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|35th week of 2013 patent applcation highlights part 73
|Patent application number
|SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS - Improved systems and methods are provided for identifying financial relationships. In particular, financial relationships may be identified by associating tradelines with one or more people who sign or co-sign on the tradeline. In various embodiments a method is provided comprising, receiving, at a computer-based system for credit data analysis comprising a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory, credit reporting data relating to a tradeline, parsing, by the computer-based system, the credit reporting data to yield primary debtor data and secondary debtor data, and linking, by the computer-based system, the tradeline with the primary debtor data and the secondary debtor data.
|SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS - Improved systems and methods are provided for identifying financial relationships. In particular, financial relationships may be identified by associating tradelines with one or more people who sign or co-sign on the tradeline. In various embodiments a method is provided comprising, receiving, at a computer-based system for credit data analysis comprising a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory, credit reporting data relating to a tradeline, parsing, by the computer-based system, the credit reporting data to yield primary debtor data and secondary debtor data, and linking, by the computer-based system, the tradeline with the primary debtor data and the secondary debtor data.
|SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS - Improved systems and methods are provided for identifying financial relationships. In particular, financial relationships may be identified by associating tradelines with one or more people who sign or co-sign on the tradeline. In various embodiments a method is provided comprising, receiving, at a computer-based system for credit data analysis comprising a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory, credit reporting data relating to a tradeline, parsing, by the computer-based system, the credit reporting data to yield primary debtor data and secondary debtor data, and linking, by the computer-based system, the tradeline with the primary debtor data and the secondary debtor data.
|SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING FINANCIAL RELATIONSHIPS - Improved systems and methods are provided for identifying financial relationships. In particular, financial relationships may be identified by associating tradelines with one or more people who sign or co-sign on the tradeline. In various embodiments a method is provided comprising, receiving, at a computer-based system for credit data analysis comprising a processor and a tangible, non-transitory memory, credit reporting data relating to a tradeline, parsing, by the computer-based system, the credit reporting data to yield primary debtor data and secondary debtor data, and linking, by the computer-based system, the tradeline with the primary debtor data and the secondary debtor data.
|SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREDIT BALANCE TRANSFER OFFER OPTIMIZATION - A computer based method for selecting a balance transfer pricing offer for an individual financial account. The method includes selecting a plurality of balance transfer offers, each balance transfer offer comprising balance transfer pricing and duration criteria, executing computer executable instructions comprising one or more predictive models that estimate for the individual financial account and each of the balance transfer offers a plurality of parameters such as a probability of a response as well as a plurality of financial parameters, scoring the estimate of the one or more predictive models to determine an expected financial benefit for each of the balance transfer offers, determining, for the individual financial account, an optimal balance transfer offer among the plurality of the balance transfer offers by way of maximizing the expected financial benefit based on a plurality of constraints, and assigning to the individual financial account the optimal balance transfer offer.
|TAX REFUND LOAN SYSTEM ABSENT IRS AND FMS DEBT INDICATOR - An aspect of the present invention is a tax refund loan or purchasing system for use in making loan or purchase decisions. The system is an integrated computer system capable of receiving, sending, processing, storing, manipulating financial information as part of an overall loan or purchase decision-making system. The system incorporates certain Internal Revenue Service debt information with certain non-Internal Revenue Service debt information in making loan or purchase decisions.
|SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ASSET VALUATION - Systems and methods for asset valuation, whole loan processing and inventory management is described. The systems and methods may include modules. An asset valuation tool may use multiple data sources for producing current and predicted future values and historical and intermediate data points on a requested timeline. A loan information pricing tool may perform unlimited volumes of loan program eligibility and multi-variable pricings on a user desktop. A workout activity tracking tool may capture, monitor, measure and report on a loan workout process including direct hosting and integration of the asset valuation tool and the loan information pricing tool. The present invention may offer diverse and competitive modular components as well as an integrated and innovative platform that does not exist in the market.
|METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEVELOPMENT AND USE OF A CREDIT SCORE BASED ON SPEND CAPACITY - Share of Wallet ("SOW") is a modeling approach that utilizes various data sources to provide outputs that describe a consumers spending capability, tradeline history including balance transfers, and balance information. These outputs can be appended to data profiles of customers and prospects and can be utilized to support decisions involving prospecting, new applicant evaluation, and customer management across the lifecycle. A SOW score focusing on a consumer's spending capability can he used in the same manner as a credit bureau score.
|Payment Account Management - Disclosed are various embodiments for charging one or more accounts based on user-created business rules for transactions that occur on a master account. The transaction management application identifies the master account associated with the charge request. Once the master account has been identified, the transaction management application determines which of the other accounts to charge or debit for the charge request.
|EMAIL CLIENT MONEY EXCHANGE INTERFACE - Techniques for enabling a user of the email client application to exchange messages related to online transaction accounts are disclosed. An email client application may display a transaction account interface that enables a user of the email client application to send specialized messages related to the user's online transaction account. For example, the specialized messages may include money transfer instructions, money request instructions, and referral messages.
|System and Method for Adding Funds to a Prepaid Account for a Mobile Device Associated with Multiple Communication Profiles - A communication management system receives, from a local cellular network operator, a communication indicating that a payment has been made to the local cellular network operator for a mobile device using a local communication profile. The communication management system identifies, based on the local communication profile, a home communication profile of the mobile device. The home communication profile is associated with a home cellular network operator that is distinct from the local cellular network operator. The communication management system sends, to the home cellular network operator, a request to add funds to a prepaid account that is associated with the home communication profile of the mobile device.
|In-Card Access Control and Monotonic Counters for Offline Payment Processing System - Preventing fraud during an offline transaction by encoding a randomly-generated card verification code onto a smart card. The verification code is transmitted to a contactless device during each transaction, wherein it is cross-referenced with the account number to ensure presence of the card. Also, every transaction record is signed by an access key resident on the contactless device and certified by a signing key resident on a remote system. Funds may be deposited onto the card when the contactless device creates a deposit request, signs the request using an access key and transmits it to the remote system, which in turn processes the request and certifies it with a signing key. Funds may be withdrawn when the contactless device creates a withdrawal record and signs it using an access key. The remote system verifies the signatures and certifies the records using a signing key when the records are later transmitted.
|SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROCESSING PAYMENT DURING AN ELECTRONIC COMMERCE TRANSACTION - A method and system for processing payment during an electronic commerce transaction is described herein. The system includes: a mobile device configured to provide an electronic wallet storing a payment card, the payment card comprising card payment information, and a card security credential. The system may also include a coordination server configured to receive a request to conduct the electronic commerce transaction, and send an activation message to the mobile device to activate the electronic wallet. When the electronic wallet is activated, the mobile device may be further configured to: receive a card selection input indicating selection of the payment card for payment in the electronic commerce transaction; verify a security input against the card security credential of the payment card; and send the card payment information and confirmation that the payment card was present during the verifying for use in completing the electronic commerce transaction.
|METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR AUTHORIZING A PAYMENT VIA A REMOTE DEVICE - A method of and system for authorizing a transaction remotely is disclosed. A customer uses a computer to browse for a product displayed on the internet. The customer may enter a unique number into the computer. The unique number is authorized and an authorization code is sent to the customer's communication device. The customer enters the authorization code into the computer to complete the transaction.
|SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR FACILITATING CASH-BASED ECOMMERCE TRANSACTIONS - Systems and methods are provided for facilitating alternative payment submissions. According to a one aspect, responsive to a selection by a purchaser that enables receipt of an alternative payment submission in furtherance of a transaction between the purchaser and a vendor, a transaction notification is received, the transaction notification including a payment amount and corresponding to the transaction, a unique identifier is generated, the unique identifier corresponding to the transaction notification, and the unique identifier is provided to a paying party in order to facilitate receipt of the alternative payment submission in furtherance of the transaction. An input of the unique identifier is received at an automated teller machine (ATM), the alternative payment submission is elicited at the ATM, and the vendor is notified of receipt of the alternative payment submission.
|VEHICLE IMMOBILIZING DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS - A vehicle immobilizing device includes a lock, a user interface, memory configured to store an unlock code, and a processor. The lock has a latch mechanism and the processor controls movement of the latch mechanism from a locked position to an unlocked position so that the immobilizing device can be removed from a vehicle. A person installing the immobilizing device on a vehicle utilizes the user interface to enter and store an unlock code and an identification code in the device memory at the time of installation. Upon payment of an outstanding fine, a vehicle owner is provided with an unlock code. To remove the device from the vehicle the owner utilizes the user interface to enter unlock code and the processor causes the latch mechanism to move to the unlocked position upon determining that the unlock code input via the user interface matches an unlock code stored in the memory.
|Presence-of-Card Code for Offline Payment Processing System - Preventing fraud during an offline transaction by encoding a randomly-generated card verification code onto a smart card. The verification code is transmitted to a contactless device during each transaction, wherein it is cross-referenced with the account number to ensure presence of the card. Also, every transaction record is signed by an access key resident on the contactless device and certified by a signing key resident on a remote system. Funds may be deposited onto the card when the contactless device creates a deposit request, signs the request using an access key and transmits it to the remote system, which in turn processes the request and certifies it with a signing key. Funds may be withdrawn when the contactless device creates a withdrawal record and signs it using an access key. The remote system verifies the signatures and certifies the records using a signing key when the records are later transmitted.
|Transaction Signature for Offline Payment Processing System - Preventing fraud during an offline transaction by encoding a randomly-generated card verification code onto a smart card. The verification code is transmitted to a contactless device during each transaction, wherein it is cross-referenced with the account number to ensure presence of the card. Also, every transaction record is signed by an access key resident on the contactless device and certified by a signing key resident on a remote system. Funds may be deposited onto the card when the contactless device creates a deposit request, signs the request using an access key and transmits it to the remote system, which in turn processes the request and certifies it with a signing key. Funds may be withdrawn when the contactless device creates a withdrawal record and signs it using an access key. The remote system verifies the signatures and certifies the records using a signing key when the records are later transmitted.
|METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AUTOMATING PAYMENTS UTILIZING RULES AND CONSTRAINTS - An event that potentially relates to payments of an entity is detected by an electronic payment system. In response to detecting the event, automatically and without user intervention, a set of rules relating to the payments of the entity that relates to the event is retrieved, financial information relating to the set of rules relating is retrieved, a payment is determined based on the event, the set of rules and the financial information and the payment is effected. The rules may be user defined and stored in a rules database. The financial information may be drawn from the electronic payment system and/or websites of various service providers based on one or more rules. The payment may be scheduled for future execution, or may be executed immediately based on one or more rules.
|AUTHENTICATION PROCESS FOR VALUE TRANSFER MACHINE - Embodiments of the invention are directed towards improved transaction processing methods and systems with transaction apparatuses, including a value transfer machine, using a device identifier instead of a value transfer machine card to process a transaction. One embodiment of the transaction may be directed to a transaction apparatus and a method including receiving an authentication code from a consumer, sending the authentication code to a first server computer, wherein if the received authentication code matches a generated authentication code, the first server sends a confirmation message. The method continues by receiving the confirmation message from the first server, receiving a secret token from the consumer, and sending an authorization request message to a second server computer. Thereafter, the transaction apparatus receives an authorization response message from the second server, indicating whether the secret token matches an expected token. Other embodiments are directed to first and second servers and corresponding methods.
|System and Method for Authenticating a Payment Transaction - A system and method of authenticating a payment transaction between a merchant and a customer in an electronic payment system are described. Transaction details presented by the merchant are received at a mobile electronic device, the customer is authenticated by means of an authentication token presented by the customer at an authentication terminal, and the geo-location of the mobile electronic device and the authentication terminal are compared to verify that the device and terminal are within a predefined geographical distance at the time the payment transaction is processed.
|METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FACILITATING MICROPAYMENTS IN A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION SYSTEM - A system for processing accounts includes a database configured to store a plurality of accounts, the accounts including a consumer account associated with a consumer and a plurality of merchant accounts including a transacting merchant account associated with a merchant, wherein at least one account includes an amount of a virtual currency associated with the account. The system further includes a processor configured to process a financial transaction, wherein the transaction includes the consumer and the merchant, is for a specified amount of virtual currency, and processing the transaction includes transferring the specified amount of virtual currency from the consumer account to the transacting merchant account. The processor is further configured to process the at least one account, wherein processing the at least one account includes converting the associated amount of virtual currency to or from a real currency when the at least one account meets a predetermined criteria.
|VERIFICATION VALUE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A method is disclosed. The method includes generating a verification value in response to a transaction involving a portable consumer device, where the verification value is generated using a first dynamic data element and a second dynamic data element. The verification value is sent to a service provider associated with the portable consumer device so that the service provider can verify the transaction.
|METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AUTHENTICATING AN ENTITY USING TRANSACTION PROCESSING - A system for authenticating an entity includes a database configured to store a profile associated with an entity, the profile including at least an authentication status; a supplying device configured to supply transaction details including a unique virtual payment number (VPN) to a third party entity to be authenticated; a receiving means for receiving an authorization request that includes transaction details that include a VPN; and a processor configured to capture, from the authorization request, transaction details for a payment card transaction wherein the transaction details includes at least a payment card number, authenticate the entity requesting a transaction by comparing the captured transaction details including a payment card number to the supplied unique VPN, and update, in the database, the authentication status in the profile associated with the entity based on the authenticating of the entity based on said authentication.
|MULTI-SOURCE DEBIT CARD OBJECT ORIENTED SYSTEM AND METHOD - The present invention involves a server based system and method which enables multiple source reloading of a single debit card. The multiple-source debit card system and method allows multiple individuals to provide funds to a single debit card without the multiple individuals needing to know any bank account information. Multiple sources, optionally identified through a multi-factor identification may reload the account associated with the debit card. Alternatively, a closed loop debit card may be funded from multiple sources. The system and method identifies the participants for purposes of the financial transaction, although the identification of the recipient may be managed by the donor.
|PROTECTION FOR EXCEEDING A CREDIT THRESHOLD - In general terms, embodiments of the present invention relate to methods and apparatuses for providing protection for exceeding a credit threshold. In embodiments of the present invention are configured to: (a) receive a request to authorize a transaction involving a credit account, (b) determine that the credit account will exceed the credit threshold as a result of the transaction, and (c) authorize the transaction based at least partially on a determination that the credit account has protection through a source account for exceeding the credit threshold. As another example, other embodiments of the present invention are additionally and/or alternatively configured to: (a) determine that a credit account has exceeded, or will exceed the credit threshold as a result of a transaction, and (b) transfer funds from a source account to the credit account in an amount sufficient to offset the amount which exceeds the credit threshold.
|Utilizing a Trigger Order with Multiple Counterparties in Implied Market Trading - An electronic trading system utilizes a Match Engine that receives orders, stores them internally, calculates tradable combinations and advertises the availability of real and implied orders in the form of market data. Calculating tradable combinations or cycles for certain strategies becomes complex. Strategies that utilize legs having different volume ratios may form tradable combinations that will traverse a trigger order more than one time.
|ONLINE FUNDS TRANSFER METHOD - A method is provided for transferring funds related to a checkout process for a transaction initiated between a user and a merchant. The method may include storing information on a plurality of asset accounts associated with the user and receiving selection of a first account from the plurality of asset accounts as possible choices. The method may also include receiving authorization via the interface from the user to pay the merchant from the first account. The method may further include providing a digital IOU to the merchant and receiving a redemption request of the digital IOU. The method may additionally include determining, automatically with a funds transfer server, a second account associated with the merchant, and initiating, automatically with the funds transfer server in response to the redemption request, an electronic transfer between the first account and the second account that is related to the checkout process for the transaction.
|Authorization System - An authorization system including an authorization server, an account server for storing account data relating to a plurality of accounts and an access terminal for inputting data that identifies one of the plurality of accounts.
|METHOD AND APPARATUS ENABLING IMPROVED PROTECTION OF CONSUMER INFORMATION IN ELECTRONIC TRANSACTIONS - According to a commercial method of the present invention, a merchant forwards transaction data to a consumer. If the consumer accepts the transaction, a payment command is forwarded to a service provider. The service provider selectively applies authentication before approving payment. Once payment is approved, the service provider forwards a payment instruction, including consumer account information, to a payment service. The payment service forwards payment to the merchant and a payment confirmation is returned to the service provider and, through the service provider, to the consumer. The service provider stores information about each transaction performed by each subscriber. Consumer identity is protected because it is only exchanged between the service provider and the payment service, and is not made available to the merchant. In addition, the storage of the transaction information by various devices facilitates the return process and adds marketing capability to the service provider.
|SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CERTIFYING A WILL - A system for certifying the status of a will having a security device adapted to be affixed to a will. A server creates an account reference number and a version identification; the version identification corresponds to a version of a will to which the security device is affixed The security device contains information, which includes at the least one of the account reference number and the version identification. A remote computing device communicates with the server and communicates information contained in the security device to the server. A database communicates with the server and stores the version identification and account reference number. The server maps the version identification to the account reference number. A system that will locate the last and legitimate will regardless of which version of the will is initially referenced.
|TRUSTED THIRD PARTY CLEARING HOUSE FOR LEAD TRACKING - A method and system for tracking sales leads includes receiving, with a processor of a lead clearing house server and over a network, messages that include personal lead information encrypted with a one-way hash algorithm, each message comprising at least one encrypted lead. The processor may store the received encrypted leads in memory of the server in relation to a log containing activity history with relation to respective encrypted leads. The processor may compare the encrypted personal lead information of the stored encrypted leads with personal lead information of received encrypted leads. The processor may update the log of respective encrypted leads responsive to identifying a match between personal lead information of a received and a stored encrypted lead. The processor may communicate, over the network to a participant that sent the matching encrypted lead, a status based on the updated log related to the matching encrypted lead.
|CLOUD PROXY SECURED MOBILE PAYMENTS - A secure payment system provisions a payment transaction proxy with virtual EMV-type chipcards on secure backend servers. Users authorize the proxy in each transaction to make payments in the Cloud for them. The proxy carries out the job without exposing the cryptographic keys to risk. User, message, and/or device authentication in multifactor configurations are erected in realtime to validate each user's intent to permit the proxy to sign for a particular transaction on the user's behalf. Users are led through a series of steps by the proxy to validate their authenticity and intent, sometimes incrementally involving additional user devices and communications channels that were pre-registered. Authentication risk can be scored by the proxy, and high risk transactions that are identified are tasked by further incrementally linking in more user devices, communications channels, and user challenges to increase the number of security factors required to authenticate.
|Cyberspace Identification Trust Authority (CITA) System and Method - When two parties of a cyberspace transaction register their identity attributes under a CITA system each party is assigned a unique, encrypted and digitally signed identity token. When the consuming party seeks access too, or payment for, cyberspace services, the providing party submits their identity token to the consuming party. The consuming party creates a request token, containing both the consumers' and the providers' identity tokens, and the transaction related information, to the CITA system. The CITA system validates the identity tokens and either creates a payment confirmation token by processing the payment request, or creates an access confirmation token by dynamically defining the minimal consumer identity attributes required to gain access to the provider's service. The confirmation token is encrypted and digitally signed and returned to the consumer, and then forwarded to the provider to complete the transaction without either party openly exchanging personal identity attributes.
|MEDIA DEVICE PAYMENTS REMOTE CONTROL PERSONALIZATION AND PROTECTION - A server is operable to receive a media device identifying number (ID) and to create an established association between the media device with a payment account and to support at least one of payment authorization and payment clearing based at least in part on the media device ID and the payment account. The server is further operable to produce the payment account information to a smart card personalization service server to facilitate creation of a smart card with the payment account information that is associated with the media device. The server is also operable to produce the media device ID to the smart card personalization service server to facilitate creation of a smart card with the payment account information based in part on the media device ID.
|METHOD OF PERFORMING A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION VIA UNSECURED PUBLIC TELECOMMUNICATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND AN APPARATUS FOR SAME - A method of performing a financial transaction via unsecured public telecommunication infrastructure comprising collecting data relating to a specified financial transaction type; building a transaction token including collected data and/or data derived from the collected data; encrypting the transaction token; creating a financial transaction protocol message incorporating the encrypted transaction token as dependent on a selected transport channel through which the message is to be conveyed; and conveying the financial transaction protocol message using the selected transport channel and by way of the unsecured public telecommunication infrastructure to a destination where the financial transaction protocol message will be further processed is disclosed.
|CREATING CUSTOMIZED PROJECT PLANS INTEGRATED WITH USER DATA STORES - Embodiments modify project plans to create customized project plans for a user. A project plan having one or more project content items is created according to a pre-defined schema. The user customizes the project plan by adding, removing, and/or substituting project content items or properties (e.g., adjust the timing for accomplishing tasks). The customized project plan is analyzed to identify the project content items that correspond to user data stores available on a computing device. The user data stores include, for example, calendar appointments, tasks, and shopping lists. The project content items are integrated with the user data stores, such as by creating calendar entries, adding tasks, and adding items to the shopping lists. A manifest is defined to describe and record the integrated project content items and the corresponding user data stores.
|METHOD FOR AN INVENTOR AND PATENT AGENT TO COLLABORATE IN PREPARAING A PATENT APPLICATION - A processing center establishes a link over the internet between the inventor and an independent the patent agent structuring a set of claims and partial sections of a patent application to be returned by the processing center to the inventor for final editing. The picture claim is copied into the description and old elements before a coded phrase in the broad is copied into the prior art section while the new element after the coded phrase are copied into the summary section; all of which is returned by the processing center to the inventor combined with an inventor-computer word processing program for editing by the inventor. The inventor-computer word processing program is tied to the set of claims for preventing use of the inventor-computer word processing program with other documents. The processing center assigns subject matter classification numbers to inventor disclosures and to patent agents for avoiding a conflict by a patent agent.
|Systems and Methods for Facilitating Campaign Contributions Through Links to Independent Financial Transactions - A method for facilitating contributions to a political campaign wherein a financial transaction involving property is linked to a conditional pledge. A fundraising program facilitates the transactions which directly contribute to affiliated political campaign fundraising organizations. A property seller aligns with the fundraising program to list their property for sale. The seller selects a political campaign to receive the pledge upon sale of their property. The fundraising program affiliates agent/brokers to sell the listed property. In the preferred method of the present invention, the affiliated agent/broker sells a property listed by the fundraising program to a fundraising program referred buyer. All fees and transactions are regulated through a title company at closing. The title company funds a commission to the agent/broker, a referral fee to the fundraising program, a nominal administrative fee to the fundraising program, and a percentage of the property's sale price to the political campaign.
|MACHINE-BASED BUSINESS OBJECT VALIDATION - Validating business objects is described, including: receiving from a client device associated with a requesting user a validation request associated with a business object; determining identification information associated with the business object from the validation request; obtaining historical data associated with the business object based at least in part on identification information associated with the business object, wherein the historical data includes data associated with one or more previous buyers of the business object; and selecting at least one previous buyer from the one or more previous buyers to validate the business object.
|DETERMINING ADVOCACY METRICS BASED ON USER GENERATED CONTENT - Techniques for determining an advocacy metric for a particular person are described. User generated content (UGC) authored by the particular person may be received. Each of the plurality of UGC items may be associated with the particular person's opinion of a respective particular one of the plurality of goods or services. An advocacy metric, indicative of a degree of advocacy for the particular person, for the plurality of goods or services, may be determined for the particular person based on the plurality of UGC items.
|METHOD & APPARTUS FOR IMPROVING THE SKILLSET OF A SALES CANDIDATE BY USING SALES COACHING APPLICATIONS COUPLED TO E-LEARNING TOOLS - A method and apparatus is disclosed to improve a set of tasks performed by a salesperson. In some embodiments, a method comprises of receiving information about competencies being performed by a salesperson in order to complete a sales transaction, wherein each of the competencies associated with a salesperson is given a quantitative value. In some embodiments, the method comprises of identifying tasks being performed by the salesperson to support said competencies and assigning an individual value to said tasks in a manner to affect the quantitative value of the competencies. In some embodiments, a method for generating revenue by hyperlinking the tasks performed by a salesperson to e-learning courses is disclosed. In some embodiments, a method comprising of determining and assigning an e-learning course for a salesperson, and negotiating billing and revenue sharing plans is disclosed.
|METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING COMPLIANCE CHECKING OF DIRECT SHIPMENT OF WINES - A method of compliance checking includes defining a set of rules related to shipping alcohol to a region. Compliance checking is performed by determining if a shipping client associated with a plurality of shipping orders is compliant with each of the set of rules when executing a plurality of shipping orders to the region. Further, an indication is given indicating whether the client is compliant with the set of rules in relation to execution of the plurality of shipping orders.
|APPARATUS AND METHODS FOR PROCESSING MAIL USING A MANIFEST - Methods and apparatus for manifesting mailpieces, processing mailpieces from a mail system, and certifying a mail system are provided. A mailpiece is received at a manifest mailing system and mailing information from the mailpiece is obtained. manifest of the mailpiece is created and the mail piece is then delivered using the manifest. Based on a certification of the mail system, an accuracy of a portion of the manifest may be selectively determined. Based on the accuracy of the portion of the manifest, the mailpieces are then conditionally delivered using the manifest. To determine a certification, test information may be provided to a mail system. A manifest generated by the mail system is then received. The accuracy of the manifest based on the test information is determined and a certification level is then assigned to the mail system.
|Methods, Software and Devices for Managing Approval of a Proposed Contract With Multiple Decision Makers - Methods, software, and devices for requesting approvals for a proposed contract from a plurality of hierarchical decision-makers are disclosed. A plurality of contract parameters of the proposed contract are received. Using the parameters, those decision-makers from whom approval of the proposed contract is required are automatically identified by comparing those parameters to stored approval criteria. An electronic representation of differences between the plurality of contract parameters and a prior-received contract parameters is generated. Identified decision-makers are arranged in a defined hierarchical order. The generated electronic representation of differences is electronically communication to the first identified decision-maker in the hierarchy, as ordered. Approval by the first identified decision-maker is received by electronic notification. Sending the generated electronic representation of differences and receiving approval are repeated for each subsequent decision-maker, as ordered. Ultimately, electronic notification of approval may be provided to at least one stakeholder.
|AUTOMATED MAPPING OF PRODUCT ADJACENCY GROUPS WITH MERCHANDISING PERSISTENCE LOGIC - A system for generating a product subgroup map for a product adjacency group is disclosed. In one example, a user interface is configured for presenting data on product subgroups and receiving user inputs for user-editable mapping criteria for mapping the product subgroups in the product adjacency group. The user interface has options for editing and assigning priority values to the user-editable mapping criteria. The system generates a combined set of mapping criteria for the user-selected product subgroups based on the user-edited mapping criteria and non-user-editable mapping criteria, including a persistence criterion that prioritizes persisting product subgroup mapping positions from a previous product subgroup map. The system generates a product subgroup map based on the combined set of mapping criteria for the user-selected product subgroups and a set of physical store layout data for at least one store, and provides a graphical output of the product subgroup map.
|AUTOMATED MAPPING OF PRODUCT ADJACENCY GROUPS WITH SUBGROUP MAPPING MASS UPDATING - A system for generating a product subgroup map for a product adjacency group is disclosed. In one example, a user interface presents data on product subgroups and receives user inputs for user-editable mapping criteria. The user interface has user-selectable indications of a plurality of stores, and receives user inputs for the user-editable mapping criteria. The system generates a combined set of mapping criteria for the user-selected product subgroups based on the user-edited mapping criteria and non-user-editable mapping criteria. The system generates product subgroup maps for the selected product subgroups for the selected stores, based on the combined set of mapping criteria for the selected product subgroups and store layout data for each of a plurality of stores, and provides graphical outputs of the product subgroup maps.
|Enhanced Clearing House Collateral Management System with Capabilities to Transfer Excess Collateral to Other Users - Systems and methods are disclosed involving central clearing of forward contracts and/or other financial instruments. In particular, systems and methods for, among other things, transferring excess collateral between clearing members of a clearing house are disclosed. In some examples, systems and methods for efficient transfer of excess forward position collateral between the clearing members of a clearing house is disclosed. In some examples, the transferring may occur in the form of a sale and repurchase transaction (e.g., a "repo" transaction).
|SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EVALUATING ALTERNATIVE FINANCIAL PRODUCTS - Systems and methods for evaluating alternative financial products are provided. A first financial product offered by a financial institution may be identified, where one or more customers of the financial institution are eligible for migration from a second financial product to the first financial product. An attrition risk associated with migration of the one or more customers to the first financial product may be determined. If the attrition risk satisfies a threshold, then migration of the one or more customers to the first financial product may be directed. Otherwise, if the attrition risk fails to satisfy the threshold, then one or more characteristics associated with the first financial product may be modified.
|SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MIGRATING CUSTOMERS TO ALTERNATIVE FINANCIAL PRODUCTS - Systems and methods for migrating customers to alternative financial products are provided. A set of customers of a financial institution may be identified by a financial system that includes one or more computers. Each of the customers may be eligible for a migration from a first financial product to a second financial product. A pre-migration test may be conducted for a subset of the set of customers to determine an attrition risk associated with the migration of the set of customers to the second financial product. Based upon a determination that the attrition risk is acceptable, the migration of the set of customers from the first financial product to the second financial product may be directed.
|SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR TRANSACTIONAL RISK AND RETURN ANALYSIS - Transactional risk and return analysis systems provided herein include a transaction database and a market database. The transaction database includes data regarding transactions with associated attributes and the market database includes market data. A portfolio model uses such data to estimate a risk prediction for each transaction. A risk prediction model is generated based on the portfolio model and estimates a risk prediction for a prospective transaction, and a case cash flow analyzer produces a risk-breakeven spread. A transaction evaluator uses the risk prediction model and the risk-breakeven spread to calculated transaction risk and return data for a prospective transaction.
|COPPER INDEX METHODOLOGY - A computer-generated copper index usable as an investment benchmark for copper as an asset is based on a determination of eligible copper futures contracts based on an evaluation of backwardation or Contango, SCI excess return, and SCI total return.
|Computerized System and Process for Financial Planning - A computerized process for determining and recommending a type of target-date fund, such as "to" funds and "through" funds, for a retirement savings plan. The process can include the steps of receiving, by a computing device, data from a user, determining, by the computing device, a recommended type of target-date fund based at least in part on the received data, and outputting the recommended type of target-date fund for presentation to the user.
|Method and System For Generating Compliance Data - A computer implemented method for generating financial compliance data including generating by a computer system a risk tolerance questionnaire receiving data inputted by a user and stored in a first database on a computer readable medium in communication with the computer system; the risk tolerance questionnaire including data fields representative of a user's financial risk tolerance; generating by the computer system a know-your-client user profile stored in a second database on a computer readable medium in communication with the computer system; and mapping one or more fields from the first database onto one or more fields from the second database, such that the know-your-client user profile is at least partially completed with data obtained from the risk tolerance questionnaire.
|SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING THE FINANCIAL STATUS OF BONDS - Systems and methods for determining the financial status of a bond according to various aspects of the present invention may comprise a graphical user interface, a database linked to the graphical user interface, a bond analysis engine linked to the database, and a display. The graphical user interface may be configured to receive information associated with the bond from the user. The database may be linked to the graphical user interface and configured to store information associated with the bond from the user and retrieve the information associated with the bond from a data repository. The bond analysis engine may be linked to the database and configured to calculate a cost basis. The display may be configured to present the cost basis to the user.
|Real-Time Trade Forecaster - Forecasting financial market activity includes a host system and a graphical processing unit in data communication with the server. Forecasting financial market activity also includes a computer program product residing on the host system, the computer program product including instructions for causing the host system to send one or more financial models to the graphical processing unit; and a computer program product residing on the graphical processing unit for causing the graphical processing unit to: receive the financial models and a list of types of market data associated with each financial model; generate one or more engine instances; structure the received market data; receive instructions, from the host system, to run an identified financial model; clone at least part of the structured market data; run the engine instances; and generate, in real time, forecast data indicative of an expected market performance.
|Generating a Funding and Investment Strategy Associated with an Underfunded Pension Plan - Methods and apparatuses are described generating a funding and investment strategy associated with an underfunded pension plan. A computing device determines an amount of funding required to fund the pension plan to a predetermined liability limit, where the amount of funding required is adjusted for (i) an expected return on pension plan assets, (ii) governmental premiums imposed on underfunded pension plans, and (iii) tax deduction amounts. The computing device determines an amount of debt to incur based on the amount of funding required, and contributes the incurred debt amount into the pension plan as a pension plan asset. The computing device generates a strategic plan for investing the contributed pension plan asset in long-duration bonds, where the long-duration bonds have a higher yield curve than the incurred debt interest rate. The computing device acquires long-duration bonds that have characteristics consistent with the strategic plan.
|Content Pre-fetching for Computing Devices - The subject disclosure is directed towards a technology that timely pre-fetches content to a computing device based upon a prediction that a user will be requesting access to the content. Features comprising temporal features, spatial features, spatiotemporal features and/or other features associated with content are provided to a model trained at least in part with historical access data. The model returns information from which a determination of whether to pre-fetch the content is made.
|MISSING VALUE IMPUTATION FOR PREDICTIVE MODELS - Provided are techniques for imputing a missing value for each of one or more predictor variables. Data is received from one or more data sources. For each of the one or more predictor variables, an imputation model is built based on information of a target variable; a type of imputation model to construct is determined based on the one or more data sources, a measurement level of the predictor variable, and a measurement level of the target variable; and the determined type of imputation model is constructed using basic statistics of the predictor variable and the target variable. The missing value is imputed for each of the one or more predictor variables using the data from the one or more data sources and one or more built imputation models to generate a completed data set.
|ROBUST BAYESIAN MATRIX FACTORIZATION AND RECOMMENDER SYSTEMS USING SAME - In a recommender method, Bayesian Matrix Factorization (BMF) is performed on a matrix having user and item dimensions and matrix elements containing user ratings for items made by users in order to train a probabilistic collaborative filtering model. A recommendation is generated for a user using the probabilistic collaborative filtering model. The recommendation may comprise a predicted item rating, or an identification of one or more recommended items. The recommender method is suitably performed by an electronic data processing device. The BMF may employ non-Gaussian priors, such as Student-t priors. The BMF may additionally or alternatively employ a heteroscedastic noise model comprising priors that include (1) a row dependent variance component that depends upon the matrix row and (2) a column dependent variance component that depends upon the matrix column.
|Deriving a Nested Chain of Densest Subgraphs from a Graph - A nested chain of densest subgraphs is derived by a computer from a given graph that has multiple vertices and edges. The two ends of each edge are assigned with respective incident weights, and each vertex is given a vertex weight. A weight balancing process is carried out by the computer to iteratively go through the edges to adjust the incident weights of each edge and the vertex weights of the vertices connected by that edge to reduce a difference between the vertex weights of the two vertices. After the balancing, the vertex weights are put in an ordered sequence according to their values, and a nested chain of densest subgraphs is derived from the ordered sequence.
|EXTRACTION OF INFORMATION FROM CLINICAL REPORTS - A method for extracting information from electronic documents, including: learning terms and term variants from a training corpus, wherein the terms and the term variants correspond to a specialized dictionary related to the training corpus; generating a list of negative indicators found in the training corpus; performing a partial match of the terms and the term variants in a set of electronic documents to create initial match results; and performing a negation test using the negative indicators and a positive terms test using the terms and the term variants on the initial match results to remove matches from the initial match results that fail either the negation test or the positive terms test, resulting in final match results.
|MISSING VALUE IMPUTATION FOR PREDICTIVE MODELS - Provided are techniques for imputing a missing value for each of one or more predictor variables. Data is received from one or more data sources. For each of the one or more predictor variables, an imputation model is built based on information of a target variable; a type of imputation model to construct is determined based on the one or more data sources, a measurement level of the predictor variable, and a measurement level of the target variable; and the determined type of imputation model is constructed using basic statistics of the predictor variable and the target variable. The missing value is imputed for each of the one or more predictor variables using the data from the one or more data sources and one or more built imputation models to generate a completed data set.
|EXTRACTION OF INFORMATION FROM CLINICAL REPORTS - A method for extracting information from electronic documents, including: learning terms and term variants from a training corpus, wherein the terms and the term variants correspond to a specialized dictionary related to the training corpus; generating a list of negative indicators found in the training corpus; performing a partial match of the terms and the term variants in a set of electronic documents to create initial match results; and performing a negation test using the negative indicators and a positive terms test using the terms and the term variants on the initial match results to remove matches from the initial match results that fail either the negation test or the positive terms test, resulting in final match results.
|Content Summarizing and Search Method and System Using Thinking System - The present invention relates to a system and method for information process using artificially constructed apparatus. In one preferred embodiment of the present invention, if the task for the system of the present invention is to summarize document content, the thinking mode will first analyze the identification information of the element files for words (or phrases) in the document to identify key words (or phrases), then the key words (or phrases) will be analyzed to establish links between key words (phrases). By the frequency of appearances of the key words (or phrases), in combination of the appearances of other key words (or phrases) that are related to the key words, the most important key word (or phrase) or key words (or phrases) can be obtained. Thus the document can be summarized by the most important key word (or phrase) or key words (or phrases) as the topic (or topics) of the document.
|Instruction System with Eyetracking-Based Adaptive Scaffolding - A digital instructional environment leverages an infrared eye-tracker to monitor a learner's reading and viewing of text and simulations for subject matter. The system detects out-of-order reading/viewing patterns that could lead to poor comprehension. The digital learning environment communicates with other tutorial components including simulation environments, pedagogical agents and may respond in real-time to such patterns with messages that guide learners (knowledge acquirers) to return to effective reading/viewing patterns so as to promote effective construction of mental model(s) developed during knowledge acquisition/learning.
|System and Method for Universal Translating From Natural Language Questions to Structured Queries - A computer implemented question answering (QA) system and method is provided that automatically finds one or more accurate and concise answers for a natural language question. An automated training routine is provided that includes learning a proper mapping from the natural language question to one or more structured queries by discovering and summarizing parallel semantics between a knowledge base and pairs of a natural language question and its answer. The system and method generate as output concise texts answering the natural language question intended by a user.
|METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MACHINE COMPREHENSION - The AKOS (Artificial Knowledge Object System) of the invention is a software processing engine that relates incoming information to pre-existing stored knowledge in the form of a world model and, through a process analogous to human learning and comprehension, updates or extends the knowledge contained in the model, based on the content of the new information. Incoming information can come from sensors, computer to computer communication, or natural human language in the form of text messages. The software creates as an output. Intelligent action is defined as an output to the real-world accompanied by an alteration to the internal world model which accurately reflects an expected, specified outcome from the action. These actions may be control signals across any standard electronic computer interface or may be direct communications to a human in natural language.
|MODIFYING CONSTRAINT-COMPLIANT POPULATIONS IN POPULATION-BASED OPTIMIZATION - An example system and process with some operations that include determining a plurality of values, wherein assignment of any of the plurality of values to one or more constrained variables of a candidate solution causes the candidate solution to comply with a constraint condition of an optimization problem, wherein the candidate solution complies with the constraint condition prior to being mutated via a computer-based simulation that tests fitness of the candidate solution. The operations further include after the candidate solution is mutated, determining that the candidate solution fails to comply with the constraint condition. The operations further include assigning at least one value, which is randomly selected from the plurality of values, to the one or more constrained variables of the candidate solution.
|Adapting the Operation of an Appliance - A method for adapting the operation of an apparatus connected to a network deployed in an environment, including the steps of: collecting data relating to the environment from a plurality of sources; identifying usual environmental situations from an analysis of the collected data; detecting a deviation from at least one identified usual situation; and sending a control to the apparatus for adapting the operation thereof to the detected deviation.
|METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ADAPTING A CONTEXT MODEL - A method, devices, computer program products and an internet service is disclosed for adapting a context model. In the method a media clip is received. Also sensor data captured at least partly when the media clip was captured is received. A context is derived using a context model based at least partly on the sensor data and an indication on the context is provided to a user. Feedback on the relevance of the context is received from the user. Based on the feedback, the context model may then be adapted.
|METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MODELING NEURAL RESOURCE BASED SYNAPTIC PLACTICITY - Certain aspects of the present disclosure support a method of designing the resource model in hardware (or software) for learning spiking neural networks. The present disclosure comprises accounting for resources in a different domain (e.g., negative log lack-of-resources instead of availability of resources), modulating weight changes for multiple spike events upon a single trigger, and strategically advancing or retarding the resource replenishment or decay (respectively) to overcome the limitation of single event-based triggering.
|SMART SURVEY WITH PROGRESSIVE DISCOVERY - Aspects of the invention collect data or information from a dynamic and adaptive target group selection. Sets of experts are selected. Responses to a survey are used to expand the set of experts by adding experts noted in answer referrals. The survey is updated by removing satisfied questions, and expert selections, answers analysis and survey updating and resending steps are iteratively repeated until each question is satisfied, wherein the expert sets may be dynamically revised in each iteration.
|DISPLAYING INFORMATION ASSOCIATED WITH AN OPERATION STATE OF A BUILDING - Devices, methods, and systems for displaying information associated with an operation state of a building are described herein. One method includes defining a rule condition for a building, wherein the rule condition is based on an ontology definition associated with the building, generating, upon a triggering of the rule condition, analytic information associated with the triggered rule condition, wherein the analytic information is based on the ontology definition, and displaying the analytic information associated with the triggered rule condition as part of a display of an operational environment of the building.
|Search Methods and Various Applications - The present invention relates to a system and method for information process using artificially constructed apparatus. More specially, in one preferred embodiment of the present invention, documents can be processed so that the most relevant terms of the contents of the documents can be obtained, and searched. In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the present invention provides a system and method that can search for information in a document structure and provide precise results by analyzing the inputs and search results using the executing system and the knowledge structure of the think system.
|GRAPH GENERATION METHOD FOR GRAPH-BASED SEARCH - Computer based method for generation of a graph representation of a rule set for searching data transiting a network using a graph-based search model. A set of rules that describe strings or patterns of data to be identified in the data set, is expressed as a graph. As blocks of the data set are obtained for processing, the state of the graph is updated based upon the value of the received data block. The transition to the next state depends upon both the current state and the received data block. As blocks of data are received and processed, the graph is traversed until one of the rules is identified.
|PERFORMANCE-EFFICIENT SYSTEM FOR PREDICTING USER ACTIVITIES BASED ON TIME-RELATED FEATURES - A recommender system uses an activity decision tree to model the changes in a user's behavior according to a plurality of time-related features. The system determines historical activities for the user, and generates a decision tree for the user's historical activities. Each leaf node of the decision tree is associated with an activity-prediction model that computes a probability for a corresponding activity. The system selects a path of the decision tree from a root node to a leaf node of the decision tree based on a target time. The selected path traverses two or more non-leaf nodes that are each associated with a temporal decision model that compares the target time against a temporal classifier. The system then determines a probability for a user activity based on an activity-prediction model of the selected path.
|INFERENCE PIPELINE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system to infer place data is disclosed that receives location data collected on a user's mobile electronic device, recognizes when, where and for how long the user makes stops, generates possible places visited, and predicts the likelihood of a user to visit those places.
|Feature Estimation in Sound Sources - A sound mixture may be received that includes a plurality of sources. A model may be received for one of the source that includes a dictionary of spectral basis vectors corresponding to that one source. At least one feature of the one source in the sound mixture may be estimated based on the model. In some examples, the estimation may be constrained according to temporal data.
|System and Method For Value Significance Evaluation of Ontological Subjects of Networks and The Applications Thereof - The present invention discloses methods, systems, and tools for evaluating a number of value significance measures of ontological subjects of compositions or networks. The method breaks a composition into its constituent ontological subjects of different orders and builds a participation matrix indicating the participation of ontological subjects of the composition in other ontological subjects, i.e. the partitions, of the composition. Using the participation information of the OSs into each other, an association strength matrix is built from which the value significance measures of the partitions of the composition are calculated. The methods systematically calculate the value significances of the ontological subjects of different orders of the composition. Various systems for implementing the methods and some exemplary applications and services are disclosed.
|Interest-Driven Business Intelligence Systems and Methods of Data Analysis Using Interest-Driven Data Pipelines - Interest-driven Business Intelligence (BI) systems in accordance with embodiments of the invention are illustrated. In one embodiment of the invention, a data processing system includes raw data storage containing raw data, metadata storage containing metadata that describes the raw data, and an interest-driven data pipeline that is automatically compiled to generate reporting data using the raw data, wherein the interest-driven data pipeline is compiled based upon reporting data requirements automatically derived from at least one report specification defined using the metadata.
|Methods, Systems, and Software Applications for Event Based Data Processing - Methods and systems are provided for processing data objects in a computer system. In one embodiment, a method is provided that comprises (a) storing a first data object in a database in a non volatile storage, (b) creating a second data object assigned to the first data object, step (b) being triggered by step (a), and (c) processing the second data object by means of an object processor, the object processor creating a third data object using data contained in the second data object, data contained in the first data object and data contained in the database by applying a set of one or more pre-settable rules to the data contained in the first and second data objects and in the database.
|SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CREATING MACRO PROFILES - Creating a macro profile of an entity is disclosed. Attribute data associated with an entity is identified from (1) one or more public domain information sources and/or (2) one or more private domain information sources. One or more micro profiles for the entity are generated based on the identified data, each of the micro profiles describing the entity in a single dimension. Transactions associated with the entity and/or interactions between the entity and one or more other entities are monitored. A plurality of the generated micro profiles for the entity is selected. The selected micro profiles are associated to generate a macro profile for the entity, the macro profile describing the entity in multiple dimensions. The monitored transactions and/or monitored interactions are analyzed to identify any discrepancies in the macro profile. The macro profile is updated to account for the identified discrepancies.
|Internet Access Control Using Depth Parameters - A system and method of accessing web or network sites interfacing through a walled garden web server by dynamically expanding the reach of the walled garden on a user-by-user basis, based on the content that is returned to the user. The system includes a traffic analyzer and filter, a traffic forwarder, a traffic tagger, and a traffic redirector. A plurality of databases interface with the traffic analyzer and filter for appropriately manipulating web traffic from users by matching URL requests from a user with seed URLs in one or more of the databases. A depth parameter may be associated with a URL, indicating the number of times a particular domain has been traversed by a particular user. A depth rating database may be used to specify the number of times a particular URL may be accessed.
|SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR MAINTAINING GROUP MEMBERSHIP RECORDS - A method for maintaining group membership records includes 1) maintaining a record of group memberships for a membership hierarchy, the membership record identifying a direct relationship between a first object and a second object in the membership hierarchy, 2) receiving a membership update indicating that, as of a first point in time, a direct relationship between the second object and a third object changed, 3) updating the record of group memberships to reflect the change in the relationship between the second object and the third object, 4) deducing, based on the membership update and the record of group memberships, a change in an indirect relationship between the first object and the third object as of the first point in time, and 5) providing a view of object relationships within the membership hierarchy as the object relationships exist at the first point in time and a historical record of object relationships.
|Systems and Methods for an Expert-Informed Information Acquisition Engine Utilizing an Adaptive Torrent-Based Heterogeneous Network Solution - A system for operating an expert-informed information acquisition engine utilizing an adaptive torrent-based heterogeneous network solution includes a memory storing computer-executable instructions; at least one processor configured to access the at least one memory and execute the computer-executable instructions to: receive user-defined tags associated with a first user; access interaction data associated with one or more second users and the first user; receive user-defined tags associated with one or more second users; identify a lexicon based on the user-defined tags; receive a query from the first user, wherein the query; rank one or more documents based on the lexicon; and display one or more documents based on the lexicon, with already-seen results removed.
|METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR AUTOMATED PROCESSING OF FALLOUT ORDERS - A system and method may include receiving an order and an error identifier, indexing a database based on the error identifier to identify a rule identifier, and indexing the database based on the rule identifier to identify a rule. The system and method may further include applying the rule to modify the order to generate a modified order, and submitting the modified order for processing.
|APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONVERTING REPLICATION-BASED FILE INTO PARITY-BASED FILE IN ASYMMETRIC CLUSTERING FILE SYSTEM - Disclosed herein are an apparatus and method for converting a replication-based file into a parity-based file in an asymmetric clustering file system. The apparatus includes a reception unit, a control unit, a parity computation unit, and a chunk conversion unit. The reception unit receives a parity-based conversion request, information about the size of a stripe, and a list of new chunks from a metadata server. The control unit divides a replication chunk, selected from among a plurality of replication chunks corresponding to an original chunk of the replication-based file, into a plurality of data segments. The parity computation unit generates at least one parity segment by performing a parity operation on the plurality of data segments. The chunk conversion unit selects one of different data segments from the original chunk or one of the plurality of replication chunks, the different data segments having locations different from one another.
|METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PROPAGATION OF AMENDMENTS MADE TO A MASTER TO COPIES - A method and system are disclosed for propagation of changes or amendments, in a configuration of technical equipment such as transformers, generators, mills, and other automated machines or devices, by transfer (e.g., via a processor) of an amended configuration of a master having a specific apparatus or device to a non-limited number of duplicates of the master. Changes which have been incorporated with the master can be propagated from the master to the duplicate in a semi-automated or fully automated manner, and possible conflicts indicated automatically by graphic display.
|SELECTION OF ROWS AND VALUES FROM INDEXES WITH UPDATES - Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for selection of rows and values from indexes with updates. In general, rows of an index may be associated with validity flags that indicate whether a row has been updated with an update inserted in a delta index; one scheme for value identifiers may be used for an index and another scheme for one or more delta indexes where all of the indexes are, to at least some extent, compressed according to dictionary-based compression; and multiple delta indexes may be used in alternation such that one delta index may accept updates while another is being updated. The delta indexes may also have validity flags and all updates, such as modifications of values, deletion of records, and inserting of new records may be handled as updates accepted by one or more delta indexes.
|INTERVAL-CONTROLLED REPLICATION - Various systems and methods for interval-controlled replication are described. For example, one method involves a node receiving a first interval indication indicating start of a first interval. After receiving the first interval indication, an application on the node initiates a first write, which includes the node initiating a first local write and a first remote write. The first local write accesses a local storage. The first remote write accesses a remote storage and replicates the first local write. The node waits for acknowledgements indicating that the local and remote writes have finished, as well as for a second interval indication, before the first write from the application is treated being complete.
|METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR COPYING A FILE - A method and apparatus perform file copying, including selecting a plurality of files, which a first terminal desires to copy, and temporarily storing the selected files in a second terminal; identifies whether there is a file collision between the first terminal and the second terminal before performing a copying of the temporarily stored files; generates a queue, which is a copying process order of the temporarily stored files, according to the existence of the file collision; copies the temporarily stored files using the queue; and displays a copying process speed of each file when a copying of queued files is performed.
|ON-DEMAND FILE SYNCHRONIZATION - Techniques are described for managing access and synchronization of one or more files of a document management system stored locally at a client device. The techniques may include receiving, by a document management system executing on a server device, a file update notification message from a first client device to notify the document management system that a file was modified by the first client device. The file update notification message may include an indication of the modified file on the first client device without including the modified file. The document management system may receive a file editing request from a second client device to request the file. In response, the document management system may send a file upload request to the first client device, receive the modified file from the first client device, and send the modified file to the second client device.
|STORAGE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING STORAGE SYSTEM - Provided is a storage system which provides a data storage area to an external apparatus. The storage system includes at least a first information apparatus including a first logical storage area constituting the data storage area, and a first data processing part for performing a processing for reducing a storage capacity of the first logical storage area used by backup target data, and a second information apparatus including a second logical storage area constituting the data storage area, and a second data processing part for performing a processing for reducing a storage capacity of the second logical storage area used by backup target data. The second information apparatus is communicatively coupled with the first information apparatus.
|ITEM LEVEL RECOVERY - A backup and restore system may present recovered backup data as local resources and in a read and write manner so that the recovered backup data may be accessed using an application that created the data. In some embodiments, the recovered data may be read only data, but a differencing virtual hard disk (VHD), Common Internet File System protocol, or differencing driver may be used to present a read/write version of the data. Additionally, the data may be presented using iSCSI or other technologies to present the data as local data, even though the data may be remotely located. The backup and restore system may additionally use VHD differencing technologies to create multiple backups.
|METHOD FOR EXTRACTING AND STORING RECORDS OF DATA BACKUP ACTIVITY FROM A PLURALITY OF BACKUP DEVICES - A method and system for requesting, cross-referencing, extracting and storing historical records of data backup activity by using a software component that interfaces to a plurality of data backup software devices is disclosed. Through the use of a system and method in accordance with the present invention, the aforementioned database can be made self-refreshing, requiring minimal ongoing intervention subsequent to initial configuration. In addition, the aforementioned data refreshes can be manually invoked at any time.
|SYNCHRONIZING LOCAL CLIENTS WITH A CLOUD-BASED DATA STORAGE SYSTEM - A system and a method are disclosed for receiving a file at a cloud-based storage system and storing the file in the file structure of the cloud-based storage system. Once received, the file, the name of the file, and its storage location in the cloud storage are associated with a unique identifier created for the file. The file, when provided to at least one user client, can be stored by the user client in a user-defined file structure that is different from the cloud-based storage system file structure. Because of the unique identifier associated with the file and the cloud-based storage location, the locally stored files can still be synchronized with file stored at the cloud-storage location.
|COMPUTER PROGRAM AND MANAGEMENT COMPUTER - To analyze an event of high importance as quick as possible with a possible small memory size. A management server (A) detects an event related to a problem that has occurred in a predetermined management object, (B) determines, when a plurality of the events are detected, an event importance of each of the plurality of events, (C) executes an on-demand expansion for generating, in the causality information, a predetermined causality, based on a topology and an event propagation model in descending order from the event determined in (B) as having a highest event importance, (D) records that the detected event has occurred relative to the predetermined causality, and (E) analyzes the detected event by using the predetermined causality.
|SEAMLESS CONTEXT TRANSFERS FOR MOBILE APPLICATIONS - Methods and systems for seamless context transfers include receiving a context object from one or more applications, where the context object including updated context information for a user having an associated timestamp; entering the updated context information into a context information database; determining entries of the context information database for the user having a timestamp older than a predetermined threshold using a processor; purging the determined entries from the context information database; and sending an updated context object to one or more applications that reflects a current state of the context information for the user.
|Detecting Inconsistent Data Records - A computer-implemented method for detecting a set of inconsistent data records in a database including multiple records, comprises selecting a data quality rule representing a functional dependency for the database, transforming the data quality rule into at least one rule vector with hashed components, selecting a set of attributes of the database, transforming at least one record of the database selected on the basis of the selected attributes into a record vector with hashed components, computing a dot product of the rule and record vectors to generate a measure representing violation of the data quality rule by the record.


text:
Ben Morris
Greensburg Daily News
Greensburg —
They called him Sequoya, and he gave his people a gift that will endure forever.
He gave them a writing system that allowed the greatness of the Cherokee to live as a part of history. Sequoya was born circa 1776 in a log cabin in the former village of Tuskeegee. He was the son of a Virginia fur trader and Wut-teh, daughter of a Cherokee chief.
Sequoya married a Cherokee woman and had a family. He and other Cherokee enlisted on the side of the United States under General Andrew Jackson to fight the British troops and the Creek Indians in the War of 1812.
During the war, Sequoya became convinced of the necessity of literacy for the Cherokee people. Unlike the white soldiers, he and other Cherokee were not able to write letters home, read military orders or record events as they occurred. When he returned home after the war, he began to make symbols that could make words. He finally reduced the thousands of Cherokee thoughts to 85 symbols representing sounds.
In 1821, after 12 years working on the new language, Sequoya introduced his syllabary to the Cherokee people. Within a few months, thousands of Cherokee became literate. By 1825, much of the Bible and numerous hymns had been translated into Cherokee. By 1828, they were publishing the "Cherokee Phoenix," the first national bi-lingual newspaper, along with religious pamphlets, educational materials and legal documents.
In recognition of his contributions, the Cherokee Nation awarded Sequoya a silver medal struck in his honor and a lifetime literary pension. He continued to serve the Cherokee people until his death.
Travelers between Knoxville and Atlanta who are interested in the fascinating history of the Cherokee — their family life, customs, beliefs, and the sadness of the Trail of Tears, when they were forced to go to Oklahoma in the 1830s — the Cherokee museum along historic U.S. 411 is well-worth visiting.
On the same island as the museum is Fort Loudoun (1756-60), built by the British to protect the Cherokee frontier during the French and Indian War.
Across the river from the fort are the remains of the Tellico Blockhouse which garrisoned U.S. troops in the Cherokee area between 1794 and 1807. To the south are Red Clay State Park, near Cleveland, Tenn. The Van House near Chatsworth, Ga., and New Echota at Calhoun, Ga. The three sites are located near the U.S. Corridor.
Ben Morris, MA, RPA is an archaeological and historical consultant for the Daily News. He can be reached at 812-932-0298 or email@example.com.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Olympic Blog 2 – Preparation
Whether it be chicken nuggets for Usain Bolt or a steady 20km row in the morning for the rowing boys in Switzerland, everybody prepares differently, and as a goalkeeper, it is no different.
I always like to start off my goalkeeping sessions with some crisp volleys into my hands. It's a good way to wake up the hands and body, particularly if you miss one and it hits you in the face.
Gradually I'll begin to introduce some basic footwork into the drills now and begin to vary the service from volleys at the face, to volleys at the stomach and on the ground.
Footwork is an extremely important aspect of goalkeeping because your feet are what enable you to make the save. We practice these small – mostly lateral – movements in the hope that it becomes instinctive in a game.
The final stages of the warm-up include continuing footwork but working into a collapse dive, ensuring our body weight is forward so any parry's can be steered away from goal.
These are essentially the fundamentals of goalkeeping and are repeated every session. Although it seems insignificant, personally, this part of the session is the most important.
The session will then move into more advanced drills of situations we may encounter during a game. Lots of shot stopping, reaction saves, one on ones, crossing, distribution, are all done to ensure we are prepared for anything that may come our way during 90 minutes.
Preparation off the field is equally important. The correct diet, hydrating, stretching all factor in and help you stay injury free and recover quicker.
Little things like wearing my long skins and stretching on the 12-hour flight to Japan so my legs don't swell up are additional ways that I look to prepare before our game against Japan on the 11th.
My bags are packed and passport in hand as I say see ya later New Zealand and Konnichiwa Japan, en route to London 2012… prepared for a trip of a lifetime.
Michael O'Keeffe
Blog Note: Michael O'Keeffe is a senior with the Stags men's soccer team. He was recently selected to represent his home country, New Zealand, in the 2012 London Olympics. Read about that here. He will be providing Stag Tracks with a blog about his experience throughout the next month leading up to, and through the Olympic Games.


text:
April 4, 2013
By Evan Lockridge
Legislation to remove tolls along the West Virginia Turnpike has passed its first test, with state House members voting to advance it to the Senate.
The bill would remove them along the 88-mile route once the bonds used to build the road and for improvements are paid off by February 2020. Maintenance of the turnpike would then be turned over to a division of the state transportation department, but would leave the West Virginia Parkways Authority intact.
Some lawmakers who support removing tolls along the route acknowledge that tolls could later be on other routes in West Virginia, as the state has to find new sources of revenue to repair and expand existing roads as well as build new ones.
Governor Earl Ray Tomblin has expressed reservations about removing the tolls and has described the legislation as premature because a blue ribbon commission is scheduled to issue a report this summer about West Virginia road needs, well after the current legislative session ends.
The current rate at all mainline toll plazas for a typical five-axle truck is $6.75 while it's $2 for four-wheelers. It's $1.60 and 40 cents for a five-axle rig and passenger vehicle, respectively, for those using the North Beckley Plaza. There are discounts for EZPass users.
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The body found at the mouth of the Housatonic River in Stratford Monday has been identified as the missing Milford kayaker who disappeared in Long Island Sound the Sunday before Hurricane Sandy.
The Connecticut Post reports that the body has been identified as 21-year-old Jet Krumwiede of Morrell Ave.
Krumwiede had been missing since Oct. 28 when his kayak capsized near Charles Island in Milford, officials said. He was kayaking with another 21-year-old male, who Milford fire officials were able to locate and rescue before Sandy hit the coastline on Monday.
Both men were not wearing life jackets, according to reports at the time of the incident.
Krumwiede's body was discovered by workers involved in a dredging project on the waterway before local emergency officials arrived around 4 p.m. Monday, according to Stratford Deputy Police Chief Joe McNeil.


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The is among 12 in the Commonwealth that will receive federal grant money for a variety of uses, lawmakers announced on Tuesday.
The funding, awarded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Assistance to Firefighters Grants, will go toward training, health programs, new safety equipment and emergency vehicles, Senators John Kerry and Scott Brown, along with Congressmen Richard E. Neal, John Tierney, and Stephen F. Lynch said in a press release.
Braintree will receive $72,847 of the $1,785,303 total, which also includes money for communities such as Quincy and Rockland.
"Massachusetts firefighters put their lives on the line every time that alarm bell sounds, and this investment helps them have the best equipment and training to keep them safe and ready to respond," Sen. Kerry said in the statement.
Added Rep. Lynch, "I commend Chief Kevin Murphy and the entire Braintree Fire Department for their hard work and commitment in securing this fire grant. This funding will go a long way in helping our firefighters keep the town of Braintree safe."


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It almost seems like a bigger more grown up version of the apartment of Jessie Randall and Brian Murphy of Loeffler Randall. Michelle describes the mood as young and sexy, "like moving into Grandma's apartment and making it modern and whimsical, but still classic." She also said she knew it was the perfect apartment when she realized the Christian Louboutin shop was just across the street. Spoken like a true fashionista!
The vintage chairs above are upholstered in a yellow and white zebra-stripe silk by Jim Thompson and flank the marble fireplace topped with a 1940's mirror.
The common thread in the apartment is the "unexpected flourish or sparkle." It's something that can be said of her clothing designs as well. So many Milly designs are classic but with a twist, like shiny gold buttons or a fun bold print. I think it's so fun to see how fashion designers translate their design sense at home and it's clear that her experience working at such venerable houses such as Hermes, Dior and Louis Vuitton have made their mark as well. In fact, I think I might like her apartment more than I like her dresses now!


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Mainstream Media Outlets Are Buying the Drug Czar's "Third Way" Lie, Hook, Line, and Sinker
Media outlets have published reports from Drug Czar Gil Kerlikowske's Tuesday speech at the Center for American Progress. As you might expect, several of the stories are straight transcription jobs, lacking response comments from drug reform advocates, or independent data. In two cases, the reports contain blatant falsehoods.
Here are the worst offenders:
ABC (republished by Yahoo!): "Obama's Drug Czar Stumps for 'Third Way' Policy"
"To hear President Obama's drug czar tell it, the leading voices on drug policy are kind of crazy," reads the lede to Chris Good's exceptionally lazy piece. While Kerlikowske utterly mischaracterized the position of drug reform advocates, he didn't actually call them crazy.
This line from Good's report is also wrong: Kerlikowske was "promoting the White House's new National Drug Control Strategy, which calls for a focus on treatment and prevention rather than punishment." If Good had actually read Obama's 2013 federal budget proposal, he'd know that it allocates nearly 60 percent of the federal budget to drug law enforcement, AKA "punishment."
C-SPAN: "Drug Czar Outlines 'Third Way' for U.S. Drug Policy"
The vaunted cable outlet's report is only three paragraphs, but still contains a huge error. "Mr. Kerlikowske told the audience that the past few years has seen a reduction in the use of cocaine and methamphetamine, and that the White House has approved elimination of mandatory sentencing guidelines that disproportionately affected minorities." Actually, the White House didn't approve the elimination of the sentencing disparity between crack cocaine and powder cocaine in 2010, it simply reduced it from 100-to-1, to 18-to-1. And not only did Obama not "eliminate" the disparity, he also failed to make the new sentencing guidelines retroactive.
The best report came from Hearst Newspapers. Reporter Dan Freedman sought comment from Law Enforcement Against Prohibition's Tom Angell, noted that the current federal drug budget allocates nearly 60 percent to enforcement, and added that "Kerlikowske's de-emphasis of law enforcement stood in contrast to a crackdown that U.S. attorneys in California ordered last year on medical marijuana businesses operating under state law." Gold star for you, Dan Freedman.
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Next step. Go back and delete all stories about drug raids and arrest and replace them with kinder, gentler stories about rehabilitation efforts.
Then have a big glass of Victory Gin.
Also, cops retroactively don't shoot dogs: all such articles are now about officers rescuing cats from trees.
We've always been at war with Truthoverthereria.
Wait. They actually have been.
Hi, K. Seen Julia?
Depends. Which Rich is asking?
You know. We cross paths at work.
That narrows it down a little.
Get a room!
I've held the opinion for while that anyone who takes the job as ONDCP head is a lying morally bankrupt weasel. Gil K. just reinforces that opinion.
From yesterday's festivity:
"Well alcohol is more dangerous, or alcohol causes more deaths, or alcohol. So certainly nobody is going to roll the clock back and say, 'Gee, we need to institute prohibition on alcohol.'"
It's part of the job description:
According to the "Office of National Drug Control Policy Reauthorization Act of 1998"[13] the director of the ONDCP
(12) shall ensure that no Federal funds appropriated to the Office of National Drug Control Policy shall be expended for any study or contract relating to the legalization (for a medical use or any other use) of a substance listed in schedule I of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812) and take such actions as necessary to oppose any attempt to legalize the use of a substance (in any form) that -- 1. is listed in schedule I of section 202 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 812); and 2. has not been approved for use for medical purposes by the Food and Drug Administration;
The Government Accountability Office has found that this law authorizes the ONDCP to disseminate misleading information (lie) in order to oppose legalization
Okay, so that's fucking depressing. We pay a guy to lie to us about drug policy.
FUCK FUCKITY FUCK. Thanks for the nut-punch, I really needed that.
From that same page, another stiletto in the sack;
Government as Scriptwriter
In the spring of 1998, the ONDCP began to develop an accounting system to decide which network shows would be valued and for how much. Receiving advance copies of scripts, they assigned financial value to each show's anti-drug message. Then they would suggest ways that the networks could increase the payments they would get. The WB network's senior vice president for broadcast standards Rick Mater admitted, "The White House did view scripts. They did sign off on them -- they read scripts, yes."[26]
Running the campaign for the ONDCP was Alan Levitt, who estimated that between 1998 and 2000 the networks received nearly $25 million in benefits.[26]
One example was with Warner Brothers' show, Smart Guy. The original script portrayed two young people using drugs at a party. Originally depicted as cool and popular, after input from the drug office, "We showed that they were losers and put them [hidden away to indulge in shamed secrecy] in a utility room. That was not in the original script."[26]
Other shows including ER, Beverly Hills, 90210, Chicago Hope, The Drew Carey Show and 7th Heaven also put anti-drug messages into their stories.
Other shows including ER, Beverly Hills, 90210, Chicago Hope, The Drew Carey Show and 7th Heaven also put anti-drug messages into their stories.
Ouch. Talk about lifelong regrets.
So what you're saying is that it might not be TV's fault that it sucks?
Gilk. Just call him Gilk. It sounds nasty and it is.
How about Ol' Gil?
The Fourth Estate: just like any other branch of government, helping perpetuate and increase the power of government.
Love the ad with a picture of Debbie Wasserman-Shulz that says "Demand an Apology". How is her being sorry going to change the fact that she's an idiot?
Nice meta-reporting, Riggs. And a cookie to Freedman, who apparently realizes his job is more than a transcriptionist for the state.
[Muffled from talking around Obama's cock]
What was that?
Ah, never mind. Finish up so Barry can go do his latest TV cameo / campaigning.
So many punchable faces, so little time...
"Ah, please you gotta help ol' Gil, whats it gonna take to keep you on the phone, I...dance for you? B-but you wouldn't even see it, y..a-alright, ha ha, I'm dancing!"
Gil Kerlikowske, not just Seattle's problem anymore...
Trying again:
How much do these guys get paid? I mean, if you take all the Czars, what cost is that? I think I can do all their jobs for half the cash. Straight up trade?!
lol, bought and paid for pompous windbags lol.
OK wow this makes a lot of sene dude. WOw.


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MYRTLE BEACH — The land you can see being cleared along S.C. 31 near Robert Edge Parkway is for the North Myrtle Beach Park & Sports Complex and city spokesman Pat Dowling said developers are sniffing around the edges for ways to make money.
Nothing is concrete yet, Dowling said, but people have been contacting the city asking questions.
"The sports complex has generated a lot of interest," he said.
The 140-acre sports complex is a small part of 1,600 acres the city annexed in June 2011, and a land use plan for the whole tract shows much of it for medium-high density residential construction, but also a good portion devoted to one type or another of commercial development. The annexation was the second largest in North Myrtle Beach history, and from it, the city purchased a 27-acre lake adjoining the property as well as the land for the sports complex.
The city recently cut off negotiations for a privately-owned water park on a part of the city's land because the developer failed to give the city a letter of commitment assuring funding.
Dowling said the city couldn't risk committing the land for a water park that might not get built when it could be used for something else.
The Park & Sports Complex is to include six baseball-softball fields, up to eight soccer-football-lacrosse fields, an amphitheater, playgrounds and picnic shelters.
Dowling said the developers asking the city for information on the surrounding land haven't yet started the process to have a plan approved.
But one, he noted, is looking for big box stores to occupy a chunk of the land.
Contact STEVE JONES at 444-1765.