Abstract: A database system providing high performance database versioning is described. In a database system employing a transaction log, a method for restoring databases to a consistent version including creating a cache view of a shared cache and performing undo or redo operations on the cache view only when a log sequence number falls within a certain range.

Abstract: An apparatus for building an address database and a method includes: an address reading unit for reading an address from an address image; a read result storing unit for storing the read address and an accumulated value that represents the number of reads of the read address; an effective address storing unit for storing an effective address database that includes a plurality of effective addresses that substantially exist; and an effective address extracting unit for storing the read address to the effective address unit according to whether the accumulated value of the read address loaded from the read result storing unit is more than a predetermined threshold value. According to the present invention, the address database is built by verifying the address read from address information that is written on a piece of mail, thereby improving the reliability and completeness of the address database.

Abstract: A safety management system for use in industry, such as the oil and gas industry, is disclosed. The system comprises a database component for storing safety information including project information comprising at least one project entry. Each project entry has a unique project identifier and project data. The database component further includes safety card information comprising at least one safety card entry, and a unique safety card identifier, a project identifier selected from the unique project identifiers of the at least one project entries and safety card data. The database component further comprising notification information comprising at least one notification entry. Each notification entry comprising a unique notification identifier, a project identifier selected from the unique project identifier of the at least one project entries and notification card data.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs for executing a query having a first and second query value; in a database having at least two composite indexes, where the first index covers a first and second column and the second index covers the second column and a third column. Methods can include executing a query over the first and third columns, by using the first query values to probe the first index to obtain all related second column values, and using the obtained column values to probe the second index for all third column values which satisfy the second query value. A temporary composite index over the first and third columns for the query values can be created. A temporary composite index can be created for a query which was unexpected.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for improving the performance of particular database queries operating on a view comprising binary-encoded XML. A determination is made about whether a XML index is available to improve the computation of XPath data before deriving an optimized execution plan for a particular query. When a XML index is not available to help expedite the computation of binary-encoded XML, then deferring the computation of the XPath data until after the view merge stage avoids unnecessary computation of XPaths that are part of the view but not needed for the particular query.

Abstract: Tracking resource use includes determining when the resource is allocated, determining when the resource is first used, determining when the resource is last used, and determining when the resource is deallocated. The resource may be a software object. Deallocating the resource may be performed automatically by a run time system when there are no remaining references to the object in run time code or variables. Deallocating the resource may include at least one of: setting a flag for the resource and adding an identifier for the resource to a list of resources to be deallocated. Time measurements may correspond to a count of garbage collection cycles. Tracking resource use may also include determining additional resource usage metrics.

Abstract: A records management system and method includes sending periodic notifications to record owners and managers when their records are under a hold order. Also, return receipts in response to an e-mail message related to a record are automatically declared as records themselves and linked to the original record.

Abstract: The creator or author of the Web document or page at the Web site source of the page is enabled to prioritize all of the hyperlinks to other Web documents embedded in the Web page in order to optimize the needs such as the business needs of the host. The prioritization is applied in the determination of the order in which the Web documents linked to the activated embedded hyperlinks in the Web document are to be accessed. The system is implemented through the inclusion of a hypertext markup language tag associated with each of the prioritized hyperlinks indicative of the priority level of the associated hyperlink. The implementation for designating a priority level for each of the hyperlinks may be enabled to change any previously designated priority levels for said hyperlinks. Such changes in any previously designated priority levels could be made applicable to the priority levels in previously distributed copies of said Web document.

Abstract: Systems, techniques, and machine-readable instructions for inferring attributes from search queries. In one aspect, a method includes receiving a description of a collection of search queries, inferring attributes of entities from the description of the collection of search queries, associating the inferred attributes with identifiers of entities characterized by the attributes, and making the associations of the attributes and entities available.

Abstract: Systems and methods for determining and utilizing path navigation information. In one aspect, a method includes determining an article containing at least one item, determining a path associated with the article, and identifying at least one term associated with the at least one item based at least in part on the path.

Abstract: The system includes a query engine and an advertisement engine. The query engine is configured to receive a query from the user. The advertisement engine generates advertisement results corresponding to the query. The advertisement results are selected from entries in an advertisement database, where the entries include predicate values corresponding to a domain. The advertisement engine generates a diverse advertisement result that is a subset of the database entries that match the query. The diversity result varies at least one predicate by selecting entries for the list that include a proportional representation of each available predicate value in the database that matches the query.

Abstract: Search results are ranked by applying sub-relevancies within a search result list. This permits search result lists to be further refined into more manageable relevant groupings from a user's perspective. The sub-relevancies or ‘group-by’ parameters are derived from search result attributes. Attribute values from the attributes are employed in a ranking scheme to group the search results based on attribute value relevancy. The grouped search results can then be displayed to users via a search result page. In one instance users can select which attribute value is used to group the search result list. Ranking processes are based on object ranking algorithms that consider each attribute value as an object type. Some instances provide for search result list group condensing based on relevancy of the attribute values as well. A top-k instance can be employed to limit the search results to control the amount of time required for processing groupings.

Abstract: A method and system for allowing a resource associated with a target document usable for ad rendering by a first entity to be used for rendering of content by a second entity. Depending on one or more conditions, the first entity either uses the resource to render at least one ad or allows a second entity to use at least a portion of the resource to render content.

Abstract: A method, computer system, computer program product and graphical interface for generating and displaying an information catalog relating to a business model. The method includes accessing technical metadata from a data warehouse, accessing business metadata from a first source outside of the data warehouse, accessing presentation metadata from a second source outside of the data warehouse, and applying the presentation metadata to the technical metadata and the business metadata to generate the information catalog. The information catalog comprises the technical metadata and the business metadata in accordance with the presentation format specified by the presentation metadata. The technical metadata is associated with data used by computer applications. The computer applications support business processes of the business model.

Abstract: Search results, including sponsored links and algorithmic search results, are generated in response to a query, and are marked based on frequency of clicks on the search results by members of social network who are within a predetermined degree of separation from the member who submitted the query. The markers are visual tags and comprise either a text string or an image.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for automatically detecting and extracting information from dynamically generated web pages are disclosed. For example, the present method stores user provided information that is entered into a form interface of a web page for a first query. Responsive to the first query, a first response web page is received and stored. The present method then automatically generates a second query to acquire a second response web page that is responsive to the second query. Finally, the present method compares the first response web page and the second response web page. In one embodiment, the present invention extracts information that is dissimilar between the first response web page and the second response web page. This extracted information is deemed to be the pertinent information requested by the user.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for database searching using fuzzy rules is presented. The apparatus and method may accept a word or word phrase such as a persons name and returns fuzzy rules for database searching. Applicable search rules are selected and word or word phrase equivalents are displayed to a user. The user accepts or rejects each of the word or word phrase. The word or word phrase along with the user's acceptance or rejection are stored in a sample database. The fuzzy rules are modified according to the data in the sample database. The database is filtered by training and testing portions of the database for accuracy and purging the least accurate portions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for calculating the surface distance between two geographical locations are described. According to one aspect of the present invention, values are stored in a square look-up table for determining the square of a value. Also, values are stored in a square of linear to surface distance look-up table for determining the surface distance of a linear value. Cartesian co-ordinates of the two geographic locations and the square look-up table are then used to calculate the square of the linear distance between the two geographical locations and the square of linear to surface distance look-up table is used to convert the calculated square of the linear distance to a surface distance.

Abstract: A system for managing changes to identity data is described. A first spoke managing system is described which includes a first database, a first application in communication with the first database, and a first spoke manager in communication with the first application. A first message is generated including a plurality of common data attributes. The first message is sent to a hub managing system. The hub managing system includes a hub manager. The first message including the plurality of common data attributes is received from the first spoke managing system. A plurality of common data attributes are updated. A determination is made if a unique data attribute that uniquely identifies a reference object is being updated. A second message is generated based on the determination. A third message is generated based on the updates of the plurality of common data attributes. The second message and third message are sent.

Abstract: A database system providing high performance database versioning is described. In a database system employing a transaction log, a method for restoring databases to a consistent version comprises steps of: providing a shared cache storing database blocks for use by multiple databases; for a read-only transaction of a given database, creating a cache view of the shared cache using the given database's transaction log, the cache view comprising particular database blocks of the shared cache that record a view of a particular version of the database at a given point in time; creating a shadow cache for storing any database blocks that overflow the cache view; and in conjunction with the cache view and the shadow cache, preserving a logical undo operation for the read-only transaction of the given database, so as to allow the given database to be restored to a transactionally consistent version.