Abstract: The present system improves the performance of a query in a database system when a plan for the query comprises sorting an input that is at least partially sorted such that a slow materialization sort can be applied. The invention applies the slow materialization sort by determining a sequence of subsets in accordance with the partially sorted input. As each of the subsets is determined, the subset is output for further processing. Advantageously, the invention reduces the waiting period for obtaining results from a sorting operation under certain circumstances.

Abstract: A system and associated method for data mining prediction is presented according to which the user selects a database table by means of a graphical user interface. Some records in the table are complete, while other records are incomplete. A subset of records of the database table is determined wherein each record of the subset contains a data value in the column selected for prediction. This subset of records is used to generate a model by means of a data mining algorithm, such as linear regression, radial basis function, decision tree or neural network methods. The resulting model is then utilized to predict the empty data fields in the column. After completing the prediction, the predicted values are entered into the column for display to the user.

Abstract: A memory management functions system enables an efficient memory management programming errors. The system includes a server code that reports detailed trace data showing memory management calls; memory that was allocated but not freed; memory requested to be freed that was not allocated; corrupted memory immediately following the allocated space; and incorrect exit from a stored procedure that bypasses reporting and memory cleanup. In addition, the present system frees on exit, memory leaks or memories that were allocated but not explicitly freed earlier. These features allow a programmer to more readily easily detect and debug memory management errors within their program code.

Abstract: A computer program product is provided as a business rating system to rank business that are relevant to a given Internet search topic. Business ratings are stored in a ranking repository that can be optionally searched by the user along with a user-defined search engine query. The business ratings are compiled from on-line questionnaires attached to the search engine results and/or on-line surveys obtained through other web based rating services. The business ratings assess the quality of the businesses in terms of “interactive” criteria such as customer satisfaction, professionalism, and cost and ease of use of the businesses' products or services. The business rating system is comprised of an on-line indexing engine, a query transformer, a search results transformer, a ranking based result sorter, an on-line ranking system, a metadata repository, and an on-line ranking repository.

Abstract: A reservation system for making reservations in a shared memory buffer to store information from applications is logically partitioned in a number of fixed size indexed contiguous slots. The reservation system uses an atomic counter that is stored in the shared memory buffer. The value of the atomic counter can be associated with the index of a slot available for reservation. An application making a reservation increases the atomic counter value on a number of reserved slots to provide a value that is associated with the index of the next slot available for reservation. After the reservation is accomplished, the information is written into the reserved slots. The reservation system writes parsing information for further parsing to validate information in the shared memory buffer. The reservation system provides functionality for continuous and instantaneous dumping of the shared memory buffer into a file for cleaning and for wrapping the buffer.

Abstract: A system and associated method load an input data stream into a multi-dimensional clustering (MDC) table or other structure containing data clustered along one or more dimensions, by assembling blocks of data in a partial block cache in which each partial block is associated with a distinct logical cell. A minimum threshold number of partial blocks may be maintained. Partial blocks may be spilled from the partial block cache to make room for new logical cells. Last partial pages of spilled partial blocks may be stored in a partial page cache to limit I/O if the cell associated with a spilled block is encountered later in the input data stream. Buffers may be reassigned from the partial block cache to the partial page cache if the latter is filled. Parallelism may be employed for efficiency during sorting of input data subsets and during storage of blocks to secondary storage.

Abstract: A system provides efficient multi-protocol database transaction processing in a multi-communications protocol and multi-programming model computing environment. The system separates the source and the target functionalities, and uses generic function names linked to function pointers, in order to permit the source layer to call embedded functions in the target layer. As an example, the system provides a source layer code path that includes embedded call-back functions and embedded generic function names. A target layer code path is set to include embedded functions and generic call-back function names. A function pointer array permits the source layer code path to call functions embedded in the target layer code path using the generic function names. A call-back function pointer array permits the target layer code path to call the call-back functions embedded in the source layer code path using the generic call-back function names.

Abstract: A system and associated method automatically and very rapidly determine the dominant periodicity in sequential binary data. The method incorporates a fast binary autocorrelation function used to discover the dominant periodicity in a sequential binary signal, and exploits this information in a periodicity exploiting application, such as using any one or more of a pixel periodicity or an edge periodicity based compression method in order to compress periodic halftoned bitonal images. The method implements four processes: The first process describes setting up the data in a transition-based representation to facilitate an algorithm to quickly find an autocorrelation distribution derived from a sequential binary signal. The second process describes a fast dominant periodicity search algorithm. The third process describes an algorithm that estimates the dominant window for estimating the dominant periodicity within one line of two-dimensional sequential binary signal.

Abstract: A system and method handle resource transaction requests. The system marks a waiting transaction request, having an access mode which is incompatible with the access mode of the executing transaction, with an ignore bit, so that a transaction request with an access mode compatible with the access mode of the executing transaction may receive a lock in order to access the resource. The transaction request is then marked with a bypass indicator such that when the executing transactions are finished accessing the resource, the waiting transaction request may be notified that it may have access to the resource. The system includes the ignore bit so that each transaction request that arrives after the ignore bit has been set, does not suffer from a long waiting time before being provided access to the resource.

Abstract: A limited tracking system and associated method that enable the use of personal encoded identification media to limit access to tracking information. The tracking system provides concurrent time-limited access to a large number of people, objects, information, services, and other resources, and has particular applicability to credit cards, dining cards, telephone calling cards, health cards, driver's licenses, video store cards, car access cards, building access cards, computer access cards, and like identification badges or cards. The tracking system includes a transmitter module incorporated in a badge, and a receiver module incorporated in a secure server. The transmitter module contains an encryptor and a watch crystal that keeps track of time, such that the encryptor encrypts the current time with the user's private key, and periodically transmits the encrypted current time to the receiver module, as a code list.

Abstract: A system and associate method handle out-of-order data supplied by a real-time feed, and ingests the real-time feed fast enough to keep up with the feed rate while storing the data in a database in a time-ordered or other sequential manner without discarding any data. The present system adds a second unordered list for out-of-order data received from the feed or from a replay feed. A data element received from the feed, which has a time stamp earlier than the last data element placed in the ordered list, is placed in the unordered list. If replay data is received, the replay data elements are placed in the unordered list without verifying the time stamp. The data is then flushed from these memory lists to a database. Both the ordered list and the unordered list are inputted into the database. The database handles the ordering and merging of these two lists on insertion.

Abstract: A database server helps to streamline the retrieval of LOB values by deciding to send a locator in replacement of the LOB value, or the LOB value itself, depending upon the specific LOB value being retrieved. A threshold value is determined in a fetch query, and the LOB sizes below that threshold are sent as values in a corresponding fetch response, and the lengths above are sent as locators in the fetch response. Indicators are inserted in a fetch parameter of the response to inform the receiving client the form of retrieval that was used for each requested LOB value being returned.

Abstract: An object-oriented framework for document routing service in a content management system directly provides the server API set for document routing to the application programmers, without an intermediate interface layer. This framework provides document routing functions and system administration support for document routing. In addition, the system defines the document routing process as a series of steps provided by an administrator through which a document is routed, where a work node is a step within the process. A work list is provided that is a filter of one or more work nodes; a user may obtain a list of work or the “next” work item from the work list. Work packages can be suspended pending the satisfaction of criteria such as delay time or collection of a specified group of documents. The process can be resumed at any time. Suspension and resumption of the process are defined by the resume list in the work package and the work node.

Abstract: A magnetic shift register uses the inherent, natural properties of domain walls in magnetic materials to store data. The shift register uses spin electronics without changing the physical nature of its constituent materials. The shift register comprises a fine track or strip of magnetic materials. Information is stored as domain walls in the track. An electric current is applied to the track to move the magnetic moments along the track past a reading or writing device. In a magnetic material with domain walls, a current passed across the domain wall moves the domain wall in the direction of the current flow. As the current passes through a domain, it becomes “spin polarized”. When this spin polarized current passes through the next domain and across a domain wall, it develops a circle of spin torque. This spin torque moves the domain wall.

Abstract: A computer program product is provided as a system and associated method for use with a web browser and an Internet, to improve the access security to a secure web site and to protect the user from undesirable hacking. The system presents a novel, secure, implicit log-off procedure in addition to the conventional express log-off and cookie termination. The implicit log-off procedure reduces the risks resulting from transiting to an insecure site while remaining logged onto a secure site. The system is comprised of a secured transaction protection module implemented on a business server that includes a security/identification module and a local database; and a notification module which is implemented on the user's browser. The system tracks the user's access state to the server, and issues a termination command shortly as soon as the notification module detects migration to another site or to an insecure page on the same site.

Abstract: A system for identifying and utilizing a secondary index to access a database using a management system without an internal catalogue of online metadata. The system receives an application request to access a database from the application program, and parses the application request to determine at least one column name and at least one table name. The system utilizes an online catalogue containing metadata to translate the column name to a field name and the table name to a segment name, wherein the segment name has an associated secondary index. The system utilizes the online catalogue to determine an associated secondary index name, and builds a database request that includes the segment name, the field name, and the associated secondary index name. The system then sends the database request to the database management system, so that the associated secondary index can be used by the database management system in response to the database request.

Abstract: A data collection and retrieval system and associated method allow the capture and replication of data presented at various Web pages into a database application through text parsing of the HTML source code of that document. The system allows the user to select one or more Web pages containing data of interest; to specify exactly which data within any page is to be captured; to specify how frequently data is to be collected; and to specify the conditions for collection and retrieval. The advantage of the system is realized through efficient, automated data collection that would otherwise be impractical. The system includes an initialization stage and an automatic execution stage. The initialization stage provides the user interface which allows the user to select the source file that contains data the user wishes to copy, target database that will receive the data, and timing criteria for automatic transfer of data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for capturing annotations about database material in a way that allows queries with conditions or predicates on both the database material and the annotations. Database material may be text, computer programs, graphics, audio, spreadsheets, or any other material which may be stored and indexed. Database material may be in one or multiple sources, and annotations may be stored together with the original material or in a separate store. Annotations can be used to capture information such as additional facts about the database material, the opinions and judgments of experts about the database material, and/or links to other related material. Annotations may be captured in a structured form to enhance queryability and semantic interpretation.

Abstract: A Chinese text entry system with eye-tracking technique can be used for computer input of Chinese characters. The system is comprised of two main components: the Chinese pinyin software and the eye-tracking system. Chinese characters corresponding to pinyin input are selected from a list of candidate characters by selecting the proper character through eye-tracking identification and confirming the selection by pressing a readily accessible confirmation key. The Chinese pinyin software implements pinyin input at both the character and word level, choosing from multiple character or word homonyms as pinyin is entered. The system uses eye-tracking technology that is only used to identify the correct Chinese character, with the character selection and entry occurring when the confirmation key is pressed.

Abstract: A distributed comparison shopping system is based on a decentralized, distributed architecture utilizing a peer-to-peer network. The system creates an active marketplace with real-time price comparisons, with the peer-to-peer nodes coordinating connectivity with other peers and building a dynamic network. Each message includes a fixed component and an adaptive update component. The adaptive update component contains search criteria and search status fields that are selectively modified as the message travels through the peer-peer network. A node that receives a message will interpret the search criteria and apply those criteria to a local search result. The node then either forwards the unmodified or the modified message to other nodes in its neighborhood, or, alternatively, requests an authorization to modify the message prior to rebroadcasting, from the source node.