759 results about "Pointing systems" patented technology

Provided are a method, system, and program for managing multiple resources in a system at a service level, including at least one host, network, and a storage space comprised of at least one storage system that each host is capable of accessing over the network. A plurality of service level parameters are measured and monitored indicating a state of the resources in the system. A determination is made of values for the service level parameters and whether the service level parameter values satisfy predetermined service level thresholds. Indication is made as to whether the service level parameter values satisfy the predetermined service thresholds. A determination is made of a modification to one or more resource deployments or configurations if the value for the service level parameter for the resource does not satisfy the predetermined service level thresholds.

A method of modelling system behaviour of a physical system, the method including, in one or more electronic processing devices obtaining quantified system data measured for the physical system, the quantified system data being at least partially indicative of the system behaviour for at least a time period, forming at least one population of model units, each model unit including model parameters and at least part of a model, the model parameters being at least partially based on the quantified system data, each model including one or more mathematical equations for modelling system behaviour, for each model unit calculating at least one solution trajectory for at least part of the at least one time period; determining a fitness value based at least in part on the at least one solution trajectory; and, selecting a combination of model units using the fitness values of each model unit, the combination of model units representing a collective model that models the system behaviour.

A loyalty or reward point system that utilizes the pre-existing infrastructure of a typical credit card network. In one embodiment, a user makes a purchase at a merchant of a product using a credit card. The merchant contacts the acquiring bank (which may be any type of financial institution but is referred to generically herein as a bank) with which it has contracted for credit card network services, and as known in the art, will get an approval or decline message after the acquiring bank contacts the issuing bank of the credit card used by the purchaser. Assuming that the purchase transaction is approved, the user is awarded loyalty points from the merchant based on the amount of the purchase (e.g. 100 points for a $100 purchase). A central server resides on the credit card network and tracks the transaction between the merchant, the acquiring bank, and the issuing bank. A reward account is maintained on the central server on behalf of the merchant and the user, and the number of reward points in the user's account for that merchant is increased accordingly. In an alternative embodiment, the user's reward points are logged in an account maintained by the acquiring bank on behalf of the merchant (with which it has a contractual relationship) and the user. The user may redeem the reward points earned from the transaction with the merchant at a later time, or may redeem the points with another merchant on the credit card network, or may aggregate those reward points with those of other merchants into a central exchange account, and then redeem the aggregated points for goods or services from any approved merchant on the network, depending on the configuration of the system.

A trusted platform in a digital processing system is maintained even when modules, or other processes or data, are loaded after a boot sequence. A configuration file is used to include measurements (e.g., hash values, signatures, etc.) of modules to be loaded. After secure boot-up the operating system kernel uses the configuration file to check module integrity prior to loading and executing. If a module does not verify against the configuration file data then the system can prevent further operation, restrict certain operations, indicate the non-trusted nature of the system or take other actions. In one embodiment, if a module does not pass the integrity check then the failed measurement is extended into a specific Platform Configuration Register (PCR) within a Trusted Platform Manager (TPM) process. Subsequently, client applications can determine if the platform is trustable based on the return of the PCR value. A local application (application running in the same platform) can “seal” secrets to a trusted platform. The operation of the application relies on the secrets, which can only be revealed in a trusted platform.