Abstract: A system, method and computer program product for determining a target population to be subject to a promotion or offer of goods/services. The target population is determined that strongly prefers a given promotion, while also making sure the target population represents a sizable number of consumers such that profits may be maximized. The system provides an output solution listing available promotion options and one or more corresponding target groups based on solving an optimization problem that incorporates, prior obtained most important customer features for each promotion using historical promotion data and statistics measures. The system may automatically initiate a promotion offering to each of said customers by communicating the promotion to the members of the targeted group of people, wherein a percentage of future transactions to which the promotion is offered is expected to exceed a threshold level.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for visualizing and querying data. Data subsets within an original table are examined. Values within the data subsets are extracted. Based on the extracted values, a new table is generated. The data contents of the original table differ from the data contents of the new table. Thus, the resulting visualization of the original table differs from the resulting visualization of the new table.

Abstract: An approach is provided to automatically replicate content to certain servers in a networking environment based on, amongst other metrics, location of third parties accessing information in a social networking environment. The approach includes obtaining content from a user within a networked environment and analyzing information of one or more third parties that have access to the networked environment and who have an association with the user. The approach further includes replicating the content to one or more servers within the networked environment based on the analyzed information of the one or more third parties.

Abstract: Relocation of virtual machines is facilitated by obtaining, by a first controller, first power-related information from a first power system set that provides power to a first set of powered hardware components, where the first set of powered hardware components are running a first plurality of virtual machines. The first controller generates a relocation protocol for migrating the first plurality of virtual machines based, at least in part, upon the first power-related information. The relocation protocol includes: a migration of a first subset of one or more virtual machines so that the first subset of virtual machine(s) is to be migrated to and run on a second set of powered hardware components in a manner such that the first subset of virtual machine(s) continues to operation in a substantially continuous manner through the migration; and a snapshotting of a second subset of one or more virtual machines.

Abstract: A method and/or computer system generates a three-dimensional image of a fingerprint. One or more sensors detect a first user's finger being pressed against a first fingerprint scanner, where the first user's finger has a first user's fingerprint that comprises fingerprint ridges that form fingerprint grooves. A light source on a rotating platform transmits offset light against the first user's finger as the light source rotates on the rotating platform. A camera captures shadow images of shadows in the fingerprint grooves. One or more processors receive and analyze the shadow images in order to determine a shape and depth of the fingerprint grooves. The processor(s) generate a first digital fingerprint file that represents the shape and depth of the fingerprint grooves, and store the first digital fingerprint file for use in future biometric verification of the first user.

Abstract: A method is disclosed, as well as an associated apparatus and computer program product, for checkpointing using a plurality of communicatively coupled compute nodes. The method comprises acquiring health information for a first node of the plurality of compute nodes, and determining a first failure probability for the first node using the health information. The first failure probability corresponds to a predetermined time interval. The method further comprises selecting a second node of the plurality of compute nodes as a partner node for the first node. The second node has a second failure probability for the time interval. A composite failure probability of the first node and the second node is less than the first failure probability. The method further comprises copying checkpoint information from the first node to the partner node.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, for booting a computer system, that provides a list with entries of startup processes. Each startup process defines a resource of the computer system. For each startup process a requirement is defined. The method further comprises fetching one of the entries of the list with entries of startup processes; determining whether the requirement is satisfied for the one of the entries of the list with entries of startup processes; fetching, in case the requirement is not fulfilled, a next one of the entries of the list with entries of startup processes; starting, in case the required resource is fulfilled, the startup process; and repeating the fetching a next one of the entries, the determining and the starting until all startup processes of the list of startup processes have been started.

Abstract: According to an embodiment of the present invention, methods, systems, and computer readable media are provided for collecting statistics for use in optimizing a database query. Collected statistics for the database are compared to corresponding predetermined states of conditions for optimizing the database query. One or more collected statistics in compliance with the corresponding predetermined states of conditions are identified based on the comparison. Collection of the one or more identified statistics for the query optimization is disabled.

Abstract: An arithmetic logic unit is disclosed that includes a first logical circuit that generates a first partial sum result from three operands in a first stage of a single clock cycle of a processor; a second circuit that generates a second partial result in the same first stage of the clock cycle of the processor; and an adder that receives the first partial result from the first logical circuit and the second partial result from the second circuit and generates a secondary result during a second stage of the single clock cycle of the processor. The arithmetic logic unit may optionally further include a backend circuit that performs additional arithmetic and logic functions in the same single clock cycle of the processor.

Abstract: Distributing access to a document from a processing system includes sending or pushing a reference for a document within a repository to a storage area of a recipient system of a recipient to enable retrieval of the document from the repository. The reference is removed from the storage area of the recipient system of the recipient in response to an expiration of the document.

Abstract: Various embodiments are provided that enable a controller of a storage device having storage media to perform one or more error recovery operations on the storage media, and to convey, while performing the one or more error recovery operations, a message indicating a status of the one or more error recovery operations to a host processor in communication with the storage device. Storage devices implementing embodiments of the present invention include hard disk drives and solid state disk drives comprising a disk head having a magnetoresistive (MR) element configured to read and write data to and from the storage media, and coupled to an analog/digital (A/D) converter, and the error recovery operations are selected from a list of changing an automatic gain control of the A/D converter, positioning the disk head off-track in order to read the data, and adjusting a bias value of the MR element.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein provide approaches for validating synonyms in ontology driven natural language processing. Specifically, an approach is provided for receiving a user input containing a token, structuring the user input into a semantic model comprising a set of classes each containing a set of related permutations of the token, designating the token as a synonym of one of the set of related permutations, annotating the token with a class from the set of classes corresponding to the one of the set of related permutations, and validating the annotation of the token by determining an accuracy of the designation of the token as a synonym of the one of the set of related permutations. In one embodiment, the accuracy is determined by quantifying a linear distance between the token and a contextual token also within the user input, and comparing the linear distance to a pre-specified linear distance limit.

Abstract: Aspects include engaging a user in a chat flow by a dialog system. A user sentiment associated with a system response provided by the dialog system as part of the chat flow is determined based on observation of the user. A next system response is rerouted from a planned sequence of the chat flow to a sentiment-based repair sequence to alter content delivered to the user based on a detected aspect of the user sentiment.

Abstract: A method is provided to supply power to wafer-scale ICs. The method includes receiving a wafer containing ICs placed on the top of the wafer. The wafer has through-silicon vias to provide power from the bottom to the ICs. The method also includes a printed circuit board, which has power rails in a pattern on the top of the printed circuit board, where the rails provide voltage and ground. The method continues with placing metal solder spheres between the bottom of the wafer and the top of the printed circuit board, where the spheres provide connections between the two, and where the spheres are free to move and operate as mechanical springs to resist clamping forces. The method also includes applying clamping pressure to the structure to establish connections by compressing the spheres, where no soldering is required.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a method for fabricating a semiconductor device, the resulting structure, and a method for using the resulting structure. A substrate is provided. A hard mask layer is patterned over at least a portion of the substrate. Regions of the substrate not protected by the hard mask are doped to form a source region and a drain region. The hard mask layer is removed. A dielectric layer is deposited on the substrate. An insulative layer is deposited on the dielectric layer. A nano-channel is created by etching a portion of the insulative layer which passes over the source region and the drain region.

Abstract: Determining a context of communications between at least two users to determine when a root URL is being shared. The root URL being shared may then be evaluated to determine a context of need or purpose of a user of the URL and suggest whether an updated URL, which is an expanded or a direct URL would be the best fit for the user's needs and dynamically replaces the shared root URL with the updated direct URL.

Abstract: In an approach for generating a file, a computer generates a modified layout for an integrated circuit. The computer receives a draft layout for an integrated circuit. The computer identifies a resonator, wherein the resonator comprises a capacitor connected to ground and an inductor connected to a clock grid. The computer creates alternative resonator wiring of the received draft layout associated with the identified resonator. The computer generates a modified draft layout based on the created alternative resonator wiring for the integrated circuit. The computer causes manufacture of an integrated circuit based on the generated modified draft layout.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments provide a system and method for performing a web conferencing presentation pre-staging. In a web conference with multiple participants and various presenters, each presenter is able to view a live presentation that is currently being presented to the participants, as well as view her own presentation in a pre-staged presentation mode. The test presentation mode allows a presenter to see how the presentation will appear to others, and provides an opportunity to test features such as audio, animation, time delay, lighting, and other important factors. When the current live presentation ends, the presentation that is in test presentation mode is switched to live presentation mode for viewing by the participants of the web conference.

Abstract: A field effect transistor includes an exposed channel region disposed between a source region and a drain region. A gate electrode is disposed over the exposed channel region. An electrolyte gel is disposed between the gate electrode and the exposed channel region, wherein ions are immobilized in the electrolyte gel below a transition temperature and mobilized above the transition temperature to increase device resistance.

Abstract: A method and associated system for connecting a computing device to a computing arrangement. A message from the computing device is received. The message includes an address specifying the computing arrangement. The proxy system is a computer system. It is determined, based on the address, that a secure connection between the proxy system and the computing arrangement does not exist. The secure connection is dedicated for secure communication between the computing device and the computing arrangement. In response to the determining that the secure connection does not exist, a new secure connection is established between the proxy system and the computing arrangement.