28th week of 2009 patent applcation highlights part 48 |
Patent application number | Title | Published |
20090177565 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR UTILIZING A UNIQUE TRANSACTION CODE TO UPDATE A MAGAZINE SUBSCRIPTION OVER THE INTERNET - A method for completing an electronic commerce transaction over a global communication network initiated between a vendor and a potential consumer. The method includes the steps of associating a unique transaction code with the initiated transaction between the vendor and the potential consumer for use by the consumer in completing a specific electronic commerce transaction; associating user information with the unique transaction code to provide a transaction packet; communicating the transaction packet to a remote vendor location from a user location; and completing the specific electronic commerce transaction upon receipt at the remote vendor location the transaction packet containing the user information in association with the unique transaction code. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177566 | Method and apparatus for custom cost accounting invoicing - A method and apparatus for providing custom cost accounting invoicing. The method allows each customer to associate its proprietary accounting information and billing system with invoicing information. The method provides each customer with the ability to create various expense and other information profiles, such that custom invoices may be generated using the information provided in the profiles. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177567 | MOBILE APPLICATION MONITORING SYSTEM - A method and system to test, monitor, and share revenue associated with third-party software applications operating on mobile devices over a network operator's wireless network. An application may be tested by the mobile application monitoring system to simulate the expected load of the application on a mobile device and the wireless network utilized by the mobile device, and to determine any services utilized by the application. Based on the simulation, the system determines a compensation arrangement under which revenue associated with the application will be shared between the network operator and the application provider. In some embodiments, the compensation arrangement is determined from a variable reward table. Revenue is shared inversely with an application's impact on customers and on the network operator. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177568 | System And Method For Conducting Account Requests Over A Network Using Natural Language - The invention is directed to a system and method for conducting account requests with a financial institution accessible with a client device over a network. An account is established with the financial institution and a user can access the account via the client device. The client device has a user interface that includes a natural language input. A request is input via the natural language input. The inputting step causes network components (e.g., server | 2009-07-09 |
20090177569 | Water alteration structure risk management or ecological alteration management systems and methods - A method of managing risk includes selling individual insurance policies regarding areas to be protected by storm suppression equipment. The method discussed also includes finding at least one of purchase, operation, or maintenance of the storm suppression equipment at least partially through premiums collected from the selling. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177570 | MONEY SERVICES SYSTEM - A check cashing system is configured to scan in a check to be cashed and scan a customer ID of a customer cashing the check. Information for the customer, including check cashing history, information for the maker of the check and other information is displayed to verify the authenticity of the check. Also, warnings are displayed if the check is considered fraudulent based on whether criteria are met. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177571 | PROCESSING BINARY OPTIONS IN FUTURE EXCHANGE CLEARING - Systems and methods are disclosed for processing binary options (also referred to as digital options) in existing clearing systems, such as futures clearing systems. The binary option is treated, or processed, similar to standard options on a non-tradeable cash-settled underlying futures contract. A hypothetical instrument, referred to as a book instrument is created to facilitate clearing of the binary option. The book instrument has an expiration date after the expiration of the binary option, such as the day after the expiration of the binary option. For each binary option that expires in the money, a transaction is created for the book instrument future. The underlying book future has an assigned price that is a fixed amount less that the final price for the underlying statistical or actual value of the binary option at expiration. Transactions are loaded in the clearing system and processed and all positions are liquidated. Options exercise and assignment processing is performed in the clearing system as well as an associated clearing firm bookkeeping system. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177572 | SYSTEM, METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT FOR PROVIDING AN EFFICIENT TRADING MARKET - A system, method and computer program product for providing a trading exchange are disclosed. A request for conducting trade of a security is received from a user. The security associated with requested trade is evaluated to generate a derivative security. A trade is then executed for the user using the derivative security. Information relating to the executed trade is captured utilizing a network so that the captured information can be utilized to adjust an account of the user in accordance with the executed trade. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177573 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANAGING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN BROKERS AND TRADERS - According to one embodiment, a method of managing access to a trading network is provided. A first network login request for a first user is received from a client application. The first network login request includes first authentication information. Based at least on the first authentication information, the first network login request is approved, which authorizes the first user to access the trading network. One or more associated users for which the first user is authorized to act as a proxy is identifying from a plurality of users. User profile information for one of the associated users is obtained and communicated to the client application. The user profile information includes information regarding the second user that can be used to allow the first user to engage in trading activity via the trading network on behalf of the second user. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177574 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR PURCHASE OF COMMODITIES - The invention is directed to methods and systems for commodities procurement with concomitant hedging. The invention enables automatic commodity purchase at a desired basis level when a seller's price matches a buyer's basis bid and concomitantly automatically placing an electronic commodities order to hedge the buyer's purchase. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177575 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR ACQUIRING AN INTEREST IN REAL PROPERTY - Methods and systems for implementing investment options on a real property. An owner of the real property may sell a Call option that gives the owner a consideration in exchange for an option to purchase the property at a strike price at some point in the future, wherein the strike price is set to a percentage of the initial fair market value of the property. The Call option may also give the owner the right to participate in the net appreciation of the property upon sale. The owner may purchase a Put option that gives the owner a stop-loss in the event of a market downturn or the depreciation of the property's value. By placing a Collar, a bundled Call and Put option, around the real property, the owner may diversify his/her exposure to market downturns in exchange for a piece of the upside. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177576 | AUTOMATED LOAN PLACEMENT SYSTEM - An automated loan placement system. The abstract of the disclosure is submitted herewith as required by 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b). As stated in 37 C.F.R. §1.72(b): A brief abstract of the technical disclosure in the specification must commence on a separate sheet, preferably following the claims, under the heading “Abstract of the Disclosure.” The purpose of the abstract is to enable the Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The abstract shall not be used for interpreting the scope of the claims. Therefore, any statements made relating to the abstract are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177577 | RENTAL NETWORK SECURITY SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and method of facilitating a rental transaction of a tangible item is provided. Initially, a lessee pickup code is communicated from a borrowing party to an owning party upon exchanging the tangible item between the owning party and the borrowing party. The owning party subsequently transmits the lessee pickup code to a central controller. A rental period for the exchanged tangible item begins upon verifying, by the central controller, that the lessee pickup code sent by the owning party is the lessee pickup code originally provided to the borrowing party. When the tangible item is returned to the owning party, the owning party communicates a return code to the borrowing party. The return code is transmitted by the borrowing party to the central controller. The central controller verifies that the return code is the return code originally provided to the owning party. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177578 | Method of converting cash into virtual cash and loading it to mobile phone cash account - A method of receiving cash from an outlet through a mobile phone comprising the steps of: —customer requesting for cash-out at an outlet; —customer showing identification and filling up a form; —frontliner accessing the device and keying in command containing customer's amount of cash-out and sending this to telco; telco verifying that customer's mobile phone is registered with the telco's cash product services and that the amount of cash-out is available in the customer's mobile phone cash account and sending information the device of the frontliner of the outlet; —frontliner of the outlet verifying that customer is registered with telco's cash product service and advising the customer of the unique transaction code; —customer paying for cash-out fee; —customer keying in “CASHOUT” cash product command containing his PIN, amount to be cashed out, and his mobile phone number; —sending this command to telco; —outlets device receiving a confirmatory message from telco of cash product service transfer; —customer receiving a SMS acknowledgment from telco of the completion of the cash product service; —customer getting cash from the outlet; —outlet's device receiving an acknowledgement of the completion of the transaction and confirmation number from telco in a format matching the outlet's device. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177579 | Transaction System Supporting Dynamic Currency Conversion - Disclosed is a method of performing a funds transaction that includes providing the option to perform the transaction using dynamic currency conversion and apparatus for performing dynamic currency conversion. The method may include identifying whether a transaction is eligible for dynamic currency conversion and if so allowing an operator to enter a nominated currency and subsequently conducting the transaction in the nominated currency. Otherwise the transaction may be performed in a default currency. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177580 | COLLECTION OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE POWER CONSUMPTION TAX - A method of collecting electric vehicle power consumption tax for charge transferred between a local power source and an electric vehicle comprises: providing a network-controlled charge transfer device, charge transfer being controlled by a controller, the controller being connected to a network for communication to a server; requesting by an operator of the electric vehicle to the controller for charge transfer; relaying the request from the controller to the server; determining by the server, from geographical tax rate data and the geographical location of the network-controlled charge transfer device, an applicable tax rate on the charge transfer; enabling charge transfer by communicating from the server to the controller to activate the control device; monitoring the charge transfer using a current measuring device, the controller being configured to monitor the output from the current measuring device and to maintain a running total of charge transferred; detecting completion of the charge transfer; and on detecting completion, processing payment with said payment source, which may include deducting the cost of charge transfer from a subscriber account containing pre-transferred funds, and disabling charge transfer; wherein the request for payment includes the electric vehicle power consumption tax. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177581 | METHOD OF CASH-LESS, CARDLESS PURCHASE TRANSACTION USING MOBILE PHONES - The method of cash-less purchase transaction using mobile phone comprising steps of: —customer requesting for purchase at outlet; —merchants verifying if customer is registered with telco's cash product service; —merchant informing the customer of the purchase price to e paid; —merchant sending in a SELL command on his device to a telco containing merchant's PIN, amount of the purchase, and customer's mobile phone number; —customer receiving SMS confirmation query of the amount to be paid from telco; —customer's mobile phone number; —customer replying to the SMS of his confirmation with his PIN; —merchant receiving confirmation from telco of the deduction from customer's mobile phone cash account; —merchant releasing product to the customer; —customer receiving confirmation of the deduction via SMSD sent to his mobile phone; —alternatively, merchant using mobile phone device informing customer of the merchant's mobile number which the customer can send his virtual cash to; —customer sending the amount via SMS to 2882+the 10 digit mobile number of the merchant; —the subscriber and the merchant then getting simultaneous SMS acknowledgment of the transfer with confirmation number | 2009-07-09 |
20090177582 | IDENTITY AUTHENTICATION FOR FINANCIAL TRANSACTIONS - A financial services and transaction network including multiple networked validation stations and remote terminals allows users to access a number of financial services and transactions. A user visiting a remote terminal indicates a desired service or transaction. The user provides any currency or funding information needed for the selected service, after which the remote terminal issues the user a transaction voucher. The user can take this transaction voucher to any of the validation stations in order to authenticate the user's identity and activate the voucher. Once the voucher is activated, the user or a recipient of the voucher can present the voucher at any remote terminal to receive funding or otherwise complete the transaction or service, subject to recipient authentication. The user provides necessary information using the remote terminal or validation station, or supplies the information using the voucher, which is collected upon performance of the requested service or transaction. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177583 | MEDIA RENTING SYSTEM, MEDIA RENTAL PROVIDER AND METHOD - A media renting system includes a media rental provider and a client machine. The provider communicates with the client machine via a data transmission network. The provider stores user information including a payment card number of a user and a hardware ID of the client machine. In a related media renting method, when the user information from the client machine is recorded in the provider, the client machine succeeds to rent the media file and displays the media file. When rental fees of the media file are greater than or equal to a purchase price of the media file, the provider deducts the purchase price from a balance of the payment card and binds the media file to the client machine. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177584 | Digital card cd/dvd with contacless microcomputer chip for transportation systems - A digital card | 2009-07-09 |
20090177585 | Conditional access system for broadcast digital television - A method for managing access to scrambled broadcast or transmitted events received from a variety of service providers (including broadcast television networks, cable television networks, digital satellite systems). Each service provider employs the same public key for descrambling the access information message thereby permitting a user to access events from various service providers without changing the smart card. The method may also be expanded to manage access to a scrambled package of broadcast events. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177586 | AUTHENTICATION DEVICE AND PAYMENT SYSTEM - The payment system according to the present invention comprises an electronic payment device ( | 2009-07-09 |
20090177587 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ONLINE AUTHENTICATION UTILIZING BIOMETRIC DATA - A system and method for securely authenticating a user for the purpose of accessing information, such as private financial or personal information, in an online environment are disclosed. In addition, a system and method for allowing consumers to make secure payments from an electronic wallet with biometric authentication are disclosed. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177588 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF DETERMINING PRICING AND SPONSORSHIP OPTIMIZATION FOR BRAND PROMOTERS AND SOCIAL PUBLISHERS - Systems and methods for quantifying points of value in a personality relevant publishing environment are disclosed. These systems and method determine and account for the value that a brand campaign provides to brand promoters when the brand campaign is delivered within the social content of social publishers. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177589 | CROSS CORRELATION TOOL FOR AUTOMATED PORTFOLIO DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS - The cross correlation tool is used to quickly understand and describe the composition of an asset portfolio and the response of a user selected variable versus other variables in the portfolio. The tool is also used to quickly identify unexpectedly high or low correlation between two attribute variables and the response variable. Identification of unexpected correlations improves understanding of the portfolio data and the decisions regarding a potential purchase of the portfolio. Attribute variables are of two types, continuous and categorical. The cross correlations are computed between all variables of interest and their bin or level and presented in a two dimensional matrix for easy identification of trends. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177590 | Total Return Asset Contracts and Associated Processing Systems - A novel vehicle investment that greatly simplifies ownership and implementation of futures so that the pricing, trading, and risk management characteristics of futures investment are more broadly accessible by investors. Trading and account processing is implemented on a data processing platform that facilitates expanded access and use of risk management via futures contracts. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177591 | ZERO-KNOWLEDGE PROOFS IN LARGE TRADES - According to one aspect, presented is a useful new mechanism that facilitates the atomic exchange of large baskets of securities in a combinatorial exchange. Some embodiments of the exchange offer institutions who wish to trade large positions a new alternative to existing methods of trading. In one embodiment of an exchange, institutions submit encrypted orders which are crossed (buys, sells, shorts, and longs, for example, are matched) leaving a “remainder”. The exchange proves facts about the portfolio risk of this remainder to third party liquidity providers without revealing the securities in the remainder. The third parties learn either (depending on the setting) the portfolio risk parameters of the remainder itself, or how their own portfolio risk would change if they were to incorporate the remainder into a portfolio they submit. They submit bids on the commission, and the winner supplies necessary liquidity for the entire exchange to clear. According to another aspect, an “institution” (a firm who invests in financial markets) wishes to execute a large basket of trades, and mitigate execution risk by having an intermediary—for example, an investment “bank”—take on the basket into its inventory and unwind the trades on its own. Instead of revealing specific information about the equities in the basket, which could be exploited, the institution and banks can conduct a zero-knowledge protocol in which the banks learn how much the risk profile of their inventory—more generally, their utility—would change if they accepted the basket. In this process, the institution learns nothing about the bank's inventory or risk management beyond the price the bank is willing to pay, and the banks learn nothing about the basket beyond how the overall risk characteristics of their portfolio would change if they accepted the basket. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177592 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FLEXIBLE SPREAD PARTICIPATION - A system and method for risk analysis of a portfolio of derivative products is disclosed which is conducted based on a set of flexible rules. The system and method allow creating predefined sets of products for the purpose of future risk offsets. If a futures trade as a subset of that set of products that met a threshold level, then the subset is assigned the offset value (or a pro rata or other portion of the offset value) of the predefined set. For example, assume that the predefined set consists of one S&P 500 futures, one NASDAQ futures, one S&P Midcap 400 futures and one Russell 1000 futures and the threshold is three. If the futures trader holds any three of those four futures, the three futures can be grouped, assigned an offset value, and this group can be used as one asset for purpose of further risk offsets. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177593 | PORTABLE BASE STATION DEVICE AND CHARGING METHOD - A mobile base station device and billing method, which can provide an incentive for use at a specific position, while securing convenience for users, are provided. In a mobile base station device | 2009-07-09 |
20090177594 | Method for rewarding water conservation and generating additional revenue for hotels - A method for rewarding hotel guests for conserving water and for generating additional revenue for hotels is disclosed. A water flow control device that regulates the amount of water flowing through a shower head is installed between the shower head and the hot water supply line in each of the guest rooms in the hotel and is connected by a data line to a memory storage device for the hotel. The amount of water used in each guest room is monitored and data relating to water usage is collected and transmitted to the memory storage device. These data are then utilized by the hotel management to create incentives, i.e., perks and rewards, for those guests who have conserved water while showering. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177595 | Bidirectional metering and control of electric energy between the power grid and vehicle power systems - A metering device that allows the two-way exchange of electrical energy between the power grid and electric vehicles by giving customers the option to upload electrical energy from their vehicle's electrical power system to the power grid or to another vehicle, or the option to download electrical energy from the power grid or another vehicle, to charge their vehicle's electric storage system, depending on the current market price of electricity. This allows users to both buy and sell electricity as a commodity to offset their fuel costs and to generate income. The metering device and the associated server may maintain a database of the user's preferences and identification. The metering device may allow customers to upload and sell electricity from their vehicles during peak, high cost, energy consumption periods, download and buy electricity to their vehicles during low energy, low cost, consumption periods, or algorithmically engage in bi-directional transfer depending on the user's preferences and other variables (see [0043]) in order to maximize the customer's monetary returns and minimize the customer's monetary expenses. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177596 | Method for risk free stock investment using very long term synthesized stock options or very long term option hedges - An improved method for risk free, or low risk, stock investing using long or very long term options, or synthesized long or very long term options, or synthesized expirationless options These embodiments of the invention disclose a method for risk free, or low risk, stock investment that uses long or very long term options, or synthesized long or very long term options, or expirationless synthesized options. These options or synthesized options produce a very low annualized cost of taking a position in stocks. When these options or synthesized options are used in combination with safe interest bearing investments, risk free stock investment is achieved. These risk free stock investments can be further enhanced by the use of index ETFs (exchange traded funds). It is even possible to produce risk free stock investments that have a higher investment return than a direct investment in the stock. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177597 | SYSTEMS, METHODS AND COMPUTER PRODUCTS FOR PROFILE BASED IDENTITY VERIFICATION OVER THE INTERNET - Systems, methods and computer products for profile-based identity verification over the Internet. Exemplary embodiments include a system including an activity classifier configured to receive Internet activity input including email, chat, browser and voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) logs/streams, an email profiler, a chat, a browser profiler, a voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) logs/streams profiler, wherein the profilers are configured to extract values from the Internet Activity input attributes from the data set, a score calculator configured to receive the attributes and calculate the score of the data set, a categorization engine configured to receive the score from the score calculator and map the data set to an individual or class of individuals based on the value of the score and on a database of activity-specific attributes and an application configured to place weights on the activity specific and generic attributes to define a score function from the score. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177598 | METHOD FOR BUILDING PREDICTIVE MODELS WITH INCOMPLETE DATA - A method that imputes missing values while building a predictive model. A population of solutions is created using a data set comprising missing values, wherein each solution comprises parameters of each of the predictive models and the missing values of a data set. Each of the solutions in a population is checked for fitness. After the fitness is checked, the solutions in a population are genetically evolved to establish a successive population of solutions. The process of evolving and checking fitness is continued until a stopping criterion is reached. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177599 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DEVELOPING A PROPENSITY MODEL - A technique is provided for developing a propensity model for customer behavior. Multiple biased samples of customer characteristics and results from past activities are established. Initial propensity models are created for each biased sample. The propensity models established for each biased sample are processed separately from the propensity models established for the other biased samples. A genetic algorithm is used to evolve the propensity models. A select number of propensity models that best fit their respective biased samples are compared to a validation sample that is unbiased. A select number of these propensity models that best fit the validation sample are cross-bred into the propensity models established for each biased sample. The propensity models for each biased sample are then processed again using the genetic algorithms. However, a number of elite propensity models are maintained in their original form and not evolved using the genetic algorithm. This cycle continues until a stopping criterion is reached. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177600 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COARSE-CLASSING VARIABLES IN A PREDICTIVE MODEL - A technique is provided to coarse-class one or more customer characteristics used in a predictive model. A set of functions are used to represent partition points of the customer characteristic into smaller classes. Each of the final classes of the customer characteristic is represented separately in the predictive model. An initial set of functions may be established to provide an initial set of partitions points of the customer characteristic. The set of functions is then processed using a genetic algorithm to evolve the partition points to new values. Processing the set of partitions using the genetic algorithm may continue until a stopping criterion is reached. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177601 | STATUS-AWARE PERSONAL INFORMATION MANAGEMENT - Described is a technology by which personal information that comes into a computer system is intelligently managed according to current state data including user presence and/or user attention data. Incoming information is processed against the state data to determine whether corresponding data is to be output, and if so, what output modality or modalities to use. For example, if a user is present and busy, a notification may be blocked or deferred to avoid disturbing the user. Cost analysis may be used to determine the cost of outputting the data. In addition to user state data, the importance of the information, other state data, the cost of converting data to another format for output (e.g., text-to-speech), and/or user preference data, may factor into the decision. The output data may be modified (e.g., audio made louder) based on a current output environment as determined via the state data. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177602 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETECTING UNSAFE CONDITIONS - Systems and methods are disclosed to detect unsafe system states by capturing and analyzing data from a plurality of sensors detecting parameters of the system; and applying temporal difference (TD) learning to learn a function to approximate an expected future reward given current and historical sensor readings. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177603 | LOCATION BASED SERVICES PLATFORM - System and methods are provided that facilitate integrated and seamless utilization of location data generated by multiple disparate positioning technologies adequate for outdoor or indoor positioning. Location data from multiple sources is selectively processed based on rules that account for availability, accuracy, cost, reliability of location data. Rules can be operator specific or can be automatically generated based on historic location data or cost-benefit analysis. Processing of selected data includes formatting data according to a specific standard or protocol, or augmenting the data with metadata. Standardized data is conveyed through a communication link for utilization in various applications such as vendor applications for navigation or web-based services, as well as custom and development applications. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177604 | Telecommunications-Based Social-Trust Networks - A method of facilitating the construction, maintenance, and usage of social-trust networks is disclosed. The illustrative embodiment monitors the call processing details of communication events between users of a telecommunications system as the basis for estimating whether or not a relationship exists between the users that can be exploited in a social-trust network. This is possible because the call processing details of communication events between users is an excellent indicator of the nature of the relationship between users. For example, if Alice calls Brian three times a day on average, including nights, weekends, and holidays, and Brian answers Alice's calls quickly and returns her unanswered calls quickly, then it is reasonable to infer that Alice and Brian have a relationship that is substantial enough to be used in a social-trust network. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177605 | RISK ASSESSMENT WITHIN AN AIRCRAFT - A risk assessment method and system. The method includes receiving by an inference engine, first sensor cohort data associated with a first cohort located within an aircraft. The inference engine receives first group technology inferences associated with the first cohort. The inference engine generates first risk cohort inferences based on the first group technology inferences and the first sensor cohort data. The inference engine receives first inference data comprising a first plurality of inferences associated with the first cohort. The inference engine generates second inference data comprising a second plurality of inferences associated with the first cohort. The second inference data is based on the first inference data and the first risk cohort inferences. The inference engine generates a first associated risk level score for the first cohort. The computing system stores the second inference data and the first associated risk level score. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177606 | RISK ASSESSMENT IN A PRE/POST SECURITY AREA WITHIN AN AIRPORT - A risk assessment method and system. The method includes receiving by an inference engine, first sensor cohort data associated with a first cohort located within a pre/post security area within an airport. The inference engine receives first group technology inferences associated with the first cohort. The inference engine generates first risk cohort inferences based on the first group technology inferences and the first sensor cohort data. The inference engine receives inference data comprising inferences associated with the first cohort. The inference engine generates second inference data comprising a second plurality of inferences associated with the first cohort. The second inference data is based on the inference data and the first risk cohort inferences. The inference engine generates a first associated risk level score for the first cohort. The computing system stores the second inference data and the first associated risk level score. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177607 | SITUATION PRESENTATION SYSTEM, SERVER, AND COMPUTER-READABLE MEDIUM STORING SERVER PROGRAM - A situation presentation system includes a terminal and a server. The terminal includes a situation data acquisition device that acquires situation data and a terminal transmission device that transmits the situation data to the server. The server includes a server situation data storage device that stores the situation data transmitted from the terminal, a content storage device that stores a content including a character string, a condition determination device that analyzes the character string included in the content to determine a situation data condition, a situation data extraction device that extracts the situation data that satisfies the situation data condition from the server situation data storage device, a content update device that stores the analyzed content into the content storage device after adding at least one of edited data and the extracted situation data to the content, and a presentation device that presents the content. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177608 | RISK ASSESSMENT IN A GATE AREA OF AN AIRPORT - A risk assessment method and system. The method includes receiving by an inference engine, first sensor cohort data associated with a first cohort located within a gate area of an airport. The inference engine receives first group technology inferences associated with the first cohort. The inference engine generates first risk cohort inferences based on the first group technology inferences and the first sensor cohort data. The inference engine receives first inference data comprising a first plurality of inferences associated with the first cohort. The inference engine generates second inference data comprising a second plurality of inferences associated with the first cohort. The second inference data is based on the first inference data and the first risk cohort inferences. The inference engine generates a first associated risk level score for the first cohort. The computing system stores the second inference data and the first associated risk level score. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177609 | RISK ASSESSMENT IN AN AREA EXTERNAL TO AN AIRPORT - A risk assessment method and system. The method includes receiving by an inference engine, first sensor cohort data associated with a first cohort located within a security perimeter area surrounding an airport. The inference engine receives first group technology inferences associated with the first cohort. The inference engine generates first risk cohort inferences based on the first group technology inferences and the first sensor cohort data. The inference engine receives first inference data comprising a first plurality of inferences associated with the first cohort. The inference engine generates second inference data comprising a second plurality of inferences associated with the first cohort. The second inference data is based on the first inference data and the first risk cohort inferences. The inference engine generates a first associated risk level score for the first cohort. The computing system stores the second inference data and the first associated risk level score. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177610 | INFORMATION PROCESSING METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR BUSINESS PROCESS ANALYSIS - An information processing method for a business process analysis includes identifying a processing target field in a record generated in an analysis target system and stored in a data storage; and identifying data representing probability that the processing target field corresponds to a time stamp of an event by using definition data for each field in the record. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177611 | Storage of stochastic information in stochastic information systems - A stochastic information system stores a coherent stochastic model corresponding to an uncertain variable in a data store. The coherent stochastic model is stored in a compressed format. The stochastic information system includes a calculation engine operable to calculate a result by performing a simulation using the coherent stochastic model. In some implementations, the stochastic data is encoded and stored as a single element, such as, for example, a string. The stochastic data may be encoded using a quantizer, which may be configured to exploit gaps in the stochastic data. A method includes receiving stochastic information including values for a plurality of trials for use in a stochastic information system, encoding the stochastic information as a string representing the values for the plurality of trials, and storing the encoded stochastic information for use by the stochastic information system. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177612 | Method and Apparatus for Analyzing Data to Provide Decision Making Information - Method and apparatus for analyzing data to provide decision making information. In one embodiment, a method includes receiving data corresponding to an agent for one or more predictor variables of a model, and calculating coefficients of the model based, at least in part, on a logistic regression analysis for a response variable to determine probability densities of the response variable, wherein the response variable is associated with the one or more predictor variables. The method may further include performing a computational analysis of the response variable based on the probability densities of the response variable to determine variation in the probability densities of the response variable, and generating a decision matrix, reflecting probabilities of one or more response variables and analysis values. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177613 | SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING INTEGRATED WELLNESS ASSESSMENT - A system for generating measurable indexes for providing a total wellness assessment of an individual is provided. The system can include a data communications interface for accessing a plurality of databases of population data derived from samplings of one or more populations. The system further can include an integration and synthesis engine for generating a plurality of weighting factors based upon a predetermined combination of the data, each weighting factor corresponding to a predetermined body region of the individual or to a predetermined health condition associated with the individual and based upon the population data. The system also can include a conditions capture engine for capturing individual-specific data corresponding to a set of predetermined of health conditions associated with the individual. The system can further include a modeling tool for combining at least one of the plurality of weighting factors with the individual-specific data corresponding to a set of predetermined of health conditions associated with the individual. Moreover, the system can include a quotient generator for generating an individual-specific overall health score corresponding to the individual based on the combining of weighting factors, population data, and individual-specific data. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177614 | RISK ASSESSMENT BETWEEN AIRCRAFTS - A risk assessment method and system. The method includes receiving by an inference engine, first sensor cohort data associated with a first cohort located within a first aircraft. The inference engine receives first group technology inferences associated with the first cohort. The inference engine generates first risk cohort inferences based on the first group technology inferences and the first sensor cohort data. The inference engine receives first inference data comprising a first plurality of inferences associated with the first cohort. The inference engine generates second inference data comprising a second plurality of inferences associated with the first cohort. The second inference data is based on the first inference data and the first risk cohort inferences. The inference engine generates a first associated risk level score for the first cohort. The computing system stores the second inference data and the first associated risk level score. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177615 | RISK ASSESSMENT BETWEEN AIRPORTS - A risk assessment method and system. The method includes receiving by an inference engine, first sensor cohort data associated with a first cohort located within a first airport. The inference engine receives first group technology inferences associated with the first cohort. The inference engine generates first risk cohort inferences based on the first group technology inferences and the first sensor cohort data. The inference engine receives first inference data comprising a first plurality of inferences associated with the first cohort. The inference engine generates second inference data comprising a second plurality of inferences associated with the first cohort. The second inference data is based on the first inference data and the first risk cohort inferences. The inference engine generates a first associated risk level score for the first cohort. The computing system stores the second inference data and the first associated risk level score. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177616 | HARDWARE SECURITY UNIT AND MULTIPLE-VALUED LOGIC OPERATIONAL METHOD THEREOF - A hardware security unit and a multiple-valued logic operational method thereof are provided, which comprises at least a first and a second multiple-valued logic calculation units, an operational unit, a judgment unit and an execution unit. The first multiple-valued logic calculation unit and the second multiple-valued logic calculation unit are connected to the operational unit, each of the multiple-valued logic calculation units comprises at least three registers for describing expected logical state, current logical state and a multiple-valued logic operator of a specific entity of the hardware security unit. The operational unit calculates the expected logical states of the first and second multiple-valued logic calculation units and the current logical states of the first and second multiple-valued logic calculation units, respectively, by using the multiple-valued logic operator in the third register of the second multiple-valued logic calculation unit, so as to obtain expected and current logic operation results. The judgment unit is connected to the operational unit, for judging whether the current logic operation result has reached the expected logic operation result. The execution unit is connected to the judgment unit, for executing a corresponding operation based on the judgment result by the judgment unit. When it is determined that the current logic operation result equals to the expect logic operation result, the hardware security unit performs a corresponding operation. Therefore, a hardware security unit and a multiple-valued logic operational method thereof are provided for solving the problems arise upon providing services to the overall trust chain based on a binary logic judgment. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177617 | Systems, methods and apparatus for providing unread message alerts - The present invention includes systems, apparatus and methods for providing message alerts to a user prior to that user communicating with a second party. The user may desire to communicate with a second party by sending a text-based message or by speaking to them through a communications device, such as a cellular phone. Prior to sending the message or speaking with the second party, the device can provide the user with message alerts, the option to review alert content, and/or to view the alert content itself. The message alerts and alert content can be notifications and/or previews of opened/unopened e-mail messages, voicemail messages, text messages, etc. Alert content can be located based on, for example, contact information of the person with whom the user desires to communicate, subject line data of a text-based message, main body data of a text based message, etc. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177618 | Record tagging, storage and filtering system and method - A record tagging, storage and filtering system and method that permits paper records to be tagged, stored and filtered according to user criteria. The system includes a scanning module, a central server, one or more user workstations and an optical character recognition server. After scanning, the records may then be serialized and categorized by project, and then supplemented automatically by the system with a hypertext data file. The system provides for the manual input of additional hypertext data and merger of the hypertext data file with other records in the project. The end user may then search and/or filter records according to information contained in the hypertext data file. Because the pages may be sorted according to user criteria, the user may shuffle through pages from various different documents, thus allowing them to quickly retrieve the records they need and perform such actions as trend-spotting. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177619 | INFORMATION PROVIDING APPARATUS AND INPUT INFORMATION RECEIVING METHOD - An information providing apparatus receives a user ID read by an IC card reader, and stores therein the user ID. The user inputs booking information by using an input screen that receives booking information, and then, the information providing apparatus further receives the user ID read by the IC card reader. The information providing apparatus then determines whether the received user ID matches the user ID stored therein. The information providing apparatus confirms reception of the booking information that is input by using the input screen if the user IDs are determined to match each other. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177620 | Common Software Activity Status Representation - Described herein are technologies directed towards providing a common mechanism for tracking the activity status of one or more software actions of a computer system. Furthermore, the described technologies facilitate managing the presentation of the tracked activity status of individual actions and/or of a collection of such actions. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177621 | Database Query Optimization - A method, system, and computer program product for optimizing database queries in a data processing system. A query optimization (QO) utility maximizes the query coverage of Materialized Query Tables (MQTs) in order to efficiently process various types of incoming queries to a database engine. In particular, the QO utility enables MQT technology for nullable foreign key columns in a number of table joins involving fact tables and dimension tables, in which the fact tables and dimension tables have column data which are not null. The QO utility also enables MQT query matching for a relational database engine for non-additive measures, and improves the performance of existing query-matching capabilities for a relational database engine for additive measures. The QO utility specifies a number of functionally dependent relationships between the columns of a table in order to enhance the query matching abilities of the database engine. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177622 | Method and system for speeding up rebuild of user-defined indexes during partition maintenance operations in the database systems - A method, system, and computer program product provides improved performance for rebuild of user-defined indexes during partition maintenance operations (partition split, merge, and move). A method of maintaining a index of a partitioned database table comprises performing a partition maintenance operation on the partitioned database table wherein a plurality of rows of the partitioned database table are moved from one partition to another, storing mapping information for at least some of the plurality of moved rows, including an old mapping for each of the moved rows and a corresponding new mapping for each of the moved rows, and when rebuilding the index, replacing an old mapping in the index for each of the plurality of moved rows with the corresponding stored new mapping for each of the plurality of moved rows. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177623 | Query optimizer with join cardinality estimation which mitigates the effects of skew - One embodiment relates to a computer-implemented method to estimate a cardinality of a database query. Single table cardinalities are determined after application of selection predicates. In addition, pair-wise join selectivities are estimated without assuming independence between selection and join predicates. Said pair-wise join selectivities are multiplied with said single table cardinalities after application of the selection predicates. Another embodiment relates to a computer apparatus including a cardinality estimator. The cardinality estimator includes computer-readable instructions configured to (a) determine single table cardinalities after application of selection predicates from the database query, (b) estimate pair-wise join selectivities without assuming independence between the selection predicates and join predicates of the database query, and (c) multiply said pair-wise join selectivities with said single table cardinalities after application of the selection predicates. Other embodiments, aspects and features are also disclosed. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177624 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PEER-TO-PEER CONTACT INFORMATION LOOK-UP - The present invention provides a system and method for providing a peer-to-peer contact information look-up system. A user who seeks contact information may enter an identification query, such as a name or other identifier. A first level search may be performed by determining whether any contacts contained in the user's electronic address book satisfy the query. If the contact is not found in the user's personal electronic address book, then the query may be transmitted to a plurality of other participant electronic devices in the system, thereby initiating a second level search. The devices that receive the query in the second level search may then search their personal electronic address books for the contact. If the contact is identified, the contact information is sent to the user device from which the query was initiated. If, however, none of the second level devices can identify the contact, each of the second level participant devices may transmit the query to a plurality of other participant devices in the system, thereby initiating a third level search. The personal address books of each of the third level devices are searched for the contact, and so on until the contact is found or the search terminates. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177625 | MODEL-DRIVEN DATABASE QUERY - A system receives a model for a database to be queried and determines a first component-type and a first data-type for a first search criterion based on the model. The system generates at least one search criterion component that corresponds to the first search criterion and renders a query component that comprises the search criterion component. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177626 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR INVESTIGATIVE ANALYSIS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT CASES - A method for determining links between target A and target B. The method comprises: identifying attributes of target A, identifying attributes of target B, determining direct links or common attributes among the identified attributes of target A and the identified attributes of target B, identifying open links from the step of determining direct links or common attributes, wherein the open links comprise identified attributes of target A that are not directly linked to target B, using the open links, determining remote links between target A and target B and displaying the direct links and the remote links. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177627 | METHOD FOR PROVIDING KEYWORDS, AND VIDEO APPARATUS APPLYING THE SAME - A method for providing keywords and a video apparatus applying the method are provided. The method for providing keywords includes separating metadata from content, extracting keywords in the content from the metadata, and generating a keyword list using the keywords and images related to the keywords. It is thus possible to display the keywords together with the images related to the keywords, so a user may register desired keywords more conveniently without needing to manually individually input keywords. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177628 | SYSTEM, APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING ILLEGAL USE RESEARCH SERVICE FOR IMAGE DATA, AND SYSTEM, APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING PROPER USE RESEARCH SERVICE FOR IMAGE DATA - In a system for providing an illegal use research service for image data, the image data received from a terminal apparatus is registered as a research subject, a research condition for research whether or not the image data being registered is illegally used by a Web site on the network is set, image data that are identical or similar to the image data being the research subject from a web site on the network are searched for based on a feature amount and the research condition, and a search result is informed as a research report to the research client using said terminal apparatus. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177629 | Users Profiling Method - A profiling method of a plurality of users (UT | 2009-07-09 |
20090177630 | Stampez online internet stamp identified - Online Internet application where the user can input any details known about any postage stamp, scan the image of a stamp or stamps that require identification into the online application and identification will be provided by comparing the details to database containing details of all postage stamps or comparing the uploaded scan to images in the Stampez database using specifically designed image comparison technology. The image comparison technology will provide either an exact match or number of matches based on the percentage likelihood of accuracy. The percentage of accuracy can be reduced or broadened by the user. Besides pictorial identification the application will also provide country of origin, date stamp was issued, market price, thematic category, unique identification code, perforations and watermark of postage stamps. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177631 | Data providing device, method for providing data, and recording medium - A data providing device connected via a network to a data processing device and a data storage server storing data which is continuously updated. The data providing device includes a receiving unit configured to receive one or more search conditions for searching data to be provided to the data processing device, a first data providing unit configured to extract data to be provided to the data processing device from the data storage server based on the one or more search conditions, and a second data providing unit configured to provide data on synchronization between the data stored in the data storage server and data for search corresponding to the data stored in the data storage server to the data processing device. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177632 | Method and Device for Transporting Objects - A method and device for transporting a plurality of objects, such as mail items. In a plurality of transport operations, at least one object is transported to a processing system in each case. For each object, two measurements are taken to determine which value is assumed by a predetermined feature for the object. The first measurement is taken before initiating the respective transport operation and the new or second measurement is taken after the transport operation is initiated. For each transport operation, transport operation information concerning which objects are transported together by the transport operation and which predetermined feature value of the objects measured at the time of the first measurement is determined and stored. For each object, a search is then conducted to determine in which transport operation the object was transported. In this case, a restriction is imposed on the search for at least one transport operation. In the process, for each transport operation it is determined for each case wherein at least n objects having the n measured feature values were placed together and transported into a particular transportation unit. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177633 | QUERY EXPANSION OF PROPERTIES FOR VIDEO RETRIEVAL - A computer implemented method for retrieving video clips from a database is disclosed. The method may include retrieving in an initial query from a video collection based on a search term; receiving a user selection of at least one video clip from a first set of video clips corresponding to the search term; associating at least one visual attribute of the selected video clip with the search term; receiving the at least one search term from a user in a subsequent query; determining a set of physical concepts based on the at least one search term; mapping the set of physical concepts to a plurality of visual attributes; searching the database for at least one video clip corresponding to the plurality of visual attributes; identifying at least one video clip in the database having the plurality of visual attributes; and returning a second set of video clips having the set of visual attributes to the user, the second set including the at least one video clip. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177634 | Method and System for an Application Domain - Data processing comprising requesting a semantic description from each manageable resource of a plurality of manageable resources. An application domain comprises the plurality of manageable resources. The semantic description of a manageable resource comprises semantic information about a plurality of aspects of a manageable resource. The semantic information is specified by use of an ontology. The semantic descriptions and a conceptualization of the application domain is stored in a knowledge base. The conceptualization of the application domain is provided by the ontology. The conceptualization comprises semantic information about the application domain. A request from a client of the application domain to provide a manageable resource with specific properties is received. The specific properties are specified in the request. The semantic information of the conceptualization and the semantic descriptions is used for selecting the manageable resource with the specific properties from the plurality of manageable resources. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177635 | System and Method to Automatically Enhance Confidence in Intellectual Property Ownership - A system and method for documenting intellectual property ownership of digital content is described. The approach includes initializing an annotation, within or associated with the digital content, within a system with a reliable reference of authorship, ownership, and licensure to a first portion of the digital content and unverified claims of authorship, ownership, and licensure to a second portion of digital content. The invention also provides a system and method to augment and update these records by adding additional claims of ownership, authorship, and licensure over time or amending them based upon interactions with centralized repositories of digital content. The system and method also provide for determining the confidence in the ownership of the digital content. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177636 | Intelligent Access Within a Document Package - The invention features a method and apparatus for receiving a data package, the data package being digital data embedding a plurality of documents and a manifest that includes one or more pairs of identifiers. Each pair comprises an alias-source identifier and an alias-destination identifier, and each alias-destination identifier points to a dynamic content resource within the data package. A target identifier is received in a request to perform an operation with the target identifier as an operand and, if the target identifier matches any of the alias-source identifiers in the one or more pairs of identifiers, the alias-destination identifier paired with the matching alias-source identifier is used instead of the target identifier in performing the operation. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177637 | NDMA DB SCHEMA, DICOM TO RELATIONAL SCHEMA TRANSLATION, AND XML TO SQL QUERY TRANSLATION - A translation scheme translates DICOM content into a format compatible for storage in an NDMA relational database. The translation scheme employs a schema for indexing the DICOM content, and employs a mechanism for translating queries embedded in XML into SQL. The translation scheme translates DICOM compatible data into a tab delimited flat representation of the DICOM content. The flat representation is then translated into data compatible with a relational database format, such as SQL, and then into database insert commands. The schema enables capture of the DICOM information into relational tables. Methods are also provided to service XML formatted research and clinical queries, to translate XML queries to optimized SQL and to return query results to XML specified destinations with record de-identification where required. Methods are also provided to interface to NDMA WallPlugs, secured query devices, or GRID devices. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177638 | REPORT GENERATION IN AN INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY DATABASE - A method, system, and article are provided for extending the functionality of a report generated in response to submission of a query to a database supporting management of patent related documents. Due dates for documents submission are tracked by the management tool. A graphical user interface is provided as an overlay to the query submission to facilitate entry of the filters for fields to be joined in the query, and to support placement of a further constraint on the joined fields. In response to the query, a report is generated. Organization of the report limits association of one constraint data item per filtered data item per row in the report. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177639 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR IDENTIFICATION OF CONTENTS AND INGREDIENTS - In embodiments of the present invention, improved capabilities are described for providing content information for a plurality of products, and specifically consumer products. A method and system is provided for updating a data repository based on information corresponding to each of the one or more products, receiving a user defined search criteria for information pertaining to the plurality of products, and providing a customizable search output, wherein the customizable search output indicates the content information for the plurality of products. Further, the information corresponding to each of the one or more products is provided by a plurality of entities. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177640 | CREATING CONCISE AND RE-USEABLE QUERIES OVER COMPLEX DATA - A system, computer readable storage medium and method for creating re-usable queries over complex data including hierarchies, trees and graphs is described. This is achieved by an object-oriented query language, where a class is a logical property of a data item, and inheritance is implication between such properties. Virtual method calls execute all relevant method implementations in most specific classes. Expressions can be multi-valued, thus avoiding the need for naming intermediate results. All constructs closely follow the syntax of mainstream object-oriented languages like Java. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177641 | PATIENT MONITORING NETWORK AND METHOD OF USING THE PATIENT MONITORING NETWORK - In one embodiment, a method of using a patient monitoring network is provided. The method comprises steps of storing an association data at a primary server unit, the association data mapping a caregiver with at least one patient associated with the caregiver, storing an object data of at least one patient at a patient monitor coupled to the primary server unit, the object data comprising an identification data and a patient data of the patient, receiving a query at the patient monitor by the caregiver, fetching the association data of the caregiver from the primary server unit, displaying the identification data of at least one patient associated with the caregiver at the patient monitor, obtaining a selection for the patient at the patient monitor and displaying the patient data of the patient at the patient monitor. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177642 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATED DETECTION OF APPLICATION PERFORMANCE BOTTLENECKS - A system for detecting performance bottlenecks in a target application. In response to receiving hotspot selections from a user interface, bottleneck rules are extracted from a database. A hotspot is a region of source code that exceeds a time threshold to execute in the target application. Metrics needed to evaluate the bottleneck rules extracted from the database are identified. The identified metrics are computed. It is determined whether each bottleneck rule extracted from the database is evaluated to true using the computed metrics for hotspots in the target application. In response to determining that a bottleneck rule is evaluated to true using an appropriate computed metric corresponding to the bottleneck rule, a bottleneck description is created for the bottleneck rule. Then, the bottleneck description is sent to the user interface. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177643 | Geocoding Multi-Feature Addresses - A system and method of parsing natural language descriptions of features to determine an approximate location. An embodiment includes splitting the natural language descriptions into components, geocoding each component, and returning the geocode with the highest confidence level. The geocode references a specific location, and this information may be determined by content from a variety of sources. The system may use an assortment of techniques for determining highest confidence level. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177644 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF MAPPING ATTENTION - The disclosure describes systems and methods of ranking user interest in physical entities based on the attention given to those entities as determined by an analysis of communications from devices over multiple communication channels. The attention ranking systems allow any “Who, What, When, Where” entity to be defined and ranked based, at least in part, on information obtained from communications between users and user proxy devices. An entity rank is generated for entity known to the system in which the entity rank is derived from the information in communications that are indicative of user actions related to the entity. The entity ranks are then used to modify the display of information or data associated with the entities. The system may also generate a personal rank for each entity based on the relation of the entity to a specified user. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177645 | ADAPTING A CONTEXT-INDEPENDENT RELEVANCE FUNCTION FOR IDENTIFYING RELEVANT SEARCH RESULTS - Techniques for predicting user interests based on information known about a specific context is provided. A context-independent relevance function is generated from information gathered from many users and/or from many documents (or files). Information about a specific context (e.g., a particular user, a particular group of users, or type of content) is used to adapt the CI relevance function to the specific context. Based on a query submitted by a user, the adapted relevance function is used to identify results that the user would most likely be interested in. Results may include references to webpages and advertisements. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177646 | Plug-In for Health Monitoring System - A monitoring and management system may use a plugin mechanism to add or update an interface to a managed service or device. The plugin may have capability to interface with the managed service or device, as well as an interface to a status database that may be populated by the managed service or device as well as other services or devices. The plugin may have rules that may be used to determine a status for the monitored service or device based on the statuses of several services or devices, and may also have rules that define a multi level query into the database to determine those services and devices. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177647 | Method and Apparatus for Conducting Data Queries Using Consolidation Strings and Inter-Node Consolidation - Query inefficiencies are improved and entity-interrelational blindness is overcome by employing two ideas: Consolidation Strings and Inter-Node Consolidation. These ideas can be typically employed in law-enforcement records systems (such as COPLINK systems), but is certainly not limited to such an application. Consolidation Strings represent key pieces of information that are in a text/character format, and may be encrypted/hashed. A system's hierarchy of consolidation rules automatically determine if two different rows in a database actually refer to the same real-world object. These rules are NOT statistical or probabilistic in nature, thus enhancing the confidence and reliability in the results. Three general classifications of Consolidation Strings are encompassed: Those based on positive identifiers, those based on demographic information, and those based on associative information that spans multiple-entity types. Inter-Node Consolidation provides a means to facilitate the communication of updated consolidation information between data-source nodes in order to leverage the advantages of Consolidation Strings. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177648 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ORGANIZING AND MANAGING TRUSTED HEALTH CARE REFERENCE INFORMATION - Computer systems, computer readable media, and methods for receiving a search query are provided. Responsive to the search query, data is searched. The data is organized into a plurality of therapeutic categories, each respective category comprising a plurality of documents that relate to the respective category, each document organized into a plurality of predetermined fields of information. Each document is associated with a single therapeutic category. The searching comprises (i) identifying a subset of the plurality of therapeutic categories that pertain to the search query, (ii) identifying a subset of documents that pertain to the search query, and (iii) identifying a subset of fields of information contained in documents in the data that pertain to the search query. The subset of the plurality of therapeutic categories, the subset of documents that pertain to the search query, and the subset of fields of information that pertain to the search query are outputted. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177649 | Answer Search System and Method - An answer searching system and method is disclosed herein. The answer searching system includes a user, a database, a few of experts and a service platform. The user sends at least one question by a communication device. The database stores a number of experts' data. The experts are corresponding to the experts' data stored in the database. The service platform is used to receive the questions sent from the user and search a suitable expert's data in accordance with the question in the database. Therefore, the service platform contacts the expert to answer the question and send the expert's answer back to the user. The user gives a feedback to the expert and save the feedback in the expert's data of the database. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177650 | METHOD, COMMUNICATION SYSTEM AND COLLECTION CONTROLLER ALLOWING THIRD PARTY INFLUENCE ON THE PROVISION OF A SERVICE TO A USER STATION - A content provider provides a content provider and service identification to a collection controller. The collection controller retrieves content provider and service specific service provision characteristics from a user subscription database and sets these service provision characteristics as a filter in a service provision control device to be used in the provision of a service from the content provider to the user equipment. Thus, the content provider, through the retrieved content server & service related characteristics from the user subscriber database, can influence the charging and transmission policies used by service provision control device for providing the service. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177651 | INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE AND METHOD, PROGRAM, AND RECORDING MEDIUM - An information processing device includes: a user information obtaining unit configured to obtain information relating to data of content that a user has used; a meta information obtaining unit configured to obtain content meta information corresponding to content that the user has used; a first vector generating unit configured to generate a first user preference vector with each of the obtained content meta information as elements thereof; a second vector generating unit configured to generate a second user preference vector wherein the generated first user preference vector is analyzed and the number of elements of the first user preference vector is compressed; and a user identifying unit configured to identify a user corresponding to a second user preference vector having a high similarity to a second user preference vector determined beforehand from multiple second user preference vectors. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177652 | MOBILE SEARCH SERVICE - At least some embodiments of this invention provide for a way to mix mobile content found as a result of searching and/or browsing on the Internet. Aspects of the invention provides software, systems (meaning software and hardware to run the software) or an exchange of signals with users to provide a mobile content service. Other related aspects provide methods for providing or using such a search service. According to one aspect there is provided a query server to provide a search service for searching computer accessible content, the query server being arranged to receive a search query from a user on a mobile device, output said search query to multiple sources of indexable information, input an individual list of results from each of said multiple sources together with a scoring for each result wherein each result has a position in its associated individual list determined by its scoring, combine said lists of results to form a single combined list wherein results in said single combined list are ranked using a combination of their scoring and position in their respective individual list and send said combined list of search results to a user's mobile device. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177653 | IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS AND IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD - In an image processing apparatus according to the present invention, a scanning unit reads out image information regarding original document; an analyzing unit extracts layout information regarding character regions and character addition information added to characters within the character regions from the image information; an OCR processing unit converts the character regions included in the layout information extracted by the analyzing unit into character information; an extracting unit extracts one or more keywords comprised of a plurality of characters from the character information; a searching unit obtains meta-information by use of the extracted keywords; and an electronic document generating unit generates an electronic document according to description of a predetermined format by adding the meta-information to the character information. According to the present invention, it is possible to properly add secondly available information to electronized information. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177654 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR LEVERAGING MEDIA VIA USER RATING DATA - A method and system for leveraging user media file rating data. In one aspect, the system comprises a component in communication with a plurality of media file related services, a rating storage, and a component for making the user rating data available to be used by plural services so that each respective service can use the rating data to tailor a user experience during interaction by the particular user with the respective service. In one aspect, the user preference rating is received from any of the media file related services. In one aspect the user preference rating information and the associated media file information are associated with a particular user regardless of the respective media file related service the preference rating was received from. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177655 | CATEGORY SEARCHING - Performing a category search to identify categories of web sites that relate to a search term includes receiving at least one search term that then is compared with a hierarchy of category identifiers, and with terms related to one or more categories, to determine whether matches exist. A category identifier is selected based on the matches that are determined to exist within the hierarchy and the terms, and at least the category identifier is displayed. Performing a search to identify web sites and categories of web sites that relate to a search term also may include receiving at least one search term that then is compared with a list of recommended web sites, previously performed searches, a hierarchy of category identifiers, and terms related to one or more categories to determine whether matches exist. Results based on matches that are determined to exist are displayed. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177656 | TECHNIQUES FOR EVALUATING PATENT IMPACTS - Techniques for evaluating patent impacts are provided. A claim of a patent is normalized and an abstract of the claim is generated. The abstract is used to search a repository of target sources and their corresponding abstracts. Related abstracts found during the search are returned for purposes of evaluating the claim in view of data sources associated with the related abstracts. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177657 | IN-PLACE SORTING USING NODE SPECIFIC MASK WIDTH - A method and system for in-place sorting S sequences of binary bits stored contiguously in an array within a memory device of a computer system prior to the sorting. Each sequence includes contiguous fields of bits. Program code is executed at each node of a linked execution structure in a hierarchical sequence. Each node includes a segment of the array. Executing program code at each node includes: identifying R sequences of the S sequences at each node; ascertaining a mask width W that is specific to each node and is a function of R; dividing the R sequences of the node into G groups of sequences based on a mask field having the mask width W, wherein G=2 | 2009-07-09 |
20090177658 | FINE-GRAINED AND CONCURRENT ACCESS TO A VIRTUALIZED DISK IN A DISTRIBUTED SYSTEM - A method for updating a block on disk is provided. The method involves one or more clients committing log records to queues corresponding to blocks. The method further involves checkpointing, which includes obtaining a flushing lock on the queue by a client, receiving log records from the queue, applying the log records to a block on disk, and deleting the log records from the queue. A block on disk may be updated by first applying the log records from a queue to a locally cached version of the block corresponding to the queue. The locally cached version may then be stored on the disk replacing the original block on disk or being stored as a new version of the original block. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177659 | System and Method for Cyber-Expo Operating Multi-Exhibition and Managing Cumulative Data - The present invention relates to a system and a method for cyber-expo operating multi-exhibition and managing cumulate data. The system for cyber-expo operating multi-exhibition and managing cumulate data comprises an exhibition material database which stores materials necessary for exhibition; a virtual space; at least one web server; a managing server; a main system. Further, in the system for cyber-expo according to the present invention, the main system selects one from a plurality of web servers, matches the exhibition material of the participant, and automatically generates the virtual exhibition space. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177660 | DOCUMENT MANAGING SYSTEM, INFORMATION PROCESSING DEVICE, DOCUMENT MANAGING METHOD, AND PROGRAM - An optical document managing server determines whether or not an access authority for accessing a document under its management is within a valid period preset on a per entry unit when receiving an access request for accessing the document from a client terminal, and permits access to the document when the access authority is within the valid period. This enables automatic access control for only limited users in access authority functions. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177661 | EMULATED STORAGE SYSTEM - Systems and methods for efficient storage of data are provided. For instance, a method that includes acts of receiving a data stream to be stored on a first storage system, the data stream comprising a data object and metadata that describes attributes of the data object, extracting the metadata from the data stream, storing the data object on the first storage system and storing the extracted metadata, separately from the data object, on a computer-readable medium is disclosed. Additionally, a storage system is disclosed that includes a first storage medium, an interface configured to receive a data stream including a data object to be stored on the first storage medium and a controller. The controller may be configured to extract metadata from the data stream, the metadata being descriptive of attributes of the data object, and to direct the extracted metadata to be stored on a computer-readable medium. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177662 | ABSTRACTION FOR REPRESENTING AN OBJECT IRRESPECTIVE OF CHARACTERISTICS OF THE OBJECT - Methods and systems for providing easy access to information and sharing are provided. Embodiments of the present invention enable a host to grant access to published content to one or more users in a manner in which the user(s) can scan small portions of information to decide which information is desired. The embodiments described herein enable, for example, a user to see a library of content that is larger than the storage capacity of the computing unit used by the user. The sharing of information is also secured through the use of auto-lock keys and the creation of abstract identities for the host and each user. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177663 | SOFTWARE, DEVICES AND METHODS FACILITATING EXECUTION OF SERVER-SIDE APPLICATIONS AT MOBILE DEVICES - Software, devices and methods allowing varied mobile devices to interact with server side software applications are disclosed. Data from an application executing at a computing device is presented at a remote wireless device by providing the device an application definition file, containing definitions for a user interface format for the application at the wireless device; the format of network messages for exchange of data generated by the application; and a format for storing data related to the application at the wireless device. Using these definitions, the wireless device may receive data from the application in accordance with the definition and present an interface for the application. Preferably, the application definition file is an XML file. Similarly, application specific network messages provided to the device are also formed using XML. Data from the application may be presented at the mobile device by virtual machine software that uses the application definition file. | 2009-07-09 |
20090177664 | System and Method for Regulatory Rules Repository Generation and Maintenance - A system and method for deriving compliance requirements from statutes, regulations, case law, official interpretations, attorney general opinions, determination and other interpretive letters, administrative agency regulations, and sources prescribing and interpreting compliance requirements for a jurisdiction, preparing compliance rules documentation that reflect these regulatory requirements, creating computer-encoded compliance rules from the compliance rules documentation, and storing these computer-encoded compliance rules in a compliance rules repository within a regulatory compliance computer system. The jurisdiction may be Federal, state or local authority. The regulatory compliance computer system makes use of the computer-encoded compliance rules by extracting compliance review data from a institution's data system and archiving the institution's data file in a compliance review file database, comparing the compliance review file against the applicable computer-encoded compliance rules in the rules repository, and preparing a regulatory compliance results file that captures noncompliant data in the institution's data system. | 2009-07-09 |