Abstract: Described herein are techniques for global synchronization that under various scenarios eliminate or defer the acquisition of global locks. In many cases, the need to acquire global locks is eliminated, thereby saving the overhead attendant to processing global locks.

Abstract: A system and methodology for visually representing user activity associated with an information resource is described. Online and offline activities of users are associated with symbolic representations of those users. In an embodiment, the symbolic representation of a user has the appearance of a dust particle. The dust particle can provide a universal and unobtrusive visual representation of the online or offline activity of the represented user. Further, the dust particle can exist for the represented user to communicate with other users with privacy and anonymity. To visually convey selected aspects of an online or offline activity, the activity is mapped to visual attributes that alter the dust particle behavior and/or appearance.

Abstract: A television viewer interface system provides a viewer interface that allows the viewer to access different functions of a system. A highlight bar is responsive to the user's commands and is used to indicate the current menu item that can be selected by the user. Information is presented in a successive disclosure format where the user navigates through menus by moving the highlight bar to the right to obtain more information or to the left to see less information and return to the previous location. The background colors of each set of menus remains consistent throughout the user's experience such that the user intuitively knows what menu area he is in through the color cues. The invention provides indicators that tell the user that more information is available in a particular direction for a menu item.

Abstract: Described herein are techniques for adaptively managing timers that are used in various layers of a node. In many cases, the number of timers that occur in the system is reduced by proactively and reactively adjusting values of the timers based on conditions affecting the system, thereby making such a system to perform significantly better and more resiliently than otherwise.

Abstract: Programming the creation of a software system is facilitated by automating the generation of some of the program code that is necessary for the software system. The generation of program code may be automated based on a software design specification that can be created by developers. The software design specification may be scanned and code may be generated for implementing the software system based on information obtained from scanning the software design specification.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for securely managing, using smart cards, the usage of a peripheral device. In one embodiment, both the peripheral device and the smart card have digital certificates and a means for authenticating each other. Each device requires authentication of the other device before access to the device's resources is granted. In one embodiment of the invention, the smart card executes a local Java application for managing usage data. The application provides quota and prior usage data to the peripheral device, and updates on the smart card usage data provided by the peripheral device. The usage data on the smart card is used to limit, audit, or track access to resources and operations on the peripheral device. In another embodiment, the authentication and usage management functions of the smart card is implemented on a remote server.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus is configured for receiving a call comprising multiple callers who are identified in a multi-party caller identification value that is received with the call; retrieving from a database, based on the multi-party caller identification value, information about each of the multiple callers; based on the retrieved information and a collective importance algorithm, determining or selecting one or more call treatment attributes for the call; and processing the call using the one or more call treatment attributes that are determined or selected. For example, a contact center or call center can provide differentiated services based on collective attributes or profiles, or a weighted average priority, of multiple people who are calling together, rather than only taking into account information about a single calling party. Call processing attributes such as priority, queuing, routing, and screen pop-up content, may be selected based on collective data about multiple callers.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for searching within a collection of XML documents. A relational table in an XML index stores an entry for each node of a set of nodes in the collection. Each entry of the relational table stores an order key and a path identifier along with the atomized value of the node. An index on the atomized value provides a mechanism to perform a node-aware full-text search. Instead of storing the atomized value in the table, a virtual column may be created to represent, for each node, the atomized value of the node. Alternately, each entry of the relational table stores an order key and a path identifier along with, for simple nodes, the atomized value, and for complex nodes, a null value. For a complex node with a descendant text node, a separate entry is stored for the descendant text node in the relational table.

Abstract: Methods, systems and applications for updating, enhancing, organizing, and utilizing geographic maps, for locating points of interest and places of businesses, or POI's. Embodiments provide a method for collecting geo-coordinate data on POIs by eliciting participation of the business owners or designated employees to identify the specific locations of POI's on a map; a map program which synchronizes to a centralized database where POI and other more frequently changing and time-dependent map information is downloaded to individual users; a map program, where in addition to the standard contact information, “qualitative” information and website links are included in an POI information box to aid in pre-qualifying a POI before selection and in booking a reservation; a method for locating markers on an Internet-based search engine map; and an improved contact management system that allows locations of contacts to be viewed on a map while minimizing address geocoding.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises sending, to a computer peripheral device, a request to obtain capabilities of the computer peripheral device; receiving a first capability description from the computer peripheral device, wherein the first capability description describes one or more capabilities, features or functions of the device at the time of the request; creating one or more graphical user interface (GUI) elements based upon the first capability description and causing displaying the GUI elements; receiving user input representing one or more selections of the GUI elements; creating job ticket data that describes a job for the computer peripheral device to perform, based on the GUI elements that were selected as represented in the user input; sending the job ticket data to the peripheral device; wherein the job ticket data describes one or more device settings that the computer peripheral device can transform to device commands.

Abstract: A system for enabling nodes of a client-server network to interact with broadcast program content, the system includes a server node that can detect the presence on the network of one or more client nodes; a trigger extractor that can extract program-synchronous triggers from within the content of a broadcast program; and an application manager that, in response to extraction of a program-synchronous trigger from a broadcast program, can facilitate interactive communication, relating to the broadcast program content, between the server node and one or more client nodes whose presence on the network has been detected.

Abstract: A binary interest vector is herein described, which represents information in a string of bits about user interest in a set of topics. The binary interest vector may represent the interests of a particular user, or the interests of users associated with a particular client machine. Such a binary interest vector can store a large amount of information in a very small space by assigning bit subsets of the string of bits to represent interest in respective topics of the set of topics based on the positions of the bits in the subsets. Additionally, the bits of a particular binary interest vector may include a version indicator identifying the pattern of topics assigned to the bits of the particular vector. The user interest information in a particular binary interest vector may be utilized in selecting content to display to the user that is associated with the particular vector.

Abstract: A system for managing an instant messaging conversation in a persistent context is provided. The system has an archiving feature for convenient access to the conversation, even after the conversation has ceased.

Abstract: Techniques for optimizing queries are provided. In one technique, a query optimizer determines that two tables involved in equi-joins with one other table return unique rows. The query optimizer further determines that the rows returned by one of the tables is a subset of the rows returned by the other table. The query optimizer then determines that one of the two tables involved in the equi-joins can be eliminated. In another technique, a query optimizer determines that group-by placement may be used on a query that specifies a table. The query optimizer further determines that a view that (1) replaces the table and (2) results from the group-by placement is a subset of an existing view. The query optimizer further determines that each view is unique. The query optimizer selects an execution plan that does not join any tables or views with the resulting view or with the specified table.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a computer-implemented method comprises receiving an application identifier value associated with a printed application; receiving a media size; receiving a machine identifier value associated with a first document processing machine; determining programming instructions for a second document processing machine based on said received application identifier value, media size, and machine identifier value.

Abstract: Techniques are described herein for efficient and scalable processing of complex sets of XML schemas. The techniques described herein provide for reducing duplication of schema elements in volatile memory by building an XML schema in-memory model that stores repeating schema elements in in-memory data structures that are separate from in-memory data structures that store the parent schema elements which logically include or otherwise refer to the repeating schema elements. The techniques described herein also provide for faster generation of an in-memory model of an XML schema by pre-loading, in data structures on persistent storage, of schema elements from dependent XML schemas that are referenced and/or incorporated by the XML schema.

Abstract: Accessing results of calculations on multidimensional data using relational database statements, such as SQL commands, involves a relational database server communicating with a multidimensional database server to cause the multidimensional database server to extract, and to perform calculations on, the multidimensional data. In response to a relational database statement in a language supported by the relational server, which includes an expression of an operation on the multidimensional data in a language supported by the multidimensional server, the multidimensional server extracts the required multidimensional data, performs the requested operation (e.g., an OLAP DML operation) on the data according to the specified expression, and provides results of the multidimensional operation to the relational database server.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for managing data in a partitioned data storage space is provided. Data referencing a new data item to be stored in the data storage space is received. It is determined that the data item does not pertain to any previously created partition. In response to the determination, a new partition is automatically created in the data storage space. The partition is mapped to a new set of values, such as to a next unpartitioned interval of dates or numbers.

Abstract: Allowing for resource attributes that may change dynamically while the resource is in use, provides for dynamic changes to the manner in which such resources are managed. Management of dynamic resource attributes by clusterware involves new entry points to clusterware agent modules, through which resource-specific user-specified instructions for discovering new values for resource attributes, and for performing a user-specified action in response to the new attribute values, are invoked. A clusterware policy manager may know ahead of time that a particular resource has dynamic attributes or may be notified when a resource's dynamic attribute has changed and, periodically or in response to the notification, request that the agent invoke the particular resource-specific instructions for discovering new values for attributes for the particular resource and/or for performing a user-specified action in response to the new attribute values. During the majority of this process, the resource remains available.

Abstract: An approach is provided for printing locked print data using user and print data authentication. The approach is applicable to a wide variety of contexts and implementations and includes the use of bi-directional security measures to ensure a secure transmission of a document to a printer and secure retrieval of the document from the printer by one or more intended recipients. In particular, the bi-directional security measures ensure that: 1) the document is received only by the intended recipient designated by the creator, 2) both the document's creator and the intended recipient are successfully authenticated, 3) the document received by the intended recipient is the document that was created by the creator, and 4) the document received by the intended recipient is identical to the document created by the creator.