Patent ID: 7676390

Claim:
A method for performing business-related analysis, comprising: generating a predicted value using a model that is based on censored data collected from a multi-stage business operation using an electronic data processing apparatus, the predicted value containing an error attributed to information that is missing from the censored data within a specified time interval; performing a trending operation using trending logic executed by the electronic data processing apparatus to derive a standardized score that pertains to a variance of the predicted value with respect to other predicted values generated using the model for the specified time interval; performing a de-trending operation using de-trending logic executed by the electronic data processing apparatus to reduce the error in the predicted value based on the standardized score calculated in the trending logic, wherein the de-trending operation comprises the steps of: computing an actual mean of actual values for the specified time interval; computing an actual standard deviation of actual values for the specified time interval; and computing an output result by multiplying the standardized score calculated in the trending logic by the actual standard deviation to produce a product, and adding the actual mean to the product; generating an electrical signal representative of the output result that includes probability information associated with the output result; and controlling the multi-stage business operation based on the output result.