Abstract: To efficiently recognize characters from several character sets, a palmtop computer system is disclosed wherein more that one character input area is displayed. Each character input area is designed to recognize strokes that represent characters from a different character set. In one embodiment, the palmtop computer system has an alphabetic input area and a numeral input area. In such an embodiment, strokes entered in the alphabetic input area are interpreted as alphabetic characters and strokes entered in the numeral input area are interpreted as numerals.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for dynamically determining the order of execution of a plurality of computer program components. A characterization mechanism provides an annotation of each executable component. A partial order mechanism depends upon the characterization mechanism, and enables a first executable component to declare which other executable components, times, data sets, or other resources are pre-conditions to execution of the first executable component. At load time, a partial order evaluator resolves the pre-conditions and generates a final order of execution of the components based upon interdependencies and resource requirements represented in the pre-conditions. In a preferred embodiment, the pre-conditions are stored in an acyclic directed graph, and the final order is generated by making a breadth-first traversal of the graph and adding nodes of the graph to the final order in the order in which the nodes are traversed.

Abstract: An authorizing apparatus for use with a client that connects to a first server in a network is described. The authorizing apparatus includes a second server that authorizes session requests of the client for the first server. A plurality of records of resource allocation data is coupled with the second server. Each record indicates whether a session may be established between the client and the first server. Coupled to the second server is information that associates an entity that includes and is associated with one or more clients, and information that associates the second server to a third server that is authoritative for the second server and the associated clients. Means are provided for receiving a request to establish a session between the client and the first server and for determining, at the second server, based on one of the records that is associated with the client, whether the session may be established when the client is associated with the entity.

Abstract: A computerized query optimizer for use with a database system having an ordered set of records. The optimizer employs a scanner and an evaluator. A query is composed as ranges of record values related by logical operators. The query is converted to a Boolean tree in canonical form. The tree is optimized to express the ranges as a set of disjoint semi-open ranges. The scanner reads a next record from the database. The evaluator, using the query, delivers a logical true or false condition for the record. In addition, the evaluator also delivers an interval of values having the same logical condition as the logical condition of the record. If this logical condition is false, the scanner skips over records having values of the interval, otherwise, if the logical condition is true, records having values of the interval are selected.

Abstract: A method and apparatus that provide network access control are disclosed. In one embodiment, a network access control apparatus is configured to receive and authenticate a password that uses the “Fortezza” cryptographic protocol, and to receive and authenticate passwords of other types, to thereby selectively permit a client associated with the Fortezza password to access a protected network. A Fortezza card reader is coupled to the client and associated with a Fortezza card that contains the Fortezza password. A network access server is logically coupled to the client. An access control server is coupled logically between the client and the protected network and that controls access of the client to the protected network. A Fortezza authentication server is coupled to the access control server for communication therewith. A database is coupled to the access control server and that contains profile information associated with the user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for accessing ancillary data, and for generating and accessing ancillary data more efficiently. Ancillary data is generated during execution of the operator routine of a primary operator. The ancillary data is stored in a shared content and may be accessed through ancillary operators associated with the primary operator. Metadata is used to define a primary operator and ancillary operators associated with the primary operator. A DBMS, for example, receives a statement that includes a primary and at least one of its ancillary operators, and executes routines that implement the primary operator and the ancillary operator. During execution of the routine the implements the primary operator, ancillary data is generated and stored in shared content. During the execution of the routine that implements the ancillary operator, the ancillary data is retrieved from the shared content and is used.

Abstract: A protocol for locating a server program on a workstation that is dynamically allocated IP address is disclosed. To located a desired server program, a special client program sends out an “Are you there?” message to the last known IP address of the desired server. If the server responds, the client may directly access the server program using the last known IP address. However, if there is no response then the client program sends out a directed broadcast “Are you there?” message to the subnet where the desired server last resided. If the desired server receives the directed broadcast message, the server program responds with the current IP address such that the client program can access the server. If no response is received from the directed broadcast, the client program will send directed broadcast messages to other similar subnets in order to located the server program. Ordinary Domain Name Service is used as a back-up if no response is received.

Abstract: Described herein is a framework for providing statement atomicity for DDL statements. The framework allows the ability to perform, as multiple transactions, the DDL operations specified by a DDL statement. To begin execution of a DDL statement, a DBMS, for example, updates a flag to indicate that DDL operations have commenced. While the flag is set to this state, the DBMS prevents execution of operations that depend on the DDL statement being executed as an atomic unit. If the DDL operations are aborted, the flag is set to a state that indicates that the execution of the DDL operations did not complete, and the DBMS continues to disallow dependent operations that depend on the atomicity of the DDL statement. Because the flag is used to provide statement atomicity, DDL operations may be performed as multiple transactions. For a DML statement, a mechanism described herein preserves the transactional context of a DML statement.

Abstract: An electronically-enabled encasement for a handheld computer is provided. The encasement includes an encasement portion configured to cover at least a portion of the handheld computer, including a front surface of the handheld computer providing access to a display; a spine engageable with an accessory slot of the handheld computer to detachably couple the encasement with the handheld computer; a connector to electronically connect the encasement to the handheld computer; and at least one electronic component embedded in the encasement portion. The encasement may also include a wireless communication port such a radio frequency transmitter or an IR transceiver.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for handling within a database system data items that are associated with data types whose native structure is not known to the database system. The data items are stored within the database system in their native structure, even though it is not understood by the database system. To store the data items, the database system calls a pickling routine that is provided by the user, or by the runtime subsystem of the programming environment that is native to the data item. To retrieve the routine from storage, the database system calls an unpickling routine, also provided by the user or the appropriate runtime subsystem. Because the database maintains the data items in their native format, no conversions are required as the data items are passed between the database system and external routines that manipulate the data items. Techniques are also provided for declaring attributes of the data item that can be accessed within the database system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for passing a client from a first server to which the client was connected for accessing a resource, to a second server for accessing the resource. While executing, the first server ceases to respond to the client. After the client detects that the first server has ceased to respond to the client, the client is automatically connected with the second server that has access to the resource. After automatically connecting the client, the client accesses the resource through the second server. The client stores information about the state of the session with the first server so that processing can continue where it left off after the client connects with the second server. The client may be pre-connected to the second server prior to the failure of the first server to reduce the latency caused by switching in response to a failure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for storing a variable length operand offset in a computer instruction is provided. An operand base is stored in a computer instruction. Also stored in the computer instruction is a variable length operand offset that is associated with the operand base. In addition, an operand offset length is stored within the computer instruction that defines the length of the variable length operand offset. Storing an operand offset length with each variable length operand offset in a computer instruction provides for the reduction of unused space.

Abstract: Mechanisms for associating metadata with network resources, and for locating the network resources in a language-independent manner, are disclosed. Owners of network resources define metadata that describes each network resource. The metadata may include a natural language name of the network resource, its location, its language, its region or intended audience, and other descriptive information. The owners register the metadata in a registry. A copy of the metadata is stored on a server associated with a group of the network resources. A copy of the metadata is stored in a registry that is indexed at a central location. A crawler service periodically updates the registry by polling the information on each server associated with registered metadata. To locate a selected network resource, a client provides the name of the network resource to a resolver process. The resolver process provides to the client the network resource location corresponding to the network resource name.

Abstract: A method for consistently storing cached objects in the presence of failures is provided. This method ensures atomic object consistency--in the event of failure and restart, an object will either be completely present or completely absent from the cache, never truncated or corrupted. Furthermore, this consistency comes without any time-consuming data structure reconstruction on restart. In this scheme, objects are indexed by a directory table that is stored in main memory and mapped to non-volatile storage, and changes to the directory table are buffered into an open directory that is stored in main memory. Cache objects are either stored in volatile aggregation buffers or in segments of non-volatile disk storage called arenas. Objects are first coalesced into memory-based aggregation buffers, and later committed to disk. Locking is used to control parallel storage to aggregation buffers.