Abstract: A system and method for previewing hyperlinks with textual abstracts. The system provides users with previews of previously visited hyperlinks through textual abstracts of the web destination pages. The textual abstracts provide visual cues to remind the user of a page's content. Further, the system presents previews of the destination of the hyperlinks to the user in a dynamic browsing environment which is independent of any WWW browser and operating system. Such a system is implemented through a proxy-server or client-side program. Finally, the system is configurable to allow for the customization of how and which textual abstract to display.

Abstract: A method, system, and article are provided for employment of a hybrid layout of representation of data objects in computer memory. Columns of the database are separated based upon a classification of the columns. A vertical partition in the form of a bank is provided to receive an assignment of one or more data objects identified in the columns. Each bank is sized to be a divisor of a size of an associated hardware register. Assignment of data objects to banks organizes the data in a manner that support efficient query processing that mitigates the quantity of banks required to respond to the query.

Abstract: Method for ordering nodes within hierarchical data. The concept of isolated ordered regions to maintain coordinates of nodes is used by associating each node with coordinates relative to a containing region. Modifications to nodes within a region only affect the nodes in that region, and not nodes in other regions. Traversals that retrieve information from the nodes can rebase the coordinates from their containing region and return with a total order.

Abstract: An intrinsically safe network switch (200) includes five electronically isolated ports, four for connections in hazardous areas (206-1, 206-2, 206-3, 206-4) and one for receiving an unsafe Ethernet input (204). The device may use 10/100 mbps Ethernet cables and connectors and provides speed and activity LED indicators for each port. The device may be din rail-mountable, wall mountable, or desk mountable, and includes an integral heat sink for cool operation. The device incorporates internal barriers and isolated circuitry to guarantee safety and high-integrity signals with resistance to ambient EMI/RFI radiation. This network switch (200) could be any Ethernet communication devices such as hub, managed or unmanaged switch etc. Also, it could have total “n” number of ports (isolated or un-isolated) with 1 port for safe area and “n?1” port of hazardous area. The number of ports for safe and hazardous area can be varied to meet specific application requirements.

Abstract: Method for ordering nodes within hierarchical data. The concept of isolated ordered regions to maintain coordinates of nodes is used by associating each node with coordinates relative to a containing region. Modifications to nodes within a region only affect the nodes in that region, and not nodes in other regions. Traversals that retrieve information from the nodes can rebase the coordinates from their containing region and return with a total order.

Abstract: A remote communication system and method are disclosed. An environment is identified defining a plurality of semaphore flags communicated between a first and a second computer as part of a remote session (i.e., the first computer remotely controlling the second computer via the remote session), with each semaphore flag defining an action associated with the remote session. A first application, via a unidirectional communication with the environment, modifies at least one semaphore flag associated with the environment (e.g., modifying commands to open or close files, keyboard scan codes, cursor position, mouse position, clipboard data, screen resolution, or channel administration), wherein the modified semaphore flag is extracted by an interceptor associated with the second computer and, the interceptor, based on a look-up, executes a pre-defined action affecting the remote session, wherein the pre-defined action being different than the modified semaphore flag's associated action.

Abstract: A system and method for concurrency control of hierarchically structured data is provided. Lock requests on a target node are processed by exploiting ancestor-descendant information encoded into prefix encoded node identifiers (IDs). A set of implicit locks on ancestor nodes along a path from an immediate parent of a target node to a root node is derived from an explicit lock request on a target node. A logical lock tree describing existing lock modes for ancestor nodes is consulted to determine compatibility with the derived set of implicit locks. If existing lock modes for ancestor nodes are compatible with the derived set of implicit locks, a lock request on a target node is granted. Otherwise, the lock request is denied. A lock release request follows the reverse process; a target node in a particular transaction is released, as are subsequent locks on its ancestors made by the same transaction.

Abstract: A set of disks in a plurality of disk arrays are configured to have one or more spare partitions. Upon detecting a faulty disk in a faulty array, the method involves the steps of: (a) migrating data in the faulty array containing the faulty disk to one or more spare partitions; (b) reconfiguring the faulty array to form a new array without the faulty disk; (c) migrating data from one or more spare partitions in the set of disks to the reconfigured new array; (d) monitoring to identify when overall spare capacity falls below a predetermined threshold; and when the predetermined threshold is exceeded, scheduling a service visit for replacement of the failed disks.

Abstract: A system and method for using an IP client attached to the Public Internet, acting as a virtual mobile terminal such as a cell phone, to have full access to mobile telephony services offered by a mobile operator using a SIP2 Mobile gateway. The services include a mobile telephone number, capabilities of sending and receiving short messages and mobile intelligent services such as prepaid billing, number translation, and ring back tones.

Abstract: The task of estimating the number of distinct values (DVs) in a large dataset arises in a wide variety of settings in computer science and elsewhere. The present invention provides synopses for DV estimation in the setting of a partitioned dataset, as well as corresponding DV estimators that exploit these synopses. Whenever an output compound data partition is created via a multiset operation on a pair of (possibly compound) input partitions, the synopsis for the output partition can be obtained by combining the synopses of the input partitions. If the input partitions are compound partitions, it is not necessary to access the synopses for all the base partitions that were used to construct the input partitions. Superior (in certain cases near-optimal) accuracy in DV estimates is maintained, especially when the synopsis size is small. The synopses can be created in parallel, and can also handle deletions of individual partition elements.

Abstract: A block switch controller for a linear motor is disclosed, the block switch controller having a motor current threshold profile controlling the switching of a plurality of block switches in a linear motor. Also, a block switch controller for a linear motor comprising a closed loop vector current controller that incorporates a delay state having a feedback gain is disclosed. Additionally, a method of switching a plurality of block switches that minimizes switching transients is provided. Finally, an article of manufacture containing computer code implementing a modeling and simulation program for modeling a linear motor system is provided.

Abstract: A remote communication system and method are disclosed. An environment in an electronic device, such as a computer based device, is identified defining a plurality of parameters communicated between the electronic device and a remote computer as part of a remote session (i.e., the electronic device remotely controlling the remote computer via the remote session), with each parameter defining an action associated with the remote session. A first application, via a unidirectional communication with the environment, modifies at least one parameter associated with the environment (e.g., modifying keyboard scan codes, cursor position, mouse position, clipboard data, screen resolution, or channel administration). A network device (e.g., a router, a switch, a hub, a repeater, a multilayer switch, etc.

Abstract: A local database cache enabling persistent, adaptive caching of either full or partial content of a remote database is provided. Content of tables comprising a local cache database is defined on per-table basis. A table is either: defined declaratively and populated in advance of query execution, or is determined dynamically and asynchronously populated on-demand during query execution. Based on a user input query originally issued against a remote DBMS and referential cache constraints between tables in a local database cache, a Janus query plan, comprising local, remote, and probe query portions is determined. A probe query portion of a Janus query plan is executed to determine whether up-to-date results can be delivered by the execution of a local query portion against a local database cache, or whether it is necessary to retrieve results from a remote database by executing a remote query portion of Janus query plan.

Abstract: A first computer remotely controls, using a remote control application over a network (such as a WAN), a remote session on a second computer over a first network. The disclosed method (as implemented in a first application in the first computer) involves identifying clipboard data (associated with a copy, cut or paste operation) shared between a first and second computer during the remote session, temporarily storing the shared clipboard data, modifying, (via the first application in a unidirectional manner) the clipboard data associated with said environment, wherein the modified clipboard data is extracted by an interceptor associated with the second computer. The second computer, based on a look-up of clipboard values, executes a pre-defined action affecting the remote session, wherein the pre-defined action is different than the copy, cut, or paste operation. After executing the pre-defined action, the clipboard data is restored from the computer storage.

Abstract: A system comprised of trigger mechanisms, a staging area, and an archived warehouse metadata table is used to extract, store, and archive extract, transform, and load (ETL) tasks from operational metadata in a data-warehousing environment. Operational metadata is comprised of ETL information; ETL task execution statuses, run number, definitions, control flow, and execution schedules. Specified ETL information is monitored and captured so that it may be extracted from operational metadata and transformed every time a trigger mechanism activates an update of stored data. Administrator-specified ETL task information is then stored in staging table. At specified intervals a staging table is refreshed with changes in operational data for each of the administrator-specified monitored and captured ETL tasks. Overwritten data, or outdated ETL task information, is then moved and stored in an archived warehouse metadata table.

Abstract: A variable-length binary string is utilized to encode node identifiers in a tree for an XML document object model. A general prefix encoding scheme is followed; a node identifier is generated by the concatenation of encodings at each level of a tree along a path from a root node to another particular node. Arbitrary insertions are supported without change to existing node identifier encodings. In addition, the method provides for document order when unsigned binary string comparison is used to compare encoded node identifiers. In support of sub-document concurrency control, prefix encoding provides a way to derive ancestor-descendant relationships among nodes in a tree. Lastly, the encoding method provides a natural pre-order clustering sequence, also known as depth-first clustering. If a prefix is applied to an encoding with a level number, starting with zero at the root, width-first clustering will result. A mixed clustering can also be supported.

Abstract: Sales associated with service providers is increased using an opportunistic approach based on an unexpected change in a schedule or services (time, location). Windows of opportunity (time, physical location) are automatically identified, and once such a window of opportunity is detected, the people affected directly from the change of a schedule are identified. This information is then used by services providers to act quickly, in order to enhance sales. Heuristics to determine a window of opportunity are based only on schedule changes (which are associated with a rule database), and without knowing who the affected people are or what their preferences (profile data) are.

Abstract: A symmetrically resistive memory material (such as a phase change material) is described for use as a rectifying element for driving symmetric or asymmetric resistive memory elements in a crosspoint memory architecture. The crosspoint architecture has a plurality of electrodes and a plurality of crossbar elements, with each crossbar element being disposed between a first and a second electrode. The crossbar element is made of a symmetric resistive memory element used as a rectifier in series with a symmetric or asymmetric resistive memory element.

Abstract: A compilation time estimator provides a quantified estimate of the optimizer compilation time for a given query optimizer. The estimator automates the optimizer to choose the right level of optimization in commercial database systems. The estimator reuses an optimizer's join enumerator to obtain actual number of joins, but bypasses plan generation to save estimation overhead, and maintains a small number of interesting physical properties to estimate the number of plans by using a linear regression model. The estimator uses the number of generated plans to estimate query compilation time.

Abstract: A first and second environment define parameters communicated between a first computer remotely controlling a second computer (a first remote session) and between the second computer remotely controlling the first computer (a second remote session), with each parameter defining an action associated with the first or second remote session. A first application, via a unidirectional communication with the first environment, modifies a first parameter, wherein the first parameter is extracted by a first interceptor (associated with the second computer) that, based on a look-up, executes a pre-defined action (different than the first parameter's associated action) affecting the first remote session.