Patents Examined by Susan F. Rayyan
  • Patent number: 8838646
    Abstract: A method, program product and apparatus for controlling access to profile information, multi-media resources or social network functions of a first user by a second user not listed on a friend or group listing of the first user. An application retrieves a threshold criteria for access control and social network statistics in response to an attempted access by an entity without an appropriate privilege. The application compares the statistics to the threshold. Then, if the statistics meet the threshold criteria, the application allows access.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: David Gerard Kuehr-McLaren, Ranjan Kumar, Kwabena Mireku, Govindaraj Sampathkumar
  • Patent number: 8832126
    Abstract: Given a set of documents relevant to a litigation hold and a seed set of custodians, a second set of custodians can be generated and suggested to a user. After receiving a seed set of keywords and/or custodians, documents are identified based on their relevance. Relevant documents are searched for custodian names, and appropriate custodian names are presented to a user. Additionally, based on a first set of custodians, a suggested set of custodians can be provided to a user based on relationships between the sets of custodians.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 9, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Shailesh Kumar, Mahesh Chhaparia, Gaurav Agarwal
  • Patent number: 8825610
    Abstract: A system includes a goal state repository, a goal state repository instance and management tools. The goal state repository stores goals for a managed system. The goal state repository instance stores a subset of the goals applicable to a current state of the managed system. The goal state repository instance is created by comparing the current state of the managed system to the goals stored in the goal state repository. The management tools modify the managed system to be in compliance with the subset of goals stored in the goal state repository instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: James C. Pruyne, Akhil Sahai, Subramoniam N. Iyer, Keith Farkas, Sven Graupner, Vijay Machiraju
  • Patent number: 8825591
    Abstract: System and method for tracking statistics at the subfile level and transparently placing or migrating inactive or less active blocks of data to other storage devices. Embodiments may provide mechanisms to track statistics at the subfile level of files including, but not limited to, database files, and to transparently place or migrate inactive or less active blocks of data of the files from higher-performing, typically more expensive, storage to lower-performing, typically less expensive, storage, while placing or migrating active blocks of data of the files to higher-performing storage, based on the subfile-level statistics rather than on file-level timestamps. In some embodiments, knowledge of file structure (e.g., database file structure), for example knowledge of database partitions with header blocks and data blocks in databases using data partitioning, may be used to separate more active and less active blocks of data of files onto storage with different performance and/or other characteristics.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Symantec Operating Corporation
    Inventors: Xinyi David Lai, Par Botes, HanCheng Hsiung
  • Patent number: 8812508
    Abstract: Systems and methods for extracting phrases from text are disclosed. In an exemplary embodiment, a method may include preprocessing desired phrases into at least one phrase indexing data structure for efficient matching. The method may also include scanning text to construct a hash table including keys and corresponding entries. The method may also include locating suffix trie trees for each word in the hash table. The method may also include matching each position in the hash table against the suffix trie trees, and outputting phrases matched in the scanned text.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2014
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventors: Li Zhang, Yuhong Xiong, Wei-Chun Wang
  • Patent number: 8805791
    Abstract: Images created by one or more image acquisition devices are initially stored in remote data bases at one or more remote or satellite locations and copies of the images are subsequently transferred to a central server at a central storage location over a network and stored in a central data base. A common catalog listing local image files stored at the central data base and remote image files stored at one or more remote data bases is stored at the central location and is accessed by users to search for images. User requests for images associated with local image files result in transfer of the requested images by the central server to the user. User requests for images associated with remote image files are relayed by the central server to the associated remote location, and the requested images are then relayed to the user from the remote location via the central server.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2014
    Assignee: Leica Biosystems Imaging, Inc.
    Inventor: Ole Eichhorn
  • Patent number: 8793240
    Abstract: After receipt of an instruction (e.g. a database statement), one or more computers specialize an interpreter with the received instruction as constant, to obtain a specialized interpreter that is stored in memory and/or disk. The specialized interpreter is then invoked to execute the received instruction. Depending on the embodiment, the interpreter being specialized may additionally be received and used in binary form without specialization. Specifically, in some embodiments, an identical interpreter is received in two forms: in a binary language specific to the one or more computers and also in a language that is acceptable to a specializer, such as a source language or an intermediate language. The interpreter in the binary language is invoked by default unless a predetermined condition for specialization is met. When the predetermined condition is met, the interpreter in the specializer-acceptable language is specialized by the specializer, and then the specialized interpreter is invoked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Oracle International Corporation
    Inventors: Dmitry M. Potapov, Dmitri Bronnikov
  • Patent number: 8793290
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for managing metadata for pools of storage disks, are described. In some implementations, a system includes a processor, a memory and a storage system. The storage system contains a storage pool including multiple storage devices. Further, the storage system is configured to store in persistent storage associated with the storage pool a bitmap that is configured to indicate whether metadata blocks corresponding to one or more virtual volumes associated with the storage pool are free or occupied. In addition, the processor is configured to perform operations including accessing at least portions of the bitmap, and managing, based on information from the accessed portions, at least some of the metadata blocks stored in the persistent storage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2014
    Assignee: Toshiba Corporation
    Inventors: Arvind Pruthi, Shailesh P. Parulekar, Mayur Shardul
  • Patent number: 8788488
    Abstract: A computer-implemented method is provided for ranking files from an Internet search. In one embodiment, the method comprises assigning a score to each file based on at least one of the following factors: recency, editorial popularity, clickthru popularity, favorites metadata, or favorites collaborative filtering. The file may be organized based on the assigned scores to provide users with more accurate search results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2014
    Assignee: Facebook, Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy D. Tuttle, Adam L. Beguelin, Peter F. Kocks
  • Patent number: 8782016
    Abstract: A computer implemented method for repairing records of a database, comprises determining a first set of records of the database which violate a functional dependency of the database, modifying records in the first set to make them consistent with the functional dependency to provide an output consistent database instance, determining a second set of records of the output consistent database instance comprising duplicate records, merging duplicate records in the second set in dependence on the functional dependencies of the records to provide a modified database instance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Qatar Foundation
    Inventors: Ihab Francis Ilyas Kaldas, Mohamed Yakout, Ahmed K. Elmagarmid
  • Patent number: 8768906
    Abstract: A method and a system of displaying related keywords are provided. The method includes: receiving a primary keyword inputted by a user and a request for retrieving keywords related to the primary keyword; recording a frequency of the retrieving request corresponding to the primary keyword; selecting a candidate group of related keywords based on the frequency from the groups of related keywords corresponding to the primary keyword; and displaying the related keywords in the candidate group of related keywords. The system includes: an interface unit, a recording unit, an acquiring unit and a displaying unit. The disclosed method and system retrieve different groups of related keywords based on the frequency of the request for retrieving keywords related to a certain primary keyword, and display the retrieved related keywords in a rotating manner and allow a user to obtain the related keywords in an easier and more complete way.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Limited
    Inventors: Lei Pan, Yuanhu Yao, Weiwei Wang, Yu Zhang
  • Patent number: 8732206
    Abstract: Various revisions of encoded data slices stored in a distributed storage system can be time stamped to assist in retrieving desired data revisions. Each of the multiple revisions of the encoded data slices may have the same name, but different revision numbers. An encoded data slice, which is received at a distributed storage unit along with a write command, slice name, and the revision number, is time stamped. The timestamp and revision number are stored in conjunction with the data slice. A desired encoded data slice can be retrieved by sending a read command, slice name, and timeframe to the distributed storage unit. The appropriate encoded data slice can be retrieved by determining which revision number has a timestamp most closely matching the requested timeframe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2014
    Assignee: Cleversafe, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason K. Resch, Wesley Leggette, Andrew Baptist
  • Patent number: 8719273
    Abstract: Provided is a method that includes a method for updating index data. The method includes receiving index data, including an index value indicative of user activity on a network site and an index time corresponding to a time used for calculating the index value, receiving an update index time corresponding to a time used for updating the index data, determining an updated index value using an exponential decay of the index value from the index time to the update index time, wherein the updated index value comprises a decayed value of the index value corresponding to the update time, and storing updated index data including the updated index value and the update index time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2014
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventor: William R. Softky
  • Patent number: 8712974
    Abstract: A method is performed by a device of a group of devices in a distributed data replication system. The method includes storing an index of objects in the distributed data replication system, the index being replicated while the objects are stored locally by the plurality of devices in the distributed data replication system. The method also includes conducting a scan of at least a portion of the index and identifying a redundant replica(s) of the at least one of the objects based on the scan of the index. The method further includes de-duplicating the redundant replica(s), and updating the index to reflect the status of the redundant replica.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Gia Datuashvili, Alexander Kesselman, Alexandre Drobychev
  • Patent number: 8700649
    Abstract: Techniques suitable for identifying potential subjects for a clinical trial and other applications are disclosed. One or more exclusion or inclusion criteria are defined for the clinical trial. One or more specialized searching tables are pre-generated using administrative healthcare claims data and the one or more exclusion or inclusion criteria. The specialized searching tables are searched. Through the searching step, subjects are identified within the administrative healthcare claims data who match the one or more exclusion or inclusion criteria. Through the searching step, a geographical area is identified corresponding to the subjects who match the one or more exclusion or inclusion criteria. A customized report is generated using the identified subjects and geographical area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2014
    Assignee: OptumInsight, Inc.
    Inventors: Jean Rawlings, David Anderson, Carl Kraus, Andrew Paris
  • Patent number: 8683021
    Abstract: A computer system with read/write access to storage devices creates a snapshot of a data volume at a point in time while continuing to accept access requests to the mirrored data volume by copying before making changes to the base data volume. Multiple snapshots may be made of the same data volume at different points in time. Only data that is not stored in a previous snapshot volume or in the base data volume are stored in the most recent snapshot volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Silicon Graphics International, Corp.
    Inventor: Kenneth S. Beck
  • Patent number: 8682856
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and system for processing query messages over a network. Specifically, a plurality of queries may be extracted from a plurality of query messages received from a plurality of users over a network. A number of queries, included in the plurality of queries, may be determined, and a current sequence number may be associated with the plurality of queries. A request message may be created including the plurality of queries, a first sequence number equal to the current sequence number and a first message count equal to the number of queries. The request message may be sent to a search engine and a response message may be received from the search engine. The response message may include a plurality of replies, a second sequence number, a second message count, a third sequence number and a third message count. A plurality of reply messages may be created from the plurality of replies and sent to the plurality of users over the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2014
    Assignee: Verisign, Inc.
    Inventor: Aristotle Nicholas Balogh
  • Patent number: 8666991
    Abstract: A method of counting items in a database system. The database system having nodes comprising processors and memory where the memory stores programs to be executed by the processors. Identifying and counting M unique number of items. Determining and storing a logcount for M unique items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Blekko, Inc.
    Inventors: Keith Peters, Bryn Robert Dole, Michael Markson, Robert Michael Saliba, Rich Skrenta, Robert N. Truel, Gregory B. Lindahl
  • Patent number: 8655905
    Abstract: A method of incrementally refining queries and updating query result lists without requiring a user to provide an explicit indicator of query submission. In the method, one or more query related character patterns are defined. Entry of query defining characters by a user is monitored to detect entry of a defined query related character pattern. The user is provided with one or more suggested query refinement options and an updated query result list each time a defined query related character pattern is detected. The query related character patterns may be a character pattern that indicates a word has been input by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Brett D. Brewer, Oliver Hurst-Hiller
  • Patent number: 8615490
    Abstract: First and second partial files are read from first and second storage media, respectively, irrespective of a sequence in which the first and second storage media were originally written relative to one another. The first partial file forms a first portion of a complete file. The second partial file forms a second portion of the complete file. The first and second partial files are combined to extract and form the complete file, without dependence on re-reading the first and second storage media.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2013
    Assignee: Renew Data Corp.
    Inventors: Mark Jonathan Platt, Christopher Kent Pratt, Keith Roger Burns, Erik James Omberg