Abstract: The invention provides methods for identifying related data in a directed graph (e.g., an RDF data set). A “first” step—though the steps are not necessarily executed in sequential order—includes identifying (or marking) as related data expressly satisfying the criteria. A “second” step includes identifying as related ancestors of any data identified as related, e.g., in the first step, unless that ancestor conflicts with the criteria. A “third” step of the method is identifying descendents of any data identified, e.g., in the prior steps, unless that descendent conflicts with the criteria or has a certain relationship with the ancestor from which it descends. The methods generates, e.g., as output, an indication of each of the nodes identified as related in the three steps.

Abstract: A method of dynamically managing and improving the reliability, accuracy and quality of collected information comprising presenting the user with a hierarchically structured set of predefined terms, receiving reported information from a user corresponding to at least one of the predefined terms, structuring, categorizing and characterizing the reported information, dynamically converting the reported information into a standardized output and storing the standardized output.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for categorization of an item. A plurality of categories is organized in a hierarchy of categories with a plurality of categorizers corresponding to the plurality of categories. A featurizer featurizes the item to create a list of item features. The list is used in a categorizer system, including the plurality of categorizers, for determining a plurality of levels of goodness. The item is categorized in the categorizer system in the plurality of categories based on the respective plurality of levels of goodness. The best categories are processed first, allowing termination at any time. The system successively refines an item down a hierarchy, until the features no longer support further refinement. The categories and the degree of support for the categories are provided.

Abstract: A method and system thereof for identifying records are described. Records on a node are distinguished from other records on the node by assigning each record a unique local identifier. When a record is moved from one node to another node, a unique global identifier is assigned to the record. A translation technique is employed to map the local identifier to the global identifier (and vice versa).

Abstract: An adaptive search method in feature vector space which can quickly search the feature vector space indexed based on approximation for a feature vector having features similar to a query vector according to a varying distance measurement is provided. The adaptive search method includes the steps of (a) performing a similarity measurement on a given query vector within the feature vector space, and (b) applying search conditions limited by the result of the similar measurement obtained in the step (a) and performing a changed similarity measurement on the given query vector. According to the adaptive search method, the number of candidate approximation regions is reduced during a varying distance measurement such as an on-line retrieval, which improves the search speed.

Abstract: A method, program, and system for processing electronic receipts within a computer network are provided. The present invention comprises creating a customer profile for a user using a Smart Receipt application. When the user purchases items, electronic receipts (smart receipts) are sent from the point of sale to a designated database. The database may be on a credit card company server, the product manufacturer's server, a special cash receipts server, or a central clearing house server. When the customer wants a copy of a receipt, he or she enters search parameters which specify the desired receipt. The search parameters may include item type, date of purchase, and method of purchase. A Smart Receipt object is then initiated, which retrieves the specified electronic receipt from the appropriate database, according to the search parameters. A copy of the retrieved electronic receipt is then downloaded to a client machine (e.g. PDA, PC) designated by the customer profile.

Abstract: Methods are provided for dynamically configuring the cardinality of keyword attributes. A table definition is received including an identification field, a keyword field and a keyword value field. A first value is inserted into the keyword value field and associated with a first keyword residing in the keyword field. Furthermore, a second value is inserted into the keyword value field and associated with the first keyword. Moreover, a first identification, which is part of the identification field, is associated with the first keyword.

Abstract: A method for concurrent data migration includes classifying files to be migrated into plural jobs, selecting media to which to migrate each job, and using plural drives concurrently to write the jobs to the media. The selection of a medium is performed in a way that prevents the number of writeable media from exceeding the number of available drives, unless no allocated medium has sufficient space to store any files in a migration job. A medium is preferentially selected that has already been allocated for writing, has space to store at least one file in the job, is not in use for another job, and can be robotically mounted on a drive. If such a medium does not exist, then the set of available media is canvassed to locate an alternative medium.

Abstract: A link tree is able to be formed in a visually logical and natural form for a plurality of objects displayed on a screen. At the time of setting individually selectable links to form an overall object link tree for the plurality of objects displayed on the screen, first processing is carried out for setting a link between an m-th object and an n-th object when only the n-th object exists in a predetermined direction with reference to the m-th object, and second processing is alternatively carried out for setting a link based on a distance of each object existing in said predetermined direction from the m-th object when a plurality of objects exist in a predetermined direction with reference to the m-th object.

Abstract: The invention relates to communicating message data between application programs, the message data relating to units of work performed by the application programs. A plurality of message queuing subsystems interface to the application programs and are coupled together through a coupling facility. The message data is communicated in shared queues between the message queuing subsystems by means of data structures contained in the coupling facility. The data structures include an administrative structure listing unit of work descriptors describing operations performed by the queuing subsystems on a shared queue. A connection failure between a queuing subsystem and the shared queue is notified to the remaining queuing subsystems connected to the shared queue.

Abstract: A retrieval key to be used for the retrieval of a table is divided into a plurality of divided retrieval keys consisted of a plurality of bit strings. Each divided retrieval key is provided with a corresponding retrieval table. Further, the size of the table to be retrieved by one divided retrieval key is made to be smaller than the size of a table to be retrieved one time by a whole retrieval key. First, the first retrieval table is retrieved by the divided retrieval key (A bits). If the result is obtained, the result is outputted unchanged. If the pointer to the second retrieval table is obtained, the second retrieval table is retrieved by the other divided retrieval key (B bits). In this way, a retrieval process continues using the divided retrieval keys.

Abstract: The system manages at least a database in multiple database storage units, and the database is duplicated for redundancy. The system maintains the database redundancy for security. The system enables the maintenance and reorganization of the database storage units without interrupting the on-going operations involving the access to the database storage units. The non-stop ongoing database access is available by allocating a pair of a main storage unit and an intermediate storage unit that maintains the substantially identical data. During certain predetermined operations, the main storage unit is being dedicating to the on-going transactions while the intermediate database storage unit is manipulated to contain data that corresponds to a specified time. For example, the content of the intermediate storage is subsequently copied or used to update another database.

Abstract: Many portable computing devices include data based applications such as schedules, contact managers, and the like, which can be synchronized with another computing device, such as a desktop computer, whereby the data on both synchronized devices are conformed. The present invention discloses a method and apparatus that allows such data to be selectively synchronized, wherein the user can specify, on a record-by-record basis, which other databases receive or synchronize with each record. The present invention allows multiple users to synchronize portable computers with the same desktop (or other) computer without necessarily sharing all of their synchronizable data.

Abstract: In a computerized data storage system, when data is to be updated in a primary, or “base,” logical volume, a snapshot volume is formed from the base volume. The updates are then made to the snapshot volume, preferably while the base volume is still used to satisfy normal I/O (input/output) access requests. After the updating is complete, the snapshot volume is rolled back into the base volume. During the rollback, any remaining original data in the base volume and the updated data in either the base volume or snapshot volume are available for satisfying the normal I/O access requests. Thus, the updating appears to be instantaneous, since the entire updated data is immediately available upon starting the rollback.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for performing Automatic Stream Analysis for Broadcast Information which takes speech audio as input, converts the audio stream into text using a speech recognition system, applies a variety of analyzers to the text stream to identify information elements, automatically generates queries from these information elements, and extracts data from search results that is relevant to a current program. The data is multiplexed into the broadcast signal and transmitted along with the original audio/video program. The system is fully automatic and operates in real time, allowing broadcasters to add relevant collateral information to live programming.

Abstract: A method for allowing chronologically overlapping database transactions in a multi-threaded environment without the need for explicit thread synchronization for database access. Literal database connections are managed on a per thread basis, thus allowing different chronologically overlapping transactions in different threads. Four basic objects are used to accomplish the chronologically overlapping transactions in a multi-threaded environment. The environment object is a static object that creates and maintains a pointer to the database application environment handle in addition to performing basic error recovery and initialization functionality. The database object encapsulates a logical database connection. The database connection object contains the functions that can be performed on a database connection, such as transaction management and query creation. The database statement object encapsulates a query that can be made to the database.

Abstract: The system manages at least a database in multiple database storage units, and the database is duplicated for redundancy. The system maintains the database redundancy for security. The system enables the maintenance and reorganization of the database storage units without interrupting the on-going operations involving the access to the database storage units. The non-stop ongoing database access is available by allocating a pair of a main storage unit and an intermediate storage unit that maintains the substantially identical data. During certain predetermined operations, the main storage unit is being dedicating to the on-going transactions while the intermediate database storage unit is manipulated to contain data that corresponds to a specified time. For example, the content of the intermediate storage is subsequently copied or used to update another database.

Abstract: Database systems, methods and/or computer program products that include a database management system and a database having partitioned tables. The partitioned tables include at least two entity tables and a relationship table where the relationship table has a child-to-parent relationship to each of the entity tables. Keys and indices are defined for the entity tables and the relationship table so that the database management system maintains referential integrity between the relationship table and the entity tables to thereby enforce the child-parent relationship. The keys and indices include a primary key which includes one or more columns of a corresponding entity table. The columns of the primary key, however, does not include columns which are used only for partitioning the entity table.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates fast network management protocol replies in large tables. The system operates by first receiving a request for a next row from a network management protocol table. The system then compares the object identifier in the request with a pre-calculated object identifier. If the object identifier matches the pre-calculated object identifier, the system responds to the request with a pre-calculated response. If the object identifier does not match the pre-calculated object identifier, the system searches a management information base for the next row in the network management protocol table. Next, the system calculates a response, which includes data from requested columns of the next row. The system then responds to the request.

Abstract: Multiple links to the same object are managed by storing the attributes of the object in only one place. Each directory which links to the object has an object attribute table; each table has a number of entries all capable of storing the attributes of the files linked to the directory. One of the entries in a directory linked to a file stores the attributes of that file, called the master entry; other entries in the same or other directories that also link to the same file have slave entries capable of storing the attributes but not storing the attributes in their respective object attribute table. The file need only address the master entry. The master entry may point to the other slave entries which may point back to the master or to other slave entries as determined by a pointer protocol. When the master entry is to be deallocated, another of the qualified slave entries receives the attribute information and the file is updated to reflect that a new master has been declared.