Abstract: A conditional thunk utility employing an assembler-level direct-branch thunk technique. In a condition-check alternative, the conditional thunk utility performs a condition check followed by a direct-branch jump. The condition-check methodology is implemented using an assembler-level direct-branch technique, and the conditional thunk utility does not utilize the stack to queue the arguments of a function call. Thus, the stack is not altered from its desired condition just prior to executing the API function call. The condition-check alternative checks the thunk condition for each function call and, for this reason, may be used when the thunk condition can vary relatively frequently while the host computer system is running. In a jump-table alternative, the conditional thunk utility performs an assembler-level jump table check followed by a direct jump to a target address.

Abstract: A global computer network message delivery service is disclosed. A sender enters a short message for delivery to a recipient's telephone. The sender also enters the recipient's telephone number. The sender may also enter the telephone number that he can be reached at in case the recipient wants to converse live with the sender upon receipt of the message. The message and other entered information is authenticated and validated. The sender's billing telephone number is determined for billing purposes. A call leg is created from a service node to the switch hosting the sender's billing telephone number. The sender's inter-exchange carrier codes are determined and another call leg is created from the service node to the recipient's telephone. After the recipient answers, the service node plays the message (via text-to-speech technology) to the recipient. The inter-exchange carrier codes are used to bill the message service to the sender's billing telephone number.

Abstract: Upon receipt of the hierarchical data structure, a shape tree is constructed corresponding to the hierarchical data structure. The shape tree is an intermediate data structure containing only one unique node for each element of the hierarchical data structure. After the shape tree is constructed, it is annotated with properties describing the hierarchical relationships between elements of the hierarchical data structure. The annotated shape tree is used to create the structure of the flat data structure. Once the shape tree is annotated, the column names for the flat data structure are built utilizing the annotated shape tree. With the column names built, data is emitted from the hierarchical data structure into the proper columns and rows of the flat data structure.