet delay variation simulation system has a packet generator, a packet delay variation generator, and a packet delay analyzer to analyze delayed packets. The packet delay variation generator has multiple delay distribution modules that use both a deterministic delay process and a statistical delay process packet for determining a packet's delay. The packet delay variation generator may utilize different probability density functions to describe various portions of measured packet data. That is, measured packet delay information is analyzed and information from this analysis is used to construct a total delay model for a network. The delay may include a pre-determined deterministic delay offset as well as one or more variable statistical delay offsets. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259446 | Method to generate numerical pseudocores using borehole images, digital rock samples, and multi-point statistics - Methods and systems for creating a numerical pseudocore model, comprising: a) obtaining logging data from a reservoir having depth-defined intervals of the reservoir, and processing the logging data into interpretable borehole image data having unidentified borehole image data; b) examining one of the interpretable borehole image data, other processed logging data or both to generate the unidentified borehole image data, processing the generated unidentified borehole image data into the interpretable borehole image data to generate warped fullbore image data; c) collecting one of a core from the reservoir, the logging data or both and generating a digital core data from one of the collected core, the logging data or both such that generated digital core data represents features of one or more depth-defined interval of the reservoir; and d) processing generated digital core data, interpretable borehole image data or the logging data to generate realizations of the numerical pseudocore model. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259447 | Method For Assembling The Finite Element Discretization Of Arbitrary Weak Equations Involving Local Or Non-Local Multiphysics Couplings - Disclosed are techniques for representing and modeling one or more systems in which each system corresponds to an application mode. This may be done for one or more geometries using local and/or non-local couplings. For each application mode, physical quantities are modeled and may be defined using a graphical user interface. Physical properties may be used to model the physical quantities of each system. The physical properties may be defined in terms of numerical values or constants, and mathematical expressions that may include numerical values, space coordinates, time coordinates, and actual physical quantities. Physical quantities and any associated variables may apply to some or all of a geometric domain, and may also be disabled in other parts of a geometrical domain. Partial differential equations describe the physical quantities. One or more application modes may be combined using an automated technique into a combined system of partial differential equations as a multiphysics model. A portion of the physical quantities and variables associated with the combined system may be selectively solved for. Also described are methods for computing the stiffness matrix, residual vector, constraint matrix, and constraint residual vector for the finite element discretization of a system of partial differential equations in weak form that includes local and non-local variables coupling multiple geometries. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259448 | Method of predicting internal gettering behavior in silicon substrates and storage medium storing program for predicting internal gettering behavior - Internal gettering behavior in a silicon substrate is predicted by using an arithmetic expression established among an initial iron contamination concentration C | 2009-10-15 |
20090259449 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR FEDERATING AND INTEGRATING REAL OR SIMULATED SYSTEMS IN ORDER TO SIMULATE THE BEHAVIOR OF THE THUS DEVELOPED SYSTEM - A simulation and experimentation device, having one or more subsystems ( | 2009-10-15 |
20090259450 | PHYSICS-BASED SIMULATION - The invention relates to computer simulation and animation of visual sequences of a physics based system, such as visual sequences of fluids, for use in motion pictures, video games and the like. Simulation branching is effected by making a record of the system state of a first simulation as it exists at a point in time. If the director wishes to change the manner in which the simulated event progresses, a second simulation can be executed using the recorded system state as input conditions for a second simulation. This allows rapid re-execution of a portion of a simulation without requiring lengthy re-simulation of the initial portion of the simulated event which is already thought to be satisfactory. Such branching can also be used to control high resolution of a focus region being a smaller portion of a wider simulated event. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259451 | REVERSE ENGINEERING GENOME-SCALE METABOLIC NETWORK RECONSTRUCTIONS FOR ORGANISMS WITH INCOMPLETE GENOME ANNOTATION AND DEVELOPING CONSTRAINTS USING PROTON FLUX STATES AND NUMERICALLY-DETERMINED SUB-SYSTEMS - A genome-scale metabolic network reconstruction for | 2009-10-15 |
20090259452 | SIMULATION SYSTEM AND COMPUTER PRODUCT - A simulation system includes electromagnetic field analyzing units that execute electromagnetic field analysis with respect to electromagnetic field analysis areas obtained by division of an area to be analyzed into the electromagnetic field analysis areas; one or more circuit analyzing units that execute circuit analysis with respect to a circuit unit in the area to be analyzed; and an aggregating unit that aggregates, from the electromagnetic field analyzing units, data for the circuit analysis by the one or more circuit analyzing units and transmits the data to the circuit analyzing units. The simulation system links plural processing units that mutually exchange data. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259453 | Method of modeling SRAM cell - A method of modeling an SRAM cell is provided. Initially, transistor models are provided based on transistor devices, and an SRAM cell model is provided including the transistor models. The present methodology streamlines the modeling process by modeling in order the pull up, pass gate and pull down transistors so as to minimize the number of transistor modeling iterations needed, and by focusing on the specific areas of transistor operation to achieve the desired level of operational accuracy. Variations to the model are provided, mimicking variations in data from actual devices, and yield based on failure estimation is measured using the model and its variations. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259454 | AUTOMATIC TEST PROGRAM GENERATION USING EXTENDED CONDITIONAL CONSTRAINT SATISFACTION - Apparatus for automatically generating test programs is provided. The apparatus includes a test generator, which is adapted to receive a description of a system under test, expressed in terms of variables associated with the system and conditional constraints including semantics applied to the variables, to receive a definition of an event to be tested in the system, to generate an ECondCSP over the variables responsively to the definition of the event and to the conditional constraints, such that at least some of the semantics of the conditional constraints are preserved in the ECondCSP when one or more of the variables to which the semantics are applied are inactive, and to solve the ECondCSP to generate a test case for the system. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259455 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATIC TRACKING OF A COMPUTERIZED PROCESS USING A RELATIONSHIP MODEL - A system and method are provided for tracking an executed process. The method includes identifying a key computer object in a process. A computer object relationship model of the computer objects is analyzed to identify computer objects that are independent of and dependent on the key computer object in the model. In the executed process, instances of the key computer object, its dependent and its independent objects are located. The results of the analyzing of the computer object relationship model and the locating of the computer object instances are stored for analysis. Thus, the executed process flow can be reconstructed based on the sequence of involved instances of the computer objects without any prerequisite knowledge about how the process has been designed and should have been executed. The reconstructed process can be compared with a designed process to identify and analyze deviations between both. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259456 | Data Protection for Variable Length Records by Utilizing High Performance Block Storage Metadata - An enhanced mechanism for providing data protection for variable length records utilizes high performance block storage metadata. In an embodiment, an emulated record that emulates a variable length record, such as a Count-Key-Data (CKD) record or an Extended-Count-Key-Data (ECKD) record, is generated by a Host Bus Adapter (HBA) of a mainframe system. The emulated record comprises a sequence of extended fixed-length blocks, each of which includes a data block and a footer. A confluence of the footers defines a high performance block storage metadata unit associated with the emulated record and includes a checksum that covers all data blocks and all footers of the entire emulated record. In one embodiment, the checksum is checked during transit of the emulated record between a HBA and a storage subsystem (e.g., by the HBA when the emulated record is received from the storage subsystem, and/or by a switch in the data transfer path), during a hardening step when writing the emulated record to a disk, and/or during a verification step when reading the emulated record from the disk. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259457 | Trace Routing Network - Hardware emulation produces relevant and irrelevant trace data. Verification of a design under test requires knowledge of the relevant trace data. Data lines are provided to capture trace data from the hardware emulator's logic elements during emulation. The data lines connect the outputs of these logic elements to the inputs of a configurable interconnect circuit. The configurable interconnect circuit is capable of being programmed to select from a plurality of these inputs to connect a number of the data lines to a scan chain or trace data storage circuit. The configurable interconnect circuit can then selectively connect those data lines carrying relevant trace data to a trace data processing circuit. The trace data processing circuit may be a scan chain, analysis device or storage device or other suitable trace data processing device. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259458 | System and Method For Providing Compact Mapping Between Dissimilar Memory Systems - A memory mapping system for providing compact mapping between dissimilar memory systems and methods for manufacturing and using same. The memory mapping system can compactly map contents from one or more first memory systems into a second memory system without a loss of memory space in the second memory system. Advantageously, the memory mapping system can be applied to hardware emulator memory systems to more efficiently map design memory systems into an emulation memory system during compilation. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259459 | CONCEPTUAL WORLD REPRESENTATION NATURAL LANGUAGE UNDERSTANDING SYSTEM AND METHOD - A Natural Language Understanding system is provided for indexing of free text documents. The system according to the invention utilizes typographical and functional segmentation of text to identify those portions of free text that carry meaning. The system then uses words and multi-word terms and phrases identified in the free to text to identify concepts in the free text. The system uses a lexicon of terms linked to a formal ontology that is independent of a specific language to extract concepts from the free text based on the words and multi-word terms in the free text. The formal ontology contains both language independent domain knowledge concepts and language dependent linguistic concepts that govern the relationships between concepts and contain the rules about how language works. The system according to the current invention may preferably be used to index medical documents and assign codes from independent coding systems, such as, SNOMED, ICD-9 and ICD-10. The system according to the current invention may also preferably make use of syntactic parsing to improve the efficiency of the method. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259460 | SILENCE-BASED ADAPTIVE REAL-TIME VOICE AND VIDEO TRANSMISSION METHODS AND SYSTEM - A client for silence-based adaptive real-time voice and video (SAVV) transmission methods and systems, detects the activity of a voice stream of conversational speech and aggressively transmits the corresponding video frames if silence in the sending or receiving voice stream has been detected, and adaptively generates and transmits key frames of the video stream according to characteristics of the conversational speech. In one aspect, a coordination management module generates video frames, segmentation and transmission strategies according to feedback from a voice encoder of the SAVV client and the user's instructions. In another aspect, the coordination management module generates video frames, segmentation and transmission strategies according to feedback from a voice decoder of the SAVV client and the user's instructions. In one example, the coordination management module adaptively generates a key video frame when silence is detected in the receiving voice stream. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259461 | Gain Control System, Gain Control Method, and Gain Control Program - Disclosed is a gain control system in which speech model constituted from a sound pressure and a feature is stored in a speech model storage unit for each of a plurality of phonemes or for each of clusters into which a speech is divided. When an input signal is given, a feature conversion unit calculates a feature and a sound pressure of the input signal. A sound pressure comparison unit determines a sound pressure ratio between the input signal and each of speech models. A distance calculation unit calculates a distance between the feature of the input signal and the feature of each of the speech models. A gain calculation unit calculates a gain value from the sound pressure ratio and information on the distance. A sound pressure compensation unit thereby compensates for the sound pressure of the input signal. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259462 | COMFORT NOISE INFORMATION HANDLING FOR AUDIO TRANSCODING APPLICATIONS - A device comprising an audio information processor to receive at least one audio stream encoded according to a first protocol by a remote network processing device, the audio stream having associated comfort noise information to indicate a level of background noise available for presentation during silence periods associated with the audio stream, the audio information processor to decode the received audio stream according to the first protocol and to encode the decoded audio stream according to a second protocol, and a background noise translator to convert the comfort noise information received with the audio stream into a format compatible with the second protocol. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259463 | Methods and Apparatus for Efficient Vocoder Implementations - Techniques for implementing vocoders in parallel digital signal processors are described. A preferred approach is implemented in conjunction with the BOPS® Manifold Array (ManArray™) processing architecture so that in an array of N parallel processing elements, N channels of voice communication are processed in parallel. Techniques for forcing vocoder processing of one dataframe to take the same number of cycles are described. Improved throughput and lower clock rates can be achieved. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259464 | System And Method For Facilitating Cognitive Processing Of Simultaneous Remote Voice Conversations - A system and method for facilitating cognitive processing of simultaneous remote voice conversations is provided. A plurality of remote voice conversations participated in by distributed participants are provided over a shared communication channel. A main conversation between at least two of the distributed participants and one or more subconversations between at least two other of the distributed participants are identified from within the remote voice conversations. Segments of interest to one of the distributed participants are defined including a conversation excerpt having a lower attention activation threshold for the one distributed participant. Each of the subconversations is parsed into conversation excerpts. The conversation excerpts are compared to the segments of interest. One or more gaps between conversation flow in the main conversation are predicted. Segments of interest are selectively injected into the gaps of the main conversation as provided to the one distributed participant over the shared communications channel. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259465 | LOW LATENCY REAL-TIME VOCAL TRACT LENGTH NORMALIZATION - A method and system for training an automatic speech recognition system are provided. The method includes separating training data into speaker specific segments, and for each speaker specific segment, performing the following acts: generating spectral data, selecting a first warping factor and warping the spectral data, and comparing the warped spectral data with a speech model. The method also includes iteratively performing the steps of selecting another warping factor and generating another warped spectral data, comparing the other warped spectral data with the speech model, and if the other warping factor produces a closer match to the speech model, saving the other warping factor as the best warping factor for the speaker specific segment. The system includes modules configured to control a processor in the system to perform the steps of the method. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259466 | Adaptive Confidence Thresholds for Speech Recognition - Adjusting confidence score thresholds is described for a speech recognition engine. The speech recognition engine is implemented in multiple computer processes functioning in a computer processor, and is characterized by an associated receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. A results confirmation process interprets user confirmation of speech recognition results within a given confidence score threshold to create a confirmed portion of the ROC curve for the speech recognition engine. A curve extension process extends the confirmed portion of the ROC curve by extrapolation of unconfirmed speech recognition results beyond the confidence score threshold to generate an extended ROC curve. A threshold adjustment process adjusts the confidence score threshold based on the extended ROC curve to meet target operating constraints for operating the speech recognition engine to perform automatic speech recognition of user speech inputs. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259467 | Voice Recognition Apparatus - A voice recognition apparatus | 2009-10-15 |
20090259468 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING SYNTHETIC SPEAKER VERIFICATION - Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and tangible computer readable-media for detecting synthetic speaker verification. The method comprises receiving a plurality of speech samples of the same word or phrase for verification, comparing each of the plurality of speech samples to each other, denying verification if the plurality of speech samples demonstrate little variance over time or are the same, and verifying the plurality of speech samples if the plurality of speech samples demonstrates sufficient variance over time. One embodiment further adds that each of the plurality of speech samples is collected at different times or in different contexts. In other embodiments, variance is based on a pre-determined threshold or the threshold for variance is adjusted based on a need for authentication certainty. In another embodiment, if the initial comparison is inconclusive, additional speech samples are received. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259469 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SPEECH RECOGNITION - A method and apparatus for performing speech recognition receives an audio signal, generates a sequence of frames of the audio signal, transforms each frame of the audio signal into a set of narrow band feature vectors using a narrow passband, couples the narrow band feature vectors to a speech model, and determines whether the audio signal is a wide band signal. When the audio signal is determined to be a wide band signal, a pass band parameter of each of one or more passbands that are outside the narrow passband is generated for each frame and the one or more band energy parameters are coupled to the speech model. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259470 | Bio-Phonetic Multi-Phrase Speaker Identity Verification - Systems and methods for bio-phonetic multi-phrase speaker identity verification are disclosed. Generally, a speaker identity verification engine generates a dynamic phrase including at least one dynamically-generated word. The speaker identity verification engine prompts a user to speak the dynamic phrase and receives a dynamic phrase utterance. The speaker identity verification engine extracts at least one voice characteristic from the dynamic phrase utterance and compares the at least one voice characteristic with a voice profile the generate a score. The speaker identity verification engine then determines whether to accept a speaker identity claim based on the score. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259471 | DISTANCE METRICS FOR UNIVERSAL PATTERN PROCESSING TASKS - A universal pattern processing system receives input data and produces output patterns that are best associated with said data. The system uses input means receiving and processing input data, a universal pattern decoder means transforming models using the input data and associating output patterns with original models that are changed least during transforming, and output means outputting best associated patterns chosen by a pattern decoder means. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259472 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ANSWERING A COMMUNICATION NOTIFICATION - Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and computer readable-media for answering a communication notification. The method for answering a communication notification comprises receiving a notification of communication from a user, converting information related to the notification to speech, outputting the information as speech to the user, and receiving from the user an instruction to accept or ignore the incoming communication associated with the notification. In one embodiment, information related to the notification comprises one or more of a telephone number, an area code, a geographic origin of the request, caller id, a voice message, address book information, a text message, an email, a subject line, an importance level, a photograph, a video clip, metadata, an IP address, or a domain name. Another embodiment involves notification assigned an importance level and repeat attempts at notification if it is of high importance. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259473 | METHODS AND APPARATUS TO PRESENT A VIDEO PROGRAM TO A VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSON - Methods and apparatus to present a video program to a visually impaired person are disclosed. An example method comprises receiving a video stream and an associated audio stream of a video program, detecting a portion of the video program that is not readily consumable by a visually impaired person, obtaining text associated with the portion of the video program, converting the text to a second audio stream, and combining the second audio stream with the associated audio stream. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259474 | GREETING CARD HAVING AUDIO RECORDING CAPABILITIES WITH TRIAL MODE FEATURE - A greeting card having an audio message recording and playback device permits recording of personalized audio messages to be played upon opening of the greeting card. The recording device is operable in either a trial mode or a use mode. In the trial mode, which would be applicable when the card is displayed in a store, a potential purchaser may experience the functionality of the card by recording their own test message. The test message is played back initially for the potential purchaser but is not subsequently played back to be later heard by other potential purchasers. In the use mode, which the card may be switched to after purchase by removal of a trial mode panel from the greeting card, a user recorded message is played repeatedly upon subsequent openings of the card. The user recorded message may be followed by a prerecorded recording, such as a song. Additional prerecorded messages, such as voice prompts with instructions for recording a message, may also be included. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259475 | VOICE QUALITY CHANGE PORTION LOCATING APPARATUS - A text edit apparatus which presents, based on language analysis information regarding a text, a portion of the text where voice quality may change when the text is read aloud has advantages of predicting likelihood of the voice quality change and judging whether or not the voice quality change will occur. The apparatus includes: a voice quality change estimation unit ( | 2009-10-15 |
20090259476 | DEVICE AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR HIGH FREQUENCY SIGNAL INTERPOLATION - There are provided a high frequency signal interpolation method and a high frequency signal interpolation device for forming a preferable high frequency signal with a simple configuration and favorably performing practical high frequency signal interpolation. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259477 | Method and Apparatus for Selective Signal Coding Based on Core Encoder Performance - In a selective signal encoder, an input signal is first encoded using a core layer encoder to produce a core layer encoded signal. The core layer encoded signal is decoded to produce a reconstructed signal and an error signal is generated as the difference between the reconstructed signal and the input signal. The reconstructed signal is compared to the input signal. One of two or more enhancement layer encoders selected dependent upon the comparison and used to encode the error signal. The core layer encoded signal, the enhancement layer encoded signal and the selection indicator are output to the channel (for transmission or storage, for example). | 2009-10-15 |
20090259478 | Audio Decoding Apparatus and Decoding Method and Program - An energy corrector ( | 2009-10-15 |
20090259479 | METHOD FOR REDUCTION OF ALIASING INTRODUCED BY SPECTRAL ENVELOPE ADJUSTMENT IN REAL-VALUED FILTERBANKS - The present invention proposes a new method for improving the performance of a real-valued filterbank based spectral envelope adjuster. By adaptively locking the gain values for adjacent channels dependent on the sign of the channels, as defined in the application, reduced aliasing is achieved. Furthermore, the grouping of the channels during gain-calculation, gives an improved energy estimate of the real valued subband signals in the filterbank. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259480 | PT Prophetess Theresa Jewelry Collection and Fashion - Articles of Jewelry having colored precious stones designed, priced, and sold at retail locations. The articles of jewelry may be imaged and priced according to a consumer's input on the length at the retail locations having a commitment to purchase the article of jewelry based on the image provided and selected. The goal is to meet the needs of the customers through high quality jewelry at affordable prices challenging competitors by showcasing the industry through an outstanding example of excellent, ethics, and professionalism in all business endeavors. Together, we will work to make the dreams of everyone associated with Prophetess Theresa Jewelry Collection walk in their purpose in style. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259481 | POINT OF SALE PERSONALIZATION OF AN INFORMATION HANDLING SYSTEM - A system for point of sale personalization of an information handling system (IHS), includes one or more subsystems to allow a customer to access a server to select a model of IHS, allow the customer to choose an operating system for the IHS, allow the customer to choose hardware for the IHS, simulate the IHS to the customer including the operating system and the hardware, receive personalization data from the customer, store the personalization data, assemble the IHS, including the hardware and installing the operating system, and download the personalization data to the IHS. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259482 | Intelligent Business Object Document System - A method, system and computer program product for providing an integrated environment for processing business object documents (BODs). The integrated environment utilizes an IntelliBod system to employ standard business semantics while adapting modified business terms. Applications requesting integration, or mapping, map to common business semantics of the BODs, and the IntelliBOD system manages the business semantic (and technical) integration of the applications. IntelliBOD systems utilize JAVA environments to process requests, thereby reducing cost and space required to maintain general purpose middleware. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259483 | Method for making a land management decision based on processed elevational data - A method for making a land management decision comprises surveying a field with a location-determining receiver to determine position data and corresponding elevation data. A data processor or elevation module determines an average elevation data for a zone within the field around a particular cell. The data processor or classifier classifies each cell into classifications comprising a depression cell and a summit cell based on the determined elevation difference between the particular cell and the average elevation. The data processor and the prescription module generate a prescription for the cells in the field based on at least one of the classification and the determined elevation difference. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259484 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION PLANNING - Systems and methods for generating a compensation plan for an enterprise include core invariant modules and a plurality of dynamic modules. Enterprise-specific data is manipulated according to a set of enterprise-specific and enterprise-agnostic rules for compensation planning to calculate elements of the compensation plan, and those elements are presented for user review and modification according to view templates. As modifications are made to previously calculated elements of the compensation plan, the plan is recomputed and the effect of the modifications presented. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259485 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR THE CONTROL OF PERSONAL IDENTITIES IN VIRTUAL NETWORKED ENVIRONMENTS - Methods and systems to allow individuals participating in social networks to establish pseudonymity amongst people they know in real life or in a virtual context are disclosed. In one embodiment, the present invention provides the assignment of disposable aliases or other temporary forms of personal identity, such as an image, to users in a virtual network to obfuscate their real identities or persistent online identities. Another paradigm introduces the notion of a private group or “campfire” where invited users (whether initiated by an individual or systematically broadcast to a broad or limited group) are allowed or expected to use such dynamic aliases to facilitate protected online interaction, expression, and discourse with the group at large (campfire), rather than as multiple one-to-one conversations (hub and spoke). | 2009-10-15 |
20090259486 | PATIENT CENTRIC MEDICATION DISPENSING DEVICE - A patient centric medication dispensing device is herein disclosed. The dispensing device is configured to close the loop between a patient, a treating physician and a pharmacy by monitoring the medication intake of the patient and reporting information to the physician and/or the pharmacy or pharmaceutical company. The dispensing device is further configured to calculate adverse drug effects that may result if a patient takes a requested medication, based on medication that has already been dispensed and medication that is scheduled to be taken. The dispensing device is also configured to provide the patient with educational information based on the situation the patient has encountered, such as missing a scheduled dosage or suffering from side-effects. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259487 | Patient Data Mining - The present invention provides a data mining framework for mining high-quality structured clinical information. The data mining framework includes a data miner that mines medical information from a computerized patient record (CPR) based on domain-specific knowledge contained in a knowledge base. The data miner includes components for extracting information from the CPR, combining all available evidence in a principled fashion over time, and drawing inferences from this combination process. The mined medical information is stored in a structured CPR which can be a data warehouse. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259488 | VETTING DOCTORS BASED ON RESULTS - The claimed subject matter provides systems and/or methods that identify healthcare professionals appropriate to treat diseases. The system can include mechanisms that employ patient symptoms, diagnoses associated with the symptoms, proposed treatment plans, or treatment outcomes based on proposed treatment plans, to construct and utilize dependency graphs to infer a score. The inferred score can then be employed to identify qualified healthcare professionals appropriate to treat the disease as presented by the patient and indicated by the symptoms. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259489 | INTEGRATED DATABASE SYSTEM OF GENOME INFORMATION AND CLINICAL INFORMATION AND A METHOD FOR CREATING DATABASE INCLUDED THEREIN - There is provided an integrated database system that incorporates genome information into a clinical information database contrary to conventional databases, while complying with guidelines preventing identification of a provider of the genome information, thereby enabling an easy search for a correlation between the genome information and clinical information and the like. The integrated database system includes an information database including a data storage unit for storing clinical information of a plurality of patients and genome information of at least a part of the plurality of patients. In the data storage unit, the clinical information does not include personal information that identifies the individual patients, and the genome information and the clinical information of the same patient are stored in association with each other by link information that does not identify the individual patients. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259490 | Framework for transmission and storage of medical images - A method and system to maintain a personal health record, including, obtaining data using a medical imaging device, storing the data in a picture archiving and communication system, determining which of the data stored in the picture archiving and communication system is to be stored in the personal health record, and transmitting the data to be stored in the personal health record to an internet accessible storage device based on the determination. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259491 | Electronic health record case management system - A method and system for transparent recording, storing, and accessing financial, clinical, and data/information case management services. The method includes collecting service data pertaining to a customer from a plurality of sources, storing the data, and providing multiple points of access to the data for retrieval by an individual via a user interface. A decision-support system may operate independently as an electronic health record or in conjunction with an integrated electronic health record and allows customers or their representatives to plan, facilitate, and monitor the management of financial, clinical, and data/information issues pertaining to their healthcare. In particular, the system is adapted to identify data tending to indicate an anomaly in the customer's health record and facilitate the selection and implementation of one or more options to address and/or correct the anomaly. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259492 | Remote Consultation System and Method - A computer-implemented method and system for confirming that a remote consultation between a professional and a client occurred, including monitoring a remote consultation call between a professional and a client using a remote consultation system, storing information of the consultation, and confirming that the consultation took place using the stored information. The consultant can be a healthcare professional such as a doctor, and the client can be a patient. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259493 | MOBILE HEALTH BOOK - A mobile health book (MHB) is incorporated into a mobile device such that users can manage and track health care related information for the user. The mobile health book includes a health tracking software program stored on the memory of the mobile device. The health tracking software receives and stores various health related information for the user. The health tracking software program communicates with at least the contact management program and calendar program on the mobile device to integrate the function of these programs with the health tracking software. The mobile device is able to communicate with other mobile devices such that health related information from the mobile device can be shared and synchronized with similar information on a second mobile device. The synchronization and sharing of health related information between multiple mobile devices allows the user of one mobile device to track and monitor health related information for a second user through the wireless sharing of information. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259494 | Computer-implemented medical analytics method and system employing a modified mini-max procedure - A method and system for medical analytics implemented on a computer and designed to aid a medical professional in diagnosing one or more diseases afflicting a patient. In contrast to prior art, the present method is based on using clinical data (m) that excludes subjective qualities of and also excludes prevalence of the one or more diseases (i). The method uses a knowledge base that contains disease (i) models exhibiting clinical data (m). Clinical data present (j) in the patient are input into the computer. Then, clinical data present (j) are matched with clinical data (m) in the knowledge base to enable the computer to compose a differential diagnosis list of ruled in diagnoses (k), where k=1 . . . n, for each of the disease (i) models that exhibits at least one clinical datum (m) that matches at least one clinical datum present (j) in the patient. In a key step, the computer computes a probability P(k) for each of the ruled in diagnoses (k) with the aid of a mini-max procedure that overcomes prior art limitations of the Bayes formulation and permits the analytics method to consider concurrent and competing diagnoses (k). Furthermore, the method composes pairs of clinical data present (j) and absent (r) in the patient to aid the medical professional in evaluating diagnoses and determining the most cost-effective clinical data to collect for conducting an effective and rapid diagnostic quest. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259495 | SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING EXPERT CARE TO OUTPATIENTS FROM A REMOTE LOCATION - A system for providing expert care to a basic care medical facility (OPCL) from a remote location. The system facilitates real-time, continuous assessment of patients receiving care in an OPCL that is not generally equipped to provide expert medical care on a twenty-four basis. Patient monitoring equipment acquires monitored data elements from a patient monitoring station and transmits the monitoring data over a network to a remote command center. The remote command center also receives other patient data to the extent available from the OPCL. Alternatively, the patient monitored data is sent to a remote command center along with patient data at a pre-established time or when requested by remote command center. The delivery of stored monitoring data and patient data may be expedited if an urgent consultation is warranted. A rules engine continuously applies a patient-specific rule or rule set to the data elements selected from the assessment data from each OPCL monitored patient to determine whether intervention is warranted. Patient-specific rules may be created that are consistent with the capabilities of the OPCL. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259496 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSURING DIGITAL CONTENT - Embodiments of the invention generally provide a method and apparatus for insuring digital content. One embodiment of a method for insuring digital content includes receiving a request to insure a specific instance of digital content and associating insurance with the instance of digital content, such that the instance of digital content can be restored to an owner of the instance of digital content in an event that the instance of digital content becomes unusable. At least one of: a copy of the at least one instance of digital content, metadata related to the at least one instance of digital content, and data related to the insurance is stored in at least one database. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259497 | METHOD OF MANAGING AN INSURANCE PLAN AND A SYSTEM THEREFOR - A method of managing a life or health insurance plan includes calculating an amount of expenditure of a member using a credit or debit card issued to the member and then using the calculated amount of expenditure to calculate a premium payable by the member, wherein the premium is reduced by a percentage of the amount of expenditure of the member using the credit or debit card issued to the member. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259498 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SELECTING AND RESERVING SEATS USING A TOUCH SCREEN DEVICE - The present invention relates to a system and method for selecting and reserving seats using a touch screen device. The system or method transmits first data to an application running on a personal computing device, the first data including information descriptive of available individual seats at the venue, the first data processed by the application to generate a graphical user interface on the personal computing device that comprises an interactive seating map representing individual seats at the venue. The system or method also receives from the personal computing device second data representing one or more seats selected by a touch screen input. In addition, the system or method receives over the network from the personal computing device third data representing payment information. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259499 | Method and system employing a mobile device for soliciting user experience sharing - A method and system employing a mobile device for soliciting user experience sharing is disclosed. The method and system electronically solicit a user's experience relating to a product or service purchased from a merchant or service provider. A financial transaction notification message is sent by a financial institution to a user's mobile device following a purchase of the product or service from the merchant or service provider. The financial transaction notification message is related to the financial transaction performed by the user to purchase the product or service and serves to prompt the user to share their experience related to the product or service purchased. The user provides a response using the mobile device that includes an experience annotation reflecting the user's experience. The experience annotation may be provided to the merchant or service provider and/or published to an online service. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259500 | METHOD FOR NEGOTIATING INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SERVICE PROCESSES - Techniques for negotiating an agreement between a provider and a user are provided. The techniques include obtaining at least one of one or more forecasting techniques, one or more analogous agreements and one or more strategies, using the at least one of one or more forecasting techniques, one or more analogous agreements and one or more strategies to calculate a probability that a service can be completed by a deadline, and between the provider and the user, using the calculated probability to negotiate a desired level of balance between service quality, service level agreement and a delivery guarantee. Techniques are also provided for establishing a performance metric. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259501 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR WEIGHTING CONFIGURATION ITEM RELATIONSHIPS SUPPORTING BUSINESS CRITICAL IMPACT ANALYSIS - A system and method for generating a business critical impact analysis report includes steps of: inserting a rank value field in each configuration item relationship type definition; inserting a rank value field in each single relationship between configuration items; determining default rank values for the rank value fields; assigning the default rank values to the single relationships and the relationship type definitions; receiving a user request to generate the business critical impact analysis report at a selected rank level of configuration items; and presenting the business critical impact analysis report to the user, displaying the configuration items and their relationships corresponding to the selected level. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259502 | Quality-Based Media Management for Network-Based Media Distribution - Disclosed are techniques and configurations for monitoring quality of digital media assets available from a network-based media distribution system, and taking action to make those digital media assets that have quality deficiencies unavailable from the network-based media distribution system. The network-based media distribution system can provide an online media store from which users can acquire those of the digital media assets that are deemed available. In one embodiment, digital media assets that have quality deficiencies can be rapidly discovered and automatically removed from being available at an online media store. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259503 | SYSTEM AND TOOL FOR BUSINESS DRIVEN LEARNING SOLUTION - A system, method and tool are described for providing a business-driven learning solution. A learning plan is created where the learning plan is implemented in a course for a determined time period. The learning plan is displayed to a plurality of users. The learning plan is approved by the plurality of users. Thereafter, the learning plan is updated during the determined time period in accordance with changes to budget, prioritization and training needs. The updated learning plan is displayed to the plurality of users. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259504 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PAR OPTIMIZATION - Methods and systems for optimizing a product supply chain, including managing and maintaining an optimum product inventory with respect to stock levels, frequency of use, and replenishment intervals for products in a clinical setting. Actual or historical par data and simulation parameters, such as par types, delivery schedules, and/or vendor settings, are received or updated, and one or more simulations are performed. The product supply chain is optimized based on the results of the simulations. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259505 | Inventory management system and method - In one aspect, an inventory management system is provided that includes an input module, a storage module, a completeness module, a notification module and a display module. The input module is adapted to receive a plurality of attributes, where the plurality of attributes related to a plurality of inventory items. The storage module is adapted to store the received plurality of attributes. The completeness module is adapted to determine if each attribute of the plurality of attributes is complete or incomplete. The completeness module is further adapted to determine an attribute completeness value of each attribute of the plurality of attributes. The notification module is adapted to notify a user of the attribute completeness value of each attribute of the plurality of inventory items. The display module is adapted to display the plurality of attributes, the plurality of inventory items and/or the attribute completeness value on a display device. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259506 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR RATING PATENTS AND OTHER INTANGIBLE ASSETS - A statistical patent rating method and system is provided for independently assessing the relative breadth (“B”), defensibility (“D”) and commercial relevance (“R”) of individual patent assets and other intangible intellectual property assets. The invention provides new and valuable information that can be used by patent valuation experts, investment advisors, economists and others to help guide future patent investment decisions, licensing programs, patent appraisals, tax valuations, transfer pricing, economic forecasting and planning, and even mediation and/or settlement of patent litigation lawsuits. In one embodiment the invention provides a statistically-based patent rating method and system whereby relative ratings or rankings are generated using a database of patent information by identifying and comparing various characteristics of each individual patent to a statistically determined distribution of the same characteristics within a given patent population. For example, a first population of patents having a known relatively high intrinsic value or quality (e.g. successfully litigated patents) is compared to a second population of patents having a known relatively low intrinsic value or quality (e.g. unsuccessfully litigated patents). Based on a statistical comparison of the two populations, certain characteristics are identified as being more prevalent or more pronounced in one population group or the other to a statistically significant degree. Multiple such statistical comparisons are used to construct and optimize a computer model or computer algorithm that can then be used to predict and/or provide statistically-accurate probabilities of a desired value or quality being present or a future event occurring, given the identified characteristics of an individual patent or group of patents. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259507 | Working Machine Maintenance Work Management System - A first service life prediction unit | 2009-10-15 |
20090259508 | METHOD AND SYSTEMS FOR OPTIMIZING SCHEDULED SERVICES - An automated system that improves utilization of resources and increases the effectiveness of prescribed procedures by insuring that required resources are available at the time of a scheduled service. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259509 | Method and System For Retail Store Supply Chain Sales Forecasting and Replenishment Shipment Determination - A time-phased forecasting and replenishment system ( | 2009-10-15 |
20090259510 | Operational Support System for Telecommunication Services - A system is disclosed that includes a business application service and a business integration service. The business application service receives a customer care service request via a first protocol. The business application service also transmits a request for information based on the customer care service request to a business integration service. The business integration service receives the request for information from the business application service. The business integration service receives requested information via a second protocol from at least one resource of a plurality of distributed telecommunications resources. The business integration service includes a domain object layer to receive the requested information and to transform the received requested information into a data object instance to be read by a resource connector layer. The resource connector layer reads the data object instance and transmits the requested information to the business application service. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259511 | ESTIMATING FUTURE GRID JOB COSTS BY CLASSIFYING GRID JOBS AND STORING RESULTS OF PROCESSING GRID JOB MICROCOSMS - A method, system, and program for estimating future grid job costs by classifying grid jobs and storing results of processing grid job microcosms are provided. In general, a client side agent estimates future grid job costs by comparing a current grid job of a particular classification with a history of stored costs for other grid jobs of that customer of that particular classification. In particular, the grid client agent for a client system enabled to submit grid jobs to a grid provider that facilitates a grid environment, calculates a ratio of an application based metric to a grid provider metric for processing a particular grid job. Then, the grid client agent creates a table with an entry comparing the application based metric to a cost per grid provider metric for the grid provider based on the calculated ratio. Next, the grid client agent stores the table with the entry. Then, responsive to detecting a next grid job, the grid client agent estimates a cost for the grid provider to process the next grid job based on a particular number of application based metric operations required for the next grid job, translated by the ratio into the grid provider metric and multiplied by the cost per grid provider metric. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259512 | MEDIA DEVICE ACCESS CONTROL MECHANISM - Invention embodiments are concerned with the problem of controlling access to a media storage device in response to, e.g., employees leaving or changing jobs. More specifically, embodiments provide a method of controlling access to a media storage device storing a plurality of media objects. Thus embodiments of the invention solve the afore-mentioned problem by providing a mechanism for updating the list of recipients based on data received from a user identification system after the media storage device has been dispatched. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259513 | Shipment Management Systems and Methods - A computer implemented system and method for managing and tracking cargo shipments through a supply chain. The system includes a core domain and a party domain. In the core domain, electronic representations of one or more core processes may be generated and maintained that includes a sequence of events and/or milestones representing real world actions associated with the shipping chain. In the party domain, electronic representations of one or more party processes may be generated and maintained that represent a sequence of various events and/or milestones that a party to the shipping chain must undertake. The core domain may generate and communicate events representative of actions that have been or should be undertaken by the parties. The events may be communicated to the party domain where the events can trigger or realize milestones indicating to the party it should undertake various real world actions relating to the shipping chain. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259514 | IDEA PAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD - Idea Page systems, methods, user interfaces and related components are provided herein. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259515 | Use of network composition descriptors for determining product compatibility - Using peer-to-peer device descriptors for determining product compatibility involves obtaining, via a home network, descriptors that describe a composition of the home network. The home network composition descriptors are compared to descriptors of products available from an e-commerce service provider that is external to the home network. The comparison determines compatibility of the products with the devices of the home network. Identity of compatible products selected from the products based on the comparison is communicated to a user. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259516 | Point-of-sale display system - A computer-implemented method for data display is provided, which includes receiving a request for a product from a customer in a first line at a retail location having multiple adjacent customer lines. An advertisement is selected responsively to the requested product, and is displayed on a customer-facing electronic display positioned at a second line, which is in proximity to the first line. Other embodiments are also described. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259517 | Commission-based and arbitrage-based targeting - A method for determining an ad to display in an ad unit is disclosed. A specification of a targeting vendor ad is received from a targeting vendor, wherein the specification includes a targeting vendor commission. A targeting vendor ad value is determined based at least in part on the targeting vendor commission. The ad to display in the ad unit is determined, based on a comparison of the targeting vendor ad with other ads, wherein the comparison depends at least in part on the targeting vendor ad value. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259518 | ANALYZING RETURN ON INVESTMENT OF ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS USING CROSS-CORRELATION OF MULTIPLE DATA SOURCES - In various embodiments, strategies, tools and techniques are provided for processing and analyzing data in an advertising measurement system accessible through a software-as-a-service model or a client-downloaded computer program. The system may be configured to receive and process household media exposure data, product purchase data, advertising data, program data, and demographic data, wherein the data may be obtained from various sources, including from a program delivery source (e.g., a television set-top box) located in a household of a consumer. The data may be matched and cross-correlated for calculating return on advertising investment measurements and other metrics. The data may be used to optimize media placement generally or to address advertising content to specific households. Methods for storing data in the advertising measurement system by distributing the data across multiple shards are also provided. In addition, methods for protecting privacy of communicated data are disclosed. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259519 | Advertisements Targeted to Social Groups that Establish Program Popularity - Advertisements targeted to social groups that establish program popularity is described. In embodiment(s), display durations can be enumerated for each program that is rendered for viewing at media devices associated with each member of a social group. A popularity factor for each of the programs can be established based on enumerated display durations of each of the programs, and popular programs can be determined for the members of the social group based on the popularity factors. Advertisements can then be targeted to the members of the social group based on the popular programs. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259520 | SYSTEM FOR OPTIMIZING TRADE PROMOTION AND DISTRIBUTION SPENDING IN FRAGMENTED MARKETS - A system for optimizing incentive-based spending parameters associated with goods provided by a manufacturer in fragmented markets includes a data collection component configured to aggregate data, and an analysis module, which applies regression analysis based on key segmentation variables. A segmentation module separates the aggregated data into final segments based on identified key segmentation variables. The analysis module applies regression analysis to each final segment to identify incentive-based spending parameters and generates response curves. A report generator provides a graphical output of the respective response curves. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259521 | Method of Identifying Innovations Possessing Business Disrupting Properties - The instant invention involves a method for determining the expected presence of disruptive business process innovations by performing various nonlinear dynamic processes and analysis with both expected data values and referenced data values. After processing the necessary data, the method allows for the prediction of said disruptive business processes innovations (i.e. innovations that have a game changing effect on the market or markets to which the innovation belongs). After determining the presence or non-presence of any disruptive business process innovations, the method comprises steps for providing advice to users of said method. Further, the instant invention encompasses variants of its method that are facilitated by the use of at least one computing machine. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259522 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR GENERATING QUANTITATIVE PRICING POWER AND RISK SCORES - The present invention relates to a quantitative pricing power and pricing risk score generator and methods therefore, useful in association with an integrated price management system. Such a system may include a segment generator, a segment pricing power analyzer, and a segment pricing risk analyzer. The segment generator may receive or generate segments associated with a customer. Segment generation uses transaction level data which includes product attribute information, market data, and transaction history data. The segment pricing power analyzer and risk analyzer identify pricing power and risk factors, and assign raw scores to each factor, generates a weight for each raw score for each of the pricing power factors, and generates the quantitative pricing power and risk scores for each segment by computing a weighted average of the factors using the generated weights for each of the raw scores. Weights may be assigned according to default values or may be generated via an optimization. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259523 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR CALIBRATING PRICING POWER AND RISK SCORES - The present invention relates to a power and risk score calibrator which includes segment pricing power and risk reconcilers, a segment cartographer, segment power and risk aggregators, pricing power and risk value comparers, and pricing power and risk value calibrators. The reconcilers receive quantitative power and risk scores for each quantitative segment, and receive qualitative power and risk scores for each qualitative segment. The qualitative segment and the qualitative power and risk scores are defined by a user. The cartographer generates consolidated segments. The aggregators may then generate consolidated power and risk scores for each of the consolidated segments, respectively. The comparers then reconcile gaps between the qualitative power and risk scores and the consolidated power and risk scores. From these reconciliations adjustment factors are generated, which are applied by pricing power and risk value calibrators. The calibrators may also perform a drill down to explain the gap between the qualitative scores and the consolidated scores. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259524 | USER-ASSISTED ONLINE TRANSACTIONS - One feature provides an online system that assists users (or sponsors) in selecting and purchasing goods and/or services for themselves and/or others (or recipients). A sponsor may provide the funds for the purchase but delegate the purchase decision to an assistant user or group of assistant users (also referred to as a “voting group”) within an online network community or social group. The voting group may have the autonomy as to the specific item (good and/or service) to buy and make purchase decisions on behalf of the sponsor. The sponsor may set limits on the amount to spend for any particular gift or a particular period of time within which to purchase any particular gift. This online system removes the specific buying decision (e.g., which particular item to buy, researching particular items, or shopping for an item) from the sponsor, thereby saving the sponsor time. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259525 | Internet Probability Sampling - The Internet Probability Sample is a method for obtaining a statistically robust probability sample of a target population of substantial interest (including, but not limited to Internet Users in the United States) by employing an Internet advertising system. The Internet Probability Sample (IPS) dramatically changes the nature of survey research because unbiased estimates with measurable sampling variance are produced in significantly less time and at a greatly reduced cost over Area Probability Sample and Random Digit Dial methods. The use of this invention benefits all parties that utilize survey information, including governments, academics, non-profit organizations, businesses, and the public at large. | 2009-10-15 |
20090259526 | SYSTEM FOR VALUATING USERS AND USER GENERATED CONTENT IN A COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENT - A system for valuating users and user generated content in a collaborative environment is described. The system may include a memory, an interface, and a processor. The memory may store an item, responses to the item, and ratings for each response. The processor may receive responses from the users based on the item provided by the content provider. The processor may receive ratings from the users for each of the responses. The processor may determine a response quality score for each response if the number of users who viewed the response satisfies a view threshold. The response quality score may be based on the ratings received for each response and the number of users who viewed each response. The processor may transform each response and the response quality score of each response into a graphical representation and may provide the graphical representation to the content provider. | 2009-10-15 |