Abstract: A method and apparatus for encoding knowledge using a multimedia network. A multimedia network represents semantic concepts and their relations using multimedia content. A multimedia network associates words and multimedia content with the semantic concepts in order to illustrate and exemplify the semantic concepts as well as describe lexical, semantic, and perceptual relations. The multimedia network can be searched, browsed, or summarized for purposes of information discovery. The multimedia network can also be used for personalizing multimedia content or for querying a multimedia information repository by expanding a query to include related concepts encoded in a Multimedia network.

Abstract: The invention provides a next generation decision support system that includes highly adaptive sensors, transport, and models to enable time critical decision making. The decision support model of the system is progressive so that not all input parameters need to be available to produce model prediction output. Input parameters of the model with the largest first order derivative values are given highest priority in data acquisition and transmission. The parameters acquired at the sensors are stored in progressive data representation formats, which later on are progressively transmitted to the decision support server. Progressive data representation, progressive transmission, and progressive model are thus three key elements that need to be integrated together. The present invention presents a method and an apparatus that form an optimized process including the three elements subject to the decision making utility function.

Abstract: A system cooperable with a data engine such as a database allows a user to refine a query. The query comprises at least one conditional attribute and at least one attribute to be displayed and the data engine responds to produce a report comprising one or more objects, each object comprising the displayed attributes. The system comprises a module for rendering at least one object from a report and which is responsive to user interaction with the report, for selecting one or more displayed attributes and causing the one or more displayed attributes to change to respective one or more conditional attributes. A second module renders at least one conditional attribute for a query and is responsive to user interaction with the one or more rendered conditional attributes, for selecting one or more conditional attributes and causing the one or more conditional attributes to change to respective one or more displayed attributes.

Abstract: This invention provides methods and apparatus for determining a set of authorization usage for collection of code. By using a program graph, the present invention identifies the code within in bounded paths in the program graph that use authorization. The level of precision is able to identify authorization usage to the level of basic blocks, methods, classes or other collections of code. By using the analysis technique described in this invention, we can determine the authorizations needed by collections code, including Java applets, servlets, and Enterprise JavaBeans. By using the present invention, it is possible, prior to loading the mobile code, to prompt the administrator or end-user to authorize or deny the code access to restricted the resources, or determine whether authorization testing will be required.

Abstract: N sets of feature vectors are generated from a set of observation vectors which are indicative of a pattern which it is desired to recognize. At least one of the sets of feature vectors is different than at least one other of the sets of feature vectors, and is preselected for purposes of containing at least some complimentary information with regard to the at least one other set of feature vectors. The N sets of feature vectors are combined in a manner to obtain an optimized set of feature vectors which best represents the pattern. The combination is performed via one of a weighted likelihood combination scheme and a rank-based state-selection scheme; preferably, it is done in accordance with an equation set forth herein. In one aspect, a weighted likelihood combination can be employed, while in another aspect, rank-based state selection can be employed. An apparatus suitable for performing the method is described, and implementation in a computer program product is also contemplated.

Abstract: It is one object of the present invention to perform data compression to encode the structure part of a document in a tree local language, such as XML or ASN.1. A data compression apparatus for encoding data and for compressing the encoded data comprises: a grammar rule 12 for a tree local language in which data are represented by a labeled tree structure; an encoder 11 for reading a document written in the tree local language, for dividing the document into a structure part and contents, and for encoding the structure part using the grammar rule 12; and a compressor 13 for compressing the contents of the document extracted by the encoder 11, and for encoding the compressed contents.

Abstract: An auction system for providing an auction service via a communication network comprises an auction server machine and buying user terminals which are connected to the communication network; wherein the buying user terminals specify a single item or any combination of items for bidding when multiple items are sold as grouped items at the auction held by the auction server machine; and the auction server machine decides on successful bidders for bids made on a variety of combinations of the grouped items from the buying user terminals, such that the items composing the grouped items do not overlap to multiple bidders and the total price becomes maximal.

Abstract: A combinational circuit comprises: a plurality of multipliers, independently performing two or more multiplications for coded digital signals in a Galois extension field GF(2m) (m is an integer equal to or greater than 2), wherein the multipliers include an input side XOR calculator, an AND calculator, and an output side XOR calculator, and wherein the multipliers share the input side XOR calculator. Further, according to the present invention, these multipliers each include an adder connected between an AND calculator and an output side XOR calculator, wherein the output side XOR calculator is used in common, and wherein the outputs of the AND calculators in the multipliers are added by the adders, and the addition results are calculated by the output side XOR calculator that is used in common.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program for predicting the failure of an electronic circuit. One embodiment of the invention monitors the current utilization, environment conditions, and operating conditions of the electronic circuit. A system manager is altered if the current utilization of the electronic circuit is outside a pass range at the measured environmental conditions and the measured operating conditions of the electronic circuit. The invention may also be configured such that if the electronic circuit fails, the electronic circuit is isolated from among a plurality of potentially failed electronic circuits using the measured current utilization, environment conditions, and operating conditions of the electronic circuit.

Abstract: Described is a method and apparatus for processing tasks in a data processing system including a microprocessor and an instruction cache. Tasks of different types are defined in the system with each task type having code associated therewith. The tasks are managed in a queue and are processed in order by loading the associated code into the instruction cache for execution on the microprocessor. The method comprises the steps of scheduling tasks of like type into a batch such that tasks in a batch are processed before processing the next ordered task. In the case where the code associated with a batched task fits within the instruction cache, the tasks in a batch can be processed without incurring the penalty associated with instruction cache misses.

Abstract: To cut out a character and the like which are relatively darker than a background and are written with a pen and so on at a high speed, to use the cutting-out of a character and the like as pre-processing for character recognition, and to emphasize an object so as to hardly damage determinability of a character, a figure and the like to binarize the same. Attention is paid to that a character written with a pen and so on is relatively darker than a background, and a relative density of the character to a periphery thereof is obtained to binarize the same, thus emphasizing an object such as a character.

Abstract: A software distribution system comprises building blocks including a preparation and test site, comprising a software package editor, software package transformation tools and an AutoPack module for preparing and testing software packages to be distributed to endpoints. A software package comprises a file including a complete definition of the actions involved in a software distribution and, once distributed, when a software package is available to a target endpoint, an engine resident on the target can be instructed via the management agent to decode the software package from the file into memory and then to perform various software distribution operations including installing, removing and modifying the software and configuration of the endpoint.

Abstract: A method and system for selecting master nodes to manage a target node group in a computer network having multiple nodes and overlapping node groups. The system includes determining a hamming distance for node pairs within the network. The node pair includes two node pair members and the hamming distance is the number of node groups the node pair members do not share in common. A participation index for nodes within the network is determined at a determining operation. The participation index is the number of node groups the node belongs to. An availability potential for node pairs is also determined. The availability potential is the sum of the participation indexes of the node pair members subtracted by the hamming distance of the node pair. An optimal combination of node pairs is found by searching for the maximum total availability potential for the network. A master node pair for the target node group is selected from the optimal combination of node pairs.

Abstract: Discloses is a method and a corresponding apparatus for monitoring operation of electrical household appliances (such as a freezer). The method includes checking the temperature inside the freezer on a periodical basis and comparing with a de-frosting temperature. A critical condition is detected and recorded when the temperature inside the freezer stays over the de-frosting temperature for a period longer than a threshold value. In this way, when a user returns home after several days of absence, he or she is informed whether the food has been de-frozen and then frozen again because of a outage in the power supply network.

Abstract: An overdrive controller for driving a liquid crystal display includes a change rate Rst calculating section for comprehending a transition state from a present brightness to a targeted brightness for each of R, G and B sub-pixels, a select section for selecting the sub-pixel with the slowest transition and the other sub-pixels from the comprehended transition states, and an overdrive voltage calculating section for calculating a voltage to accelerate a transition of brightness for the sub-pixel with the slowest transition. The overdrive controller further includes, an effective brightness Yst? calculating section and Yst? overdrive voltage calculating section for calculating a voltage to accelerate or to decelerate a transition of brightness for the other sub-pixels in order to coordination with each other, wherein the voltage is switched by a switch 23 to be supplied.

Abstract: A decoding circuit used to correct an error in a digital signal includes: an input unit for entering coded digital signals ID in parallel in accordance with the number of interleaved codes; a processor including an error locator polynomial calculator and an error value polynomial calculator for processing data obtained serially from the interleaved codes that are received by the input unit; and an output unit for correcting errors by employing the output data that are received from the processor and the digital signals ID, and for outputting in parallel the obtained digital signals OD, for which an error has been corrected by a linear calculation on a Galois field, in accordance with the number of interleaved codes.

Abstract: A device network to process signals has target devices, selecting devices that are movable relative to the target devices, and controllers. The controllers are in communication with the target devices and the selecting devices. Each of the selecting devices has a position sensor and an orientation sensor to provide spatial and angular co-ordinates of position and orientation when pointing to a target device and upon receiving a user input. Each of the selecting devices also has a signal processor to generate a control signal having the position and orientation data. This control signal is then transmitted by a transmitter, via a radio frequency channel, to a controller. Upon receiving the control signal, the controller determines whether, for example, a target device has been selected by a selecting device by comparison of the orientation data with a derived orientation based on the position data and the known position of the target devices.

Abstract: A pen input apparatus includes a plurality of penpoints for drawing tracks on a recording medium such as paper, and a selector for selecting a specific penpoint from the plurality of penpoints. The input apparatus including a type recognition unit for recognizing the type of the selected penpoint (such as the color of a line which can be drawn, the thickness of the line, pen type such as ballpoint pen, sign pen or fluorescent pen), and a transmitter for transmitting the track of the penpoint as position information, and transmitting the information on the type recognized by the type recognition unit to a computer system.