Abstract: A method and system organize and retrieve information using taxonomies, a document classifier, and an autocontextualizer. Documents (or other knowledge containers) in an organization and retrieval subsystem may be manually or automatically classified into taxonomies. Documents are transformed from clear text into a structured record. Automatically constructed indexes help identify when the structured record is an appropriate response to a query. An automatic term extractor creates a list of terms indicative of the documents' subject matter. A subject matter expert identifies the terms relevant to the taxonomies. A term analysis system assigns the relevant terns to one or more taxonomies, and a suitable algorithm is then used to determine the relatedness between each list of terms and its associated taxonomy. The system then clusters documents for each taxonomy in accordance with the weights ascribed to the terms in the taxonomy's list and a directed acyclic graph (DAG) structure is created.

Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided in which a search request containing search criteria is received from a first user. A search is performed based on the search criteria to retrieve records in one or more databases that match the search criteria. A list of search results based on the retrieved records is displayed to the first user. In response to the first user's selection of a particular search result in the list of search results, details of the particular search result are displayed to the first user.

Abstract: A method for selectively indexing a database (32) includes selecting a set of fields (156) in the database (32). The selected fields (156) are located in one column (152) of a table (150) in the database (32). The method also includes determining the total time required for reading data from the fields (156) during a selected time period if the fields (156) are indexed and determining the total time required for reading data from the fields (156) during the selected time period if the fields (156) are not indexed. The method further includes determining the total time required for writing data to the fields (156) during the selected time period if the fields (156) are indexed and determining the total time required for writing data to the fields (156) during the selected time period if the fields (156) are not indexed. In addition, the method includes evaluating the total times required for reading and writing data to the fields to determine whether the fields (156) should be indexed.

Abstract: A web browsing environment that provides a graphical spatial context to associate web sites to one another and allows for interaction between users browsing the space is provided. One feature of the described embodiment is the provision of a tiling of mini browsers in one space rather than a document.

Abstract: A method of searching multimedia data is disclosed. In the present invention, an image is searched based upon normalized feature information which has been normalized. By normalizing the feature information, the weights of features used in searching an image can be more efficiently determined, thereby allowing a more accurate image search.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for determining an appropriate (e.g., best-fit) character encoding scheme including the steps of (i) generating a set of reference characters based on a reference character encoding scheme and a first set of bytes; (ii) generating a set of test characters based on a test character encoding scheme and said first set of bytes; (ii) generating a set of test bytes based on said test character encoding scheme and said set of test characters; (iv) generating a set of comparison characters based on said reference character encoding scheme and said set of test bytes; and (v) comparing said set of reference characters to said set of comparison characters. In one embodiment of the present invention, the aforementioned steps are implemented as a JAVA based software program with Unicode (e.g., USC2) as the reference character encoding scheme.

Abstract: The concept of database management is employed in the field of word processing, thereby strengthening the format design characteristics so as to simplify word processing with repeating formats and repeating data and so as to aid in ensuring uniformity of documents of similar types.

Abstract: Even if element data that is necessary for storage in a database has not all been entered within a record, registration of data in the database is allowed. To accomplish this, requisite input items, quasi-requisite input items and optional input items are defined in a database table. If, in regard to a requisite input item, the corresponding element data has not been entered, storage in the database is not allowed. With regard to a quasi-requisite input item, storage in the database is allowed even if the corresponding element data has not been entered. If element data is not entered for a requisite input item even upon passage of a certain period of time, access to the database is inhibited.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for tracking messages and transactions communicated between a number of users and a number of hosts, where the hosts are executing concurrent applications. During a first user session, a first user communicates with a first host. A counter associated with the first user session is incremented when the application creates an output message. The counter is decremented when the output message is released to the first user. A flag associated with the first user session is set and the counter is incremented once the flag is set, if an input message or committing transaction is received from the first user. The flag is cleared and the counter is decremented when the input message or committing transaction is processed by the concurrent application. The counter being decremented indicates there are no dependencies during the first user session with regard to the output message, input message, or committing transaction.

Abstract: In a communications network that provides services to a plurality of users, events occurring during service processing are accumulated in an event record and sent to a record processor to perform post-processing, such as assessing charges to be billed to users of the network. Each service processing node in the communications network accumulates event records, bundles them with instructions as to how they are be processed, and dispatches them to one or more record processors. Before being sent to a record processor, an event record is augmented with instructions describing how to perform processing upon the events in the event record. The record processors are general-purpose processors and the instructions for post-processing are carried within the event records themselves. Post-processors are no longer required to be dedicated to a particular purpose such as billing computation.

Abstract: The invention described comprises a method and system for the centralized management and decentralized execution of information and data distribution on a global scale. Managing and distributing information with a system begins with receiving a request for access to the system from a user at a multi-access manager and determining whether the request for access to the system is an approved request. A catalogue of at least one source server is displayed if the request for access to the system is approved, wherein each source server may be remote from the multi-access manager and is coupled to a respective information source. Each source server has authorized the user to access data received at the respective information source. A source server selection is received from the user. The request for data requests data accumulated at the information source coupled to the selected source server.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for conducting business via the worldwide Web in which business programming is isolated from Web user interface programming. In accordance with the invention, a gateway servlet interfaces between a consumer's browser's software and a e-business retailer's back-end business software running, for instance, on a separate mainframe. The gateway servlet receives input information from the consumer and forwards it to the back-end software for business processing. The back-end software returns a user interface record object to the gateway which then instantiates a Java bean and invokes a Java Server Page in order to generate a HTML page to be returned to the user based on the user input information and the business back-end processing thereof.

Abstract: A computer-based software method for creating and modifying a data base which contains a multiplicity of records consisting of attribute records, entity records, and constraint records. Each entity record contains a unique identifier and a list of pairs of attribute identifiers and associated values. Each constraint record contains a statement which evaluates to true or false when applied to an entity record in the database. The result is a database in which attribute, constraint, and entity records may be modified without having to reload parts of or the entire database. In addition, the invention contains an integrated method of data compacting and indexing, implemented by component packets, containing component data records, component description records arranged in an array, and a header record. Component data records may contain index structures, which in turn may contain other component packets. Data packets are transferred between an applications program and the database.

Abstract: A method and system for purging database update image files after completion of associated transactions for a database replication system with multiple audit logs. Audit update records and audit backout records are generated by the primary system, and are transmitted to the backup system in multiple streams in parallel. The backup system stores the received audit records as audit image trails, and applies the audit updates and audit backouts to the backup database without regard to whether the associated transactions committed or aborted. Because audit updates and audit backouts are applied without regard to whether the associated transactions committed or aborted, image files containing audit records associated with transactions that have not yet committed or aborted must not be purged. The present invention provides for a method for determining whether an image trail file contains audit records that can be purged such that image trail files can be safely deleted.

Abstract: A method and system for preparing a data record with multidimensional attributes for processing by a data-mining tool includes the steps of identifying a normalized data record, which includes an existing attribute comprising a plurality of dimensions, and generating a plurality of new attributes corresponding to the plurality of dimensions of the existing attribute. The method further includes creating an REI data record comprising the plurality of new attributes. The method further includes associating a plurality of value instances corresponding to the dimensions of the existing attribute with the plurality of new attributes.

Abstract: A data storage system, employing cache and base storage, assigns an “anywhere” token to each data object received for storage, whether the object is stored in cache or base storage. The anywhere token contains the latest metadata for the data object and includes at least a version code. If a data object is stored in base storage, the data object is assigned a “base” token with the same value as its anywhere token. These “cacading” tokens are available for use in tracking functions such as cache grooming, de-staging data to base storage, and processing cache miss events. All tokens are stored in a token database. For each data object, the token database lists its anywhere token and base token. If the storage system experiences a cache failure, normal storage operations are halted until the cache is repaired. Then, the controller implements a replacement token database. Namely, the controller accesses base storage to retrieve tokens of all data objects lost from cache.

Abstract: Persistent data storage for client computer software programs is provided using a repository that enables client computer software programs to store data securely on a client computer system, subsequently retrieve that data, and optionally share the data in a controlled fashion with authorized client computer software programs. The present invention can be used by both trusted and untrusted client computer software programs that either reside locally on the client computer system or are downloaded from a server computer system. A benefit of the present invention is that it allows untrusted applets to have access to persistent storage without compromising the integrity of the client computer system. Since the present invention controls persistent storage space, not the programmer of the client computer software program, the burden of insuring storage integrity and security is removed from the programmer.

Abstract: A configuration file manager provides a graphical user interface for facilitating management of configuration file parameters. Configuration parameters from multiple files can be managed simultaneously. Configuration parameters can be modified, deleted, added, searched and sorted. Comments can be placed in association with particular configuration parameters that provide any information about the parameter including, its history, purpose and dependency on other configuration parameters.

Abstract: Upon input of a password to a computer, the password is subjected to a hashing function to generate an N-bit number. The N-bit number is divided into two smaller numbers that are used as indexes to retrieve objects from a list of objects. The retrieved objects are presented to a user, and the user is prompted to verify that the objects are recognizable as the objects which the user knows to be associated with their password. If the objects are verified as being recognizable, the password is accepted as a correct and intended input. Alternative embodiments of this method, and associated apparatus, are also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods for maintaining consistent data and attributes for files sharable by two or more consumers are provided. One exemplary method includes initially defining a set of consistency bits that are implemented by a file consistency protocol. Once the consistency bits are defined and implemented by a file system managing the shared files, the method receives indication that a change was made to a file associated with the file system. The method then sets a bit of the set of consistency bits on each instance file to reflect the change performed to the file. An update is then messaged to each instance file such that the instance files contain the change made to the file. The messaging can be performed by way of a pulling protocol or a push protocol, which transfers the updates to the instances to maintain the consistency.