Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing a discovery service that provides a mapping from an electronic product code to electronic product code information services that include information about an item represented by an electronic product code. The discovery service includes a database containing a list of custodians for the item and a service interface through which electronic product code information services and applications can access the entries in the list. The list includes an entry for each custodian. Each entry includes the electronic product code number, a pointer to an electronic product code information service associated with the custodian, and a trip identifier for the item. The service interface includes several services enabling traceability of the item represented by the electronic product code. Methods and apparatus, including computer program products for using a trip identifier in a discovery service are also described.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for verifying incoming telephone calls to a telephone services subscriber. An incoming telephone call from a caller is received. A time variable including one or more of a current date, a day-of-week, and a time-of-day is determined. One or more challenge questions is selected from a pre-defined schedule, in response to determining the time variable. The schedule includes challenge questions for different time variables. The caller is subjected to the one or more challenge questions. At least one challenge response to one or more of the selected challenge questions is received. It is determined whether the at least one challenge response was an expected correct response. If the at least one challenge response was correct, an action is taken with respect to the incoming telephone call.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for compressing data included in several transactions. Each transaction has at least one item. A unique identifier is assigned to each different item and, if taxonomy is defined, to each different taxonomy parent. Sets of transactions are formed from the several transactions. The sets of transactions are stored using a computer data structure including: a list of identifiers of different items in the set of transactions, information indicating number of identifiers in the list, and bit field information indicating presence of the different items in the set of transactions, said bit field information being organized in accordance with the list for facilitating evaluation of patterns with respect to the set of transactions. A data structure for compressing data included in a set of transactions is also provided.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and systems, including computer program products for creating an index for search in a search system by collecting and analyzing documents to be searched. A first storage section stores system configuration information of the search system. A second storage section stores attribute information of a collected document and the system configuration information at the time of document collection for each document. A comparison section compares the attribute information of the documents to be collected and the system configuration information stored in the first storage section with the attribute information and the system configuration information stored in the second storage section, respectively, if forced re-collection of the documents is performed. A document collection section collects the documents according to a predetermined schedule under normal conditions and re-collects only documents for which a mismatch is detected by the comparison section in the case of forced re-collection.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for configuring a life-cycle for preservation of digital content. Metadata associated with a digital object that is to be stored in a repository is examined. One or more preservation rules for the digital object are identified, based on the metadata for the digital object. The preservation rules describe a set of future actions to be taken on the digital object to ensure preservation of the digital object throughout the digital object's life-cycle. The identified preservation rules are applied to the digital object. The digital object is stored in the repository.

Abstract: A device for feeding out liquid or substantially liquid contents from a storage container (2) comprises an outfeed container (3) for the storage container and a discharge means (6) for outfeed of the contents from the storage container by squeezing it. The storage container (2) has an inner connecting element (7) for connection to an outer connecting element (8) by the latter's penetration of the container wall at the inner connecting element. The storage container (2) is connected via the outer connecting element (8) to a valve means (9) with a valve body (10) which in a resting position abuts against a valve seat and which, for outfeed, is open able by the contents of the storage container being pressed against the valve body so that the latter leaves the valve seat. The valve body (10) has elastic properties and a normal shape when it abuts against the valve seat so that it closes the valve means (9). For outfeed, the valve body (10) assumes a stretched shape and leaves the valve seat.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and system, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for time series analysis, wherein the time series exhibit trend and/or seasonality. Model parameters of the time series data are determined by selecting and/or suggesting a most appropriate combination of trend and seasonality of the time series data based on analysis of variances of transformed time series data.

Abstract: A method and system for facilitating user selection of telephone menu options. In one embodiment, the method includes receiving at least one function and a corresponding correspondent-defined code, wherein the correspondent-defined code identifies the at least one function. The method also includes receiving a user-defined code, where the user-defined code identifies the at least one function. The method also includes generating a mapping of the at least one function, the correspondent-defined code, and the user-defined code.

Abstract: A method for tuning a database system is disclosed. A tuning strategy is received comprising a first procedure to determine a suggested tuning action, and a second procedure to measure performance of the database system. The suggested tuning action is determined and pre-action performance measured according to the respective procedures. Undo information that indicates how to undo the database system state change of the suggested tuning action is recorded in a database system state history. After executing the suggested tuning action, post-action database system performance is measured according to the second procedure. When the post-action performance is lower than the pre-action performance, the database system state change is undone using the undo information. Embodiments enabling to create new tuning strategies, downloading existing tuning strategies, sharing own tuning strategies and changing existing tuning strategies are disclosed as well.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for testing a software application component. A dependent object framework is provided. The dependent object framework includes a set of static methods, a set of dependent object files, and a set of properties files. A test program is received. The test program references one or more objects described by the set of dependent object files. The one or more objects are loaded using at least one of the static methods of the dependent object framework. The received test program is run and a result of the test program is displayed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing an interface for using a web service on an external server device. A first tree structure used for using the web service is stored. A request message calling up a web service is generated in response to having received access to a request node in the first tree structure. The request node is used for accessing the web service corresponding to the request node. The request message is sent to the server device providing the web service. A response message, including a result of having executed the web service from the server device, is received. The result of the web service execution is reflected in a response node in the first tree structure for storing the result of the web service.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for managing data items. A data store includes at least two copies of each data item. Each copy of a data item is used for a unique set of operations performed on the data item. An application programming interface receives a request from a consumer to perform an operation on a data item in the data store. The application programming interface selects, based on the received request, which copy of the data item is to be used when performing the operation.

Abstract: A door package includes a door frame, a door, a handle, and a pivot plate. The frame has a top portion that includes tracks in which door panels can slide. The door includes two or more equal size door panels. The handle protrudes in a direction essentially perpendicular to the door panels and is connected to a latch mechanism for positively engaging with a corresponding latch mechanism in the door frame when the door is in a closed position. The pivot plate is attached to the floor and allows the door panels to pivot from a retracted position to a broken open position essentially perpendicular to the plane of the door. At least two of the door panels separate from each other while the door is pivoting from the retracted position to the broken open position, to allow the handle to be accommodated between the two door panels.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for identifying currently dominant events in a computer system. Events in the computer system are monitored. A subset of the monitored events is selected. Priorities are assigned to the events in the subset of monitored events. The priorities are generated through applying a mathematical formula to each event in the subset of events, which mathematical formula discounts old events relative to recent events. A first set of priorities is stored in a first priority queue. The first set of priorities identifies the currently dominant events in the subset of monitored events.

Abstract: Various embodiments of a method, system and computer program product backup and recover a database. A database is distributed in a plurality of storage devices. A target designation designating a target database is received. One or more storage devices of the plurality of storage devices, storing at least a portion of the target database, are selected. A quiesce point is established by completing an ongoing transaction for the target database and inhibiting a further transaction. In response to establishing the quiesce point, a backup is generated by collectively copying data on each storage device of the one or more selected storage devices. The backup associated with a quiesce point indication indicating backed up data of the said each storage device of the one or more selected storage devices in accordance with the quiesce point, are recorded.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for estimating an actual age of a member of a website. A set of related members for the member is identified. The related members are members of the same website. Age information associated with one or more related members in the set of related members is examined. When a threshold of related members in the set of related members are of an estimated actual age within a certain age range, the member's actual age is estimated to be within the age range.

Abstract: Devices for cleaning of enclosed spaces by means of liquid sprayed out. The device comprises a housing with a stationary part to which the liquid is supplied and on which a rotatable part bearing a hub is mounted. The hub has at least one spray nozzle. An element suspends the hub in a bearing in the rotatable part. The rotatable part comprises a turbine driven by the liquid and having a planetary gear for turning the rotatable part and at least one nozzle so that the liquid sprayed out by at least one of the nozzles during rotation sweeps across the inside of the enclosed spaces. The stationary part comprises an upper ring gear in engagement with a lower ring gear on the hub, which two ring gears are surrounded by the housing. The turbine and the planetary gear are fitted in the rotatable part to achieve a compact device.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and system, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for determining a periodic cycle of time series data. A frequency spectrum of the data is provided. The frequency spectrum is processed using at least one of the following steps, resulting in a processed frequency spectrum: filtering the frequency spectrum for reducing noise of the data, truncating the frequency spectrum at low frequencies, and weighting high frequency contributions over low frequency contributions of the frequency spectrum. A periodic cycle is extracted based on the processed frequency spectrum.

Abstract: Methods and device for frothing milk. The device includes a main body forming a container for the milk, a cover fitting onto the main body, agitation means and drive means for driving the agitation means. The drive means are received at least partially in the cover. The device further includes a base plate provided with a first electric contact. The main body is provided with a second electric contact, which makes electrical contact with the first electric contact when the main body is placed on the base plate. The drive means are provided with a third electric contact. The main body is provided with a fourth electric contact, which makes electrical contact with the third electric contact when the cover is placed on the main body. The main body is provided with an electric conductor which forms an electrical connection between the second electric contact and the fourth electric contact.

Abstract: System and computer program product for processing a text search query in a collection of documents. A full posting index is generated that has first index terms and a full posting list for each first index term, enumerating occurrences of the first index terms in the documents of the collection. A text search query includes search conditions search terms. The search conditions are translated into conditions on the first index terms to provide translated conditions. At least one short posting index is generated, which includes second index terms and a short posting list for each second index term, enumerating documents in which the second index terms occur. Filter conditions and complementary conditions are generated to represent the translated conditions. The filter conditions approximate the translated conditions, and are processed using the short posting index. The complementary conditions are processed using the full posting index to provide a query result.