37results about How to "Estimated cost" patented technology

Database system query optimizers use several techniques such as histograms and sampling to estimate the result sizes of operators and sub-plans (operator trees) and the number of distinct values in their outputs. Instead of estimates, the invention uses the exact actual values of the result sizes and the number of distinct values in the outputs of sub-plans encountered by the optimizer. This is achieved by optimizing the query in phases. In each phase, newly encountered sub-plans are recorded for which result size and / or distinct value estimates are required. These sub-plans are executed at the end of the phase to determine their actual result sizes and the actual number of distinct values in their outputs. In subsequent phases, the optimizer uses these actual values when it encounters the same sub-plan again.

Three block concepts are introduced in HEVC: coding unit (CU), prediction unit (PU), and transform unit (TU). The overall coding structure is characterized by the various sizes of CU, PU and TU in a recursive fashion. For transform processing in current HEVC, a hierarchy RQT (Residual Quad Tree) is used and the TU size is related to the CU size, but independent of the PU size. This results in high encoding complexity and also causes increased processing time to process the syntax of residual quad tree. Accordingly a modified transform unit partition with reduced complexity is disclosed. According to an embodiment, the TU size may be restricted to the minimum of PU width and height, except for a 2N×2N coding unit with the 2N×2N partition type. In another embodiment, the maximum TU size equals to maximum of PU width and height, and the minimum TU size equals to minimum of the PU width and height, except for a 2N×2N coding unit with the 2N×2N partition type. In yet another embodiment, the TU size is selected between 2N×2N and N×N for the 2N×2N, 2N×N, N×2N and N×N partition types. The syntax element, split_transform_flag, is used to indicate the selection of 2N×2N or N×N TU size when needed. Furthermore, a method with reduced complexity of selecting the best merge candidate for the 2N×2N CU merge mode is disclosed. The method relies on R-D cost associated with the motion vector of merge candidate to reduce required computation.

Method, apparatus and computer usable medium tangibly embodying a program of instructions is provided for performing advanced cost / benefit analysis of subplans of a query execution plan, in a computer system having a database software server. Method augments a cost estimation model, obtained from an optimizer of the software server after determination of an optimal query execution plan, with a cost / benefit analysis of operating each subplan of the query execution plan asynchronously. It calculates a subplan elapsed time benefit of making the subplan asynchronous using a set of cost estimates for each subplan operation and knowledge of the execution sequence of the query execution plan operations, all provided by the query optimizer. Set of subplans for asynchronous execution is chosen to form an optimal set of subplans while respecting a resource constraint, for providing a maximal reduction of the total query elapsed time while conserving system resources of the software server.

This invention generally relates to a computer system and method for objectively analyzing the quality and cost of work performed by legal service providers. Price and quality of legal service providers can be compared to various benchmarks for by industry, region, complexity, corporate targets and the like. A user of the system can analyze the cost and quality of a corporation's legal counsel and offer suggestions and solutions that resolve issues identified by the system.

Improved load balancing techniques are disclosed. For example, in one illustrative aspect of the invention, a method of satisfying requests in a system comprised of a plurality of servers comprises the following steps. At least one load balancer is provided for routing requests to the plurality of servers. At the at least one load balancer, a request sent from a client is obtained. At the at least one load balancer, the request is examined. Costs of satisfying the request by at least two of the plurality of servers are estimated. The estimation is based on at least one of a number and a cost of at least one remote access for satisfying the request. The request is routed to a server of the plurality of servers with a low estimated cost of satisfying the request.

An economic engine generates accurate cost estimates for adapting a test script for use against an evolving application. Applications often have complex graphical user interfaces for which the permutations and combinations of GUI elements give rise to an enormous field of potential commands and command sequences to be tested. Furthermore, these applications change over time, rendering prior test scripts unworkable. The economic engine generates cost reports that reliably estimate the resources and time needed to produce new test scripts and test subsequent application versions, while greatly reducing the time, cost, and resource expenditures needed to arrive at subsequent application versions.

The present invention relates to image satellite planning, and more particularly to a method for allowing a deeper search for high value targets in a time-limited planning environment. In an exemplary embodiment, a method of computing an ordered subset of targets includes using an approximation for the time needed for the satellite to re-orient to a new target, rather than calculating each maneuver time between targets. By approximating the maneuver time rather than calculating it, the calculation time is reduced. Each iteration through the traveling salesman problem takes less time, and more iterations can be accomplished between imaging windows. The iterative process can search deeper into the traveling salesman problem to find a better solution.

An index-linked insurance product having an annual guarantee is implemented having a maximized hedged investment budget. A net premium payment is allocated to a fixed income investment and an annual fixed income yield is projected. The maximized hedged investment budget is determined by deducting from the projected annual fixed income a product spread and an estimated cost of the annual guarantee. The deducted estimated cost of the annual guarantee is allocated to a risk fund. The maximized hedged investment budget is allocated to a hedged investment designed to generate proceeds for supporting index-linked earnings credited to the index-linked insurance product. Upon expiration of the product term, if the amount credited based on the index-linked earnings does not equal to at least the compounded annual guarantee, the amount credited is increased to be equal to the compounded annual guarantee. The increased credit may be supported using funds from the risk fund and other reserves if necessary.

Systems and methods are described that provide a two-step, physically-diverse optical routing. A diverse routing is formulated using Integer Linear Programming (ILP) to find feasible routes having a minimum estimated cost, and post-processing the feasible routes on an auxiliary cost graph to optimize regenerator and terminal Optical Transponder (OT) placement and wavelength assignment.

Disclosed herein are systems, media, and methods of applying machine learning to create a digital request for proposal for use in property construction and improvement. Consumers are enabled by the systems, media, and methods disclosed herein to compose property improvement proposals and generate electronic documentation to assist contractors in evaluating said proposals and providing bids for the completion of the proposed property improvement.

The present invention provides an elegant solution for processing multi-feature queries, which considers the differing access costs associated with each feature. Access cost is a critical factor in determining how individual features should be processed in terms of retrieving through sorted or random access, and, hence, in minimizing the overall query response time. The present invention operates dynamically during query processing and seeks to minimize the total query cost in terms of number of features retrieved and cost for access. It works by evaluating different combinations of feature access plans (sorted and random access) according to the number of retrieved features and forward access costs, and it selects the lowest cost plan. Experimental results on practical data show a significant speed-up in multi-features queries using the proposed solution.

A method to create a drilling performance assessment ratio. The ratio includes the steps of establishing a technical minimum time limit standard for each of multiple sequential steps required for a drilling operation. Actual time performance for each of the multiple steps is measured for an actual drilling operation. The actual performances are compared to the technical time limit standards in order to produce a drilling performance ratio.

Fiber project evaluation tools and related methods, graphical user interfaces (GUIs), and computer-readable media to provide and display cost estimates for a plurality of fiber solutions options that can be employed to deploy a fiber optic network for a fiber project are disclosed. Inputs are provided to allow a user to provide cost-related inputs to customize the cost estimates determined and displayed for the fiber solutions. In this manner, cost estimates can be provided for a variety of fiber solutions at the same time efficiently and visually in a GUI for efficient comparison purposes and to assist in making a choice on a fiber solution for a given fiber project. The cost estimates for the fiber solutions can also be generated and dynamically updated based on providing cost-related inputs to a user that affect the cost estimates for the fiber solutions in an iterative manner.

A method and apparatus are provided for performing zone entity modifications to entities in a network wherein a set of generic zone entity modification commands with an estimated lower processing cost is selected for each modification. Prior zone entity modifications in the network and the associated quantity of entities and processing time associated therewith are stored in a data structure. In response to a zone entity modification request, data associated with the current request is evaluated in view of processing time for prior zone entity modifications. An estimate of processing time for the zone entity modification request is calculated for at least two sets of generic zone entity modification commands. The set of generic commands with an estimated lower processing cost is selected and applied to the current zone entity modification request.

A method of using digital electronic paper in the form of a reusable stamp. The user can attach a stamp without a predetermined postage to an article to be mailed. The stamp has a top layer having a visual display, middle layer having an electronics layer, and a bottom layer having an adhesive layer. The stamp is encoded such that the visual display of the stamp is altered to indicate a state of the stamp. Postage of the article is determined by a postal authority worker and payment is authorized using the unique identifier. This eliminates the need for the sender to have any personal interaction with a postal worker to ship an article and eliminating the need for the sender to estimate postal cost prior to the article being received at the postal office. Altering the adhesive layer provides safe removal of the affixed stamp which can then be reused.

Improved load balancing techniques are disclosed. For example, in one illustrative aspect of the invention, a method of satisfying requests in a system comprised of a plurality of servers comprises the following steps. At least one load balancer is provided for routing requests to the plurality of servers. At the at least one load balancer, a request sent from a client is obtained. At the at least one load balancer, the request is examined. Costs of satisfying the request by at least two of the plurality of servers are estimated. The estimation is based on at least one of a number and a cost of at least one remote access for satisfying the request. The request is routed to a server of the plurality of servers with a low estimated cost of satisfying the request.

The method of the present invention comprises an on-line single source of CADD standards information from a network based user interface application, accessible from within a CADD drawing application, to deliver CADD drawing standards information to a CADD drawing, and any other information that may be included in a feature table or other compilation of standards information at the request of the client. In addition, the interactive capability of the network user interface application of the present invention further provides CADD standards information that is centrally managed, controlled and accessible at one source via a network connection.

A method for encoding video information is presented, where a piece of current video information is segmented into macroblocks and a certain number of available macroblock segmentations for segmenting a macroblock into blocks is defined. Furthermore, for each available macroblock segmentation at least one available prediction method is defined, each of which prediction methods produces prediction motion coefficients for blocks within said macroblock, resulting in a certain finite number of available macroblock-segmentation—prediction-method pairs. For a macroblock one of the available macroblock-segmentation—prediction-method pairs is selected, and thereafter the macroblock is segmented into blocks and prediction motion coefficients for the blocks within said macroblock are produced using the selected macroblock-segmentation—prediction-method pair. A corresponding decoding method, an encoder and a decoder are also presented.

Methods for peptide and / or protein quantification by mass spectrometry using labeled peptides, wherein multiple labels lead to distinct fragments for the labeled peptides and their unlabeled variant, thus facilitating data analysis and enhancing the potential for quantification. Methods for selecting the label and label position are further given, as well as sets of labeled peptides resulting from or for use in the above-mentioned methods. The methods and substances are especially useful for data-independent or multiplexed parallel reaction monitoring proteomics applications involving peptide quantification.

One embodiment of the invention sets forth a CAD application configured to perform quantity takeoff computations. The CAD application is further configured to organize a CAD drawing into a hierarchical representation of object families and associated object types, where instances of the object types represent drawing objects present in the CAD drawing. The CAD application is further configured to receive a selection of an object family and to parse the selection to determine the object types associated with the selection. The CAD application then creates a takeoff object for each of the object types associated with the selection and identifies instances, associated with object properties, of each of the object types of the selection. The CAD application quantifies the instances and associated properties to produce a quantity takeoff value. Advantageously, users are able to more quickly and easily estimate the cost of a design project associated with the CAD drawing.

Disclosed are methods and systems for specifying an analytical wirelength formulation that is continuous along with its derivative. One approach performs a wirelength estimate in which a continuous formulation is employed to identify and use a bounding box to enclose circuit elements of a net, and in which an attribute of the bounding box may be completely or partially diagonal. Such formulations are used for optimizing the wirelength using numerical approaches.

The invention provides a computer-implemented method for estimating the cost of translating a body of text associated with a software application, wherein the software application is configured to perform one or more tasks. In particular the method comprises: determining one or more content types associated with the body of text, wherein each content type has an average word count per content unit; assigning a number of tasks associated with the software application to each content type, wherein each task has an associated number of content units; generating an estimated word count for each content type based on the number of tasks assigned to each content type and the average word count per unit for each content type; summing the estimated word count for each content type to generate an estimated word count for the body of text; and calculating an estimated translation cost based on the estimated word count.

A method of creating a parameter based reconditioning index for use in the estimation of reconditioning cost of vehicles based upon the historical reconditioning cost of similar vehicles. A modeling software component operates in conjunction with a reconditioning database containing historical reconditioning cost information to generate a mathematical reconditioning cost function corresponding to a parameter value in respect of the reconditioned vehicle for a parameter set—the function correlates historical reconditioning costs with parameter values of the related reconditioned vehicle for cost records having vehicle parameters within their historical parameter sets that correspond to the vehicle parameters within an index parameter set and which will, when applied to current parameter values of a target vehicle, yield an estimated reconditioning cost for the target vehicle. Periodic updates can be applied on receipt of additional historical reconditioning cost information. A database comprising the index for a plurality of parameter sets, and software methods using the database to predict vehicle reconditioning costs is also disclosed.

Disclosed are methods and systems for formulating a wirelength estimate that takes into account whether any of the routing directions are unavailable. Under certain circumstances, one or more of the routing layers may not be available for routing a wire. If this occurs, then the bounding box that is determined for performing the wirelength estimate would take into account the unavailability of the layer.

Disclosed are methods and systems for specifying an analytical wirelength formulation that is continuous along with its derivative. One approach performs a wirelength estimate in which a continuous formulation is employed to identify and use a bounding box to enclose circuit elements of a net, and in which an attribute of the bounding box may be completely or partially diagonal. Such formulations are used for optimizing the wirelength using numerical approaches.