International Business Machines Corporation

Charles Gorham Ward

Nadeem Malik

Richard James Eickemeyer

Avijit Saha

Ira Richard Forman

Timothy Alan Dietz

Subhash Rasiklal Vohra

Carol Angela Logan

Lane Thomas Holloway

An implementation for estimating the costs attributable to software failures brought on by defects, i.e. estimating that portion of the cost of owning software products that is attributable to potential damage to the software owner resulting from potential defects in the software provided by particular software suppliers. Calculating the cost of ownership of a software product obtained from a proposed supplier, including a cost of software failure factor that is estimated as follows: predetermining the quality level of an ideal supplier of the software product and then determining the deviation in quality level of the proposed software supplier from the ideal supplier level. Then, estimating the difference in product defect rate at the quality level of the proposed supplier from the defect rate of the ideal supplier, after which the cost to compensate for the damage resulting from each defect based upon the intended use of the software product is estimated. Finally, a cost of software failure factor for each unit of the software product obtained from the proposed supplier is calculated by multiplying said difference in defect rate by the cost to compensate for damage resulting from each defect.

Estimating the cost of ownership of a software product through the generation of a cost of software failure factor based upon a standard quality level of a proposed supplier of the software product

In one aspect, a method for comparing suppliers includes sending survey questions for receipt by supplier computer systems. Programming instructions are also sent for receipt and execution by the supplier computer systems. The programming instructions are for causing the supplier computer systems to return supplier survey answers to a server. The answers are included in responding documents and are defined in a certain format as data elements included in the responding documents. The data elements are then parsed from the responding documents responsive to predetermined programming instructions and evaluated the data elements responsive to a predetermined set of rules.

Apparatus and computer program product for technology comparisons

In one aspect, a method for comparing suppliers includes sending survey questions for receipt by supplier computer systems. Programming instructions are also sent for receipt and execution by the supplier computer systems, The programming instructions are for causing the supplier computer systems to return supplier survey answers to a server. The answers are included in responding documents and are defined in a certain format as data elements included in the responding documents. The data elements are then parsed from the responding documents responsive to predetermined programming instructions and evaluated the data elements responsive to a predetermined set of rules.

Method, apparatus and computer program product for technology comparisons

A display screen interface implementation in a computer controlled user interactive display system, for enabling an interactive user to select specific items on a large presentation display screen, comprising laser apparatus for projecting a laser beam pointer image onto the display screen, apparatus for interactively moving the projected laser pointer orthogonally with respect to the display screen, apparatus for tracking the orthogonal movement and position of the projected laser bean pointer and apparatus enabling the user to make interactive selections on the display screen based upon the orthogonal position of the projected laser bean pointer. For best results in preferred embodiments, the laser beam pointer is handheld.

User interactive computer controlled display system enabling a user remote from a display screen to make interactive selections on the display screen with a laser beam projected onto the display screen

Continuously monitoring automobile operations, performance and operating conditions from the remote diagnostic centers through Continuous wireless transmissions so that faults may be immediately recognized and corrected or the operator warned or actions remotely initiated to limit or prevent damage or safety hazards. A plurality of sensing devices in said automobile; each device for respectively continuously sensing an operational parameter of the automobile; a wireless transmitter in the automobile for transmitting the continuously sensed parameters to a diagnostic station remote from automobile; apparatus in the diagnostic station for analyzing said parameters in order to determine defective operational conditions in the automobile; and apparatus associated eith said diagnostic station for wieless transmission of data relative to the determined defective operating conditions back to said automobile.

Continuously monitoring and correcting operational conditions in automobiles from a remote location through wireless transmissions

A method and apparatus for reducing the number of cycles required to implement load instructions in a data processing system having a Central Processing Unit (CPU). The CPU includes a rename register file that can be used in whole or in part for retaining cache lines from previously executed load instructions. The rename register file is then used by subsequent instructions (e.g. load instructions) requiring the data previously loaded therein. Thus, reducing the cycles normally associated with retrieving the data from the cache for the subsequent instructions.

Apparatus for decreasing the cycle times of a data processing system

A method and apparatus for reducing the number of cycles required to implement load instructions in a data processing system having a Central Processing Unit (CPU). The CPU includes a cache register file, indexed via the offset field of the load instruction, for retaining cache lines from previously executed load instructions. The cache register file is then used by subsequent instructions (e.g. load instructions) requiring the data previously loaded therein. Thus, reducing the cycles normally associated with retrieving the data from the cache for the subsequent instructions.

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Austin, TX, United States of America

Charles Gorham Ward