Abstract: In a multi-tiered computing environment, a first program may authenticate with a second program using dynamically-generated public/private key pairs. An authentication token is constructed that includes user information and information about the first program and the second program. The first program then digitally signs the authentication token using the dynamically-generated private key, and sends the authentication token to the second program. The second program then verifies the authentication token using the public key corresponding to the first program. Once verified, the first program is authenticated to the second program. The second program may then authenticate to a next-tier program by constructing an authentication token that includes the information in the authentication token received from the first program.

Abstract: A database query optimizer allows specifying a performance specification for a query. When an access plan is created, the actual performance for executing the query using the access plan is determined and compared to the performance specification for the query. If the actual performance does not satisfy the performance specification for the query, the query optimizer autonomically generates a different access plan to see if the performance improves. If an access plan that meets the performance specification is generated, the new access plan is stored in the access plan cache for the query. If no access plan can be generated that meets the performance specification for the query, the access plan that provided the best performance is selected and stored in the access plan cache for the query.

Abstract: A circuit and method increases the repeatability of physically undetectable functions (PUFs) by enhancing the variation of signal delay through two delay chains during chip burn-in. A burn-in circuit holds the inputs of the two delay chains at opposite random values during the burn-in process. All the PFETs in the delay chains with a low value at the input will be burned in with a higher turn on voltage. Since the PFETs affected in the two delay chains are driven by opposite transitions at burn-in, alternating sets of delay components in the two delay chains are affected by the burn-in cycle. Under normal operation, both of the delay chains see the same input so only one chain has an increase in delay to achieve a statistically reliable difference in the two delay paths thereby increasing the overall repeatability of the PUF circuit.

Abstract: A content management system (CMS) autonomically updates one or more templates based on characteristics of documents in the repository, and based on specified criteria in an autonomic template update policy. At an appointed time, the CMS finds a template in the repository, retrieves an autonomic template update policy corresponding to the template, and determines from characteristics of documents in the repository whether the criteria in the autonomic template update policy allows autonomically updating the template. If the criteria are met, the template is autonomically updated without intervention by a CMS administrator. The result is a CMS where templates autonomically change as the content in the repository changes.

Abstract: An apparatus improves the efficiency and emissions of a combustion process by producing sufficient amounts of ozone in the air flow to the combustion chamber to enable more complete and cleaner combustion of the fuel. A plurality of ozone elements for producing ozone are disposed within a housing that is placed in the air intake to a combustion chamber such as a diesel engine. The ozone elements are bonded together in a cross-shaped pattern inside the housing. The apparatus includes one or more vortex scrubbers or vanes in the housing to cause the air flow to have a vortex action to increase the amount of ozone that flows into the combustion chamber. The vortex scrubbers comprise multiple double fins that are attached inside the housing. The vortex scrubbers include holes and/or serrated edges to increase the disturbance of the air flow over the ozone elements to increase ozone production. The mass of the ozone elements have a preferred ratio.

Abstract: A performance monitor reports SAN performance so that issues within the SAN are not masked from the client. Accesses to the SAN may be grouped into the categories of SAN logical or SAN physical. In one specific embodiment, the ranges of service times for accesses to the SAN are determined by monitoring service times of accesses to the SAN from the client perspective. In another specific embodiment, the ranges of service times for the SAN are determined by the SAN returning data with each request that indicates the service time from the SAN perspective. This allows reporting not only SAN logical and SAN physical accesses, but also allows reporting SAN service time. By specifying SAN service time, the client is able to better determine network delays. In yet another embodiment, information is returned by the SAN to indicate whether the access is SAN logical or SAN physical.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for utilizing partition resource requirements to automate computer partition configuration. Partition resource requirements that are collected by a workload estimator include the type and version of software that is to be run on each partition of the system and the minimum hardware resources needed for each of the plurality of partitions on a partition by partition basis. The partition resource requirements are included in a system plan that is passed to other tools to configure a system based on the system plan. The tools that use the system plan include a deployment wizard that uses the system plan file to configure a system upgrade, and an ordering tool that passes the partition resource requirements to the manufacturer to allow the manufacturer to configure a new system based on the workload information in the system plan file.

Abstract: A processor includes primary threads of execution that may simultaneously issue instructions, and one or more backup threads. When a primary thread stalls, the contents of its instruction buffer may be switched with the instruction buffer for a backup thread, thereby allowing the backup thread to begin execution. This design allows two primary threads to issue simultaneously, which allows for overlap of instruction pipeline latencies. This design further allows a fast switch to a backup thread when a primary thread stalls, thereby providing significantly improved throughput in executing instructions by the processor.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for a multi-partition query governor in a partitioned computer database system. In preferred embodiments a query governor uses data of a query governor file that is associated with multiple partitions to determine how the query governor manages access to the database across multiple partitions. Also, in preferred embodiments, the query governor in a local partition that receives a query request communicates with a query governor in a target partition to accumulate the total resource demands of the query on the local and target partitions. In preferred embodiments, a query governor estimates whether resources to execute a query will exceed a threshold over all or a combination of database partitions.

Abstract: A mold core with a plurality of tension springs is placed in a mold box such that the top of the mold core is even with the top of the mold box when the plurality of tension springs have no tension. Block mix including a substantial amount of compressible material is poured into the mold and lightly vibrated. A movable bottom plate then moves downward at the same time as the mold core is moved downward a first distance to stretch the plurality of tension springs. After the mold core is moved downward the first distance, the movement of the mold core stops while the movement of the movable plate continues downward, thereby ejecting the partial block element from the mold. Block elements are cured, then glued together to form a complete block. One or both of the exterior surfaces of the block may have a wooden attachment layer attached.

Abstract: An apparatus and method monitor database queries and allow determining database relationships from the analysis of the database queries. The database relationships are inferred from the analysis of the database queries. The result sets of queries are analyzed to determine if any relationships between the columns specified in the queries may be inferred. In one embodiment, when a relationship between columns is discovered from analyzing query results, a system administrator is notified. In another embodiment, the relationship is stored so it may be retrieved and viewed at a later time by the system administrator.

Abstract: A hosting partition update mechanism allows updating I/O capability of a logically-partitioned computer system in a way that minimally affects the performance and availability of I/O in the computer system. When an update is needed, a new hosting partition is created with the desired update(s). I/O adapters in the current hosting partition are then migrated to the new hosting partition. The migration of an I/O adapter from the current hosting partition to the new hosting partition is relatively fast, thereby minimally impacting system performance and availability of I/O. Once all of the I/O adapters have been migrated to the new hosting partition, the current hosting partition may be kept as a backup, or may be eliminated. Providing a new or backup hosting partition allows updates to be performed in the new or backup hosting partition in a non-disruptive manner while the current hosting partition continues to service I/O requests.

Abstract: A content management system (CMS) provides a DITA specialization processing mechanism that provides the full functions of a content management system across the full functionality of the DITA architecture. A DITA specialization is used to generate an import descriptor that describes how to import the DITA specialization, which may include required modules, stylesheets, catalogs, and content rules into the repository of a content management system. When the DITA specialization is imported into the repository, a compound document is created with appropriate parent/child links. Dependency relationships between modules in the compound document are then created. In addition, new XML content rules for the DITA specialization may be automatically generated from existing content rules.

Abstract: When creating or editing a document in a content management system and specific content is needed, documents in the repository are searched for an element that has the desired content. If an element is found in a document in the repository that has the desired content, the element is bursted on-demand by extracting the element from the parent document where it was found and creating a document in the repository for the element. A link that points to the bursted document in the repository is then inserted into the document that needed the element. If the parent document from which the element was extracted is mutable, then the element in the parent document is replaced with a link to the bursted document.

Abstract: An index advice record engine generates and stores index advice records. An index advice policy mechanism allows a user to define an index advice policy that specifies criteria for autonomic index creation, modification and deletion. An autonomic index mechanism reads the index advice records, compares this information with the criteria in the user-defined index advice policies, and determines whether an index should be created, modified or deleted based on the information in the index advice records and the index advice policies. By automating the process of creating, modifying and deleting indexes according to user-defined policies, the preferred embodiments alleviate human users from most of the work of manually creating, modifying and deleting indexes.

Abstract: A hosting partition update mechanism allows updating I/O capability of a logically-partitioned computer system in a way that minimally affects the performance and availability of I/O in the computer system. When an update is needed, a new hosting partition is created with the desired update(s). I/O adapters in the current hosting partition are then migrated to the new hosting partition. The migration of an I/O adapter from the current hosting partition to the new hosting partition is relatively fast, thereby minimally impacting system performance and availability of I/O. Once all of the I/O adapters have been migrated to the new hosting partition, the current hosting partition may be kept as a backup, or may be eliminated. Providing a new or backup hosting partition allows updates to be performed in the new or backup hosting partition in a non-disruptive manner while the current hosting partition continues to service I/O requests.

Abstract: A content management system (CMS) monitors a user's activity for a document, generates corresponding usage data for the user, and binds the usage data to corresponding sections of the document. A relevance policy may be defined for a user and/or for a user's role. The CMS may then render the document to the user based on the usage data and the relevance policy. The rendered document may include displayed sections, hidden sections, and accentuated sections. The result is a document rendered to a user in a way that hides sections that are not of interest, displays sections of interest, and accentuates sections of high interest, all based on usage data that indicates how the document was accessed in the past.

Abstract: A content management system (CMS) includes metadata for each element in the repository. When an element has missing content that needs to be created, the repository is queried to identify elements which most closely match the metadata of the missing content. The metadata for these identified elements is analyzed to determine the authors for these elements which most closely match the element that needs to be authored. The authors are then ranked according to an author selection policy that may specify any suitable criteria for ranking authors, including author selection criteria, author ranking criteria, author filtering criteria, and author backup criteria. The result is a ranked list of one or more authors that are deemed the best choices of authors to author the missing content. The user may then request one of the authors in the ranked list to create the missing content.

Abstract: A content management system (CMS) includes information in a document that correlates each element for which a content rule needs to be checked with the corresponding content rule. By including information in the document regarding which content rules apply to the elements in the document, the CMS does not process any rules that do not apply to the document. When the document is checked into the CMS repository, only the content rules specified in the document are checked. An editor allows checking an element against the content rules as a document is created. If the editor is on a client computer system, and the editor checks all content rules that correspond to the elements in a document, the document may be modified to indicate the checking of the content rules has already been performed, which allows the CMS to write the document to the repository without checking the content rules.