Abstract: The method and apparatus for categorizing an item based on Record Linkage Theory is disclosed. A related method and apparatus for assigning a confidence level to the categorization process is disclosed. In one aspect, the item to be categorized is parsed into at least one token. At least one category that contains the token in the training set is identified. A weight is calculated for each token with respect to a first category. Weights are combined to determine the total weight of the first category. The weighting process is repeated for each relevant category. Where one of a plurality of threshold values is met or exceeded, the item may be automatically assigned to the category with the highest total weight. The combination of threshold values may be selected based on the confidence level associated with that combination of threshold values. Weights for each relevant category, possibly ordered, may be presented.

Abstract: In a client/server computer environment having a fileserver running a mater database and clients supporting cache databases, inconsistent data write accesses are prevented by using a data locking technique, which locks data during the course of an up-date transaction requested by one client. This prevents access to the same data by another client. Data consistency is checked prior to the write access, by comparing a time stamp associated with a respective cache database entry and a time stamp associated with the index to the corresponding data entry in the master database. Time stamp equivalence obviates the need to access the master database or to transfer data across the client/server communications network.

Abstract: Each node in a network accessing a common database caches a copy of the database tables it uses and updates those tables based on changes made by other nodes in a coherent cache, i.e., those node that also have a copy of the tables in their cache. When a new node joins the coherent cache, dynamic synchronization of the table is performed by having one of the existing nodes act as a source to populate the table(s) required on the new (destination) node from its own copy. The dynamic synchronization controls the population operation and allows for the populating of tables on the destination node from partially populated tables on the source node. The dynamic synchronization of the tables permits database updates to continue to be made to the tables by the existing nodes in the coherent cache and provides a mechanism to propagate the committed updates to the tables on the destination node.

Abstract: A system and method is described for translating events originally identified as “change” events in one replication protocol to “add” events in another replication protocol where appropriate. More particularly, a WebDAV-based system interacts with a non-WebDAV based system. On a first replication transaction between the two systems, a sync state table is created on an intermediate server or a server that facilitates communication between the two systems. The sync state table is linked to the non-WebDAV system for future replication transactions. The sync state table maintains a list of objects that have been sent to the non-WebDAV system in past replication transactions. Thereafter, for each replication transaction, a manifest of changes since the last replication transaction is transmitted from the WebDAV system to the intermediate server. The manifest includes information in accordance with the WebDAV protocol, i.e. without notice of “add” events.

Abstract: A storage system which supports distributed management of client configurations by storing such configuration information for a number of products across the storage network in a central repository is provided. The system further includes an external parser configuration file to provide a framework allowing users to access configuration data. The parser is separate from the configuration information repository. The parser is key-driven and extensible, facilitating programming, updates and modifications without modifying the binary library containing the configuration information.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of extracting a user related to a field corresponding to an inquiry content based on shared documents of a plurality of users and profile information including at least specialized fields of the plurality of users. A degree of communication of the extracted respective users with the user who has made the inquiry is calculated based on a history of communication using a network. The user who can answer the inquiry is selected from the extracted users based on the degree of communication.

Abstract: A method and system for processing notifications is described. Notifications are tagged based on a synchronization state between the sender and receiver of the notification. The receiver processes the tagged notification based on a comparison between the tagged value and the current state of its synchronization with respect to the sender of the notification. When the tagged value is current with respect to the current synchronization value and a synchronization is not in process, the notification is processed. When the tagged value is stale with respect to the current synchronization state the notification is discarded. If the notification is out-of-date with respect to the current state of synchronization the notification may be queued for later processing or discarded.

Abstract: A system and method for presenting one or more general-purpose application-accessible data sources as an XML representation is discussed. Information that describes the way data is structured or organized in the data source is accessed from the data source. A virtual file system representation comprising a plurality of hierarchical folders is provided to represent the structural information. Optionally, the virtual file system representation may be modified, either manually or according to rules sets. After any desired modification, the XML representation is generated based on the virtual file system representation.

Abstract: A database design and maintenance system and method includes a software suite designed to assist users with creating, storing, updating and reusing full-text and bibliographic databases. The software suite includes three components configured to operate on any Java-enabled server. The first component is an intranet system for document entry, editing, and viewing. The second component is an indexer that includes concept extracting, statistical collecting, and rule building functionality. For example, when a text document is entered into the intranet system, the concept extractor scans the document to determine appropriate subject terms for identifying the document. These subject terms are reviewed by a human indexer and assigned to the document. The statistical collecting function analyzes the concept extractor's performance in finding appropriate indexing terms and maintains a record of the hits, misses, and noise.

Abstract: A system and method for allowing synchronized execution of a set of commands is provided. A first system contains a content description tree that may be dynamically updated by a set of commands from a second system. In the set of commands, commands may be executed in parallel or in sequence. If the group of commands are tagged to be executed in parallel, parallel execution of commands implies that there are no dependencies between the execution of the commands. As the result, the decoder will have more flexibility to schedule the execution of these commands. If the group of commands are tagged to be executed sequentially, then the order of execution matters. Therefore, in order to synchronize the execution of the group of commands in a set, a parallel or sequential tag is included identifying whether this group of commands should be executed in parallel or in sequence.

Abstract: Propagation of data by mirroring the data from a first filer to a second filer, and then mirroring the data from the second filer to a third filer. More generally, propagating data by mirroring the data along a chain or cascade of mirrors. Snapshots are used in mirroring the data. Preferably, the data is organized in one or more volumes on the filer, and one or more of the volumes are mirrored. Deletion is prevented of a snapshot associated with a volume from a filer until the filer is informed that no other filer needs that snapshot to mirror the volume from the filer. Preferably, each filer uses softlocks to track what snapshots correspond to volumes mirrored down the chain or cascade of filers.

Abstract: A method and system for supporting multivalue attributes in a database system is disclosed. The method and system includes defining an index class by designating a plurality of attributes associated with the index class, wherein the plurality of attributes includes single value attributes and at least one multivalue attribute, generating an attribute value table for the index class for storing attribute values for the single value attributes, and generating a multiple value table for each of the at least one multivalue attributes for storing attribute values for the at least one mulitvalue attributes.

Abstract: Processing electronic documents includes retrieving a first electronic document located in a reference directory specified by a first path and searching for a second electronic document purported to be specified by a second path. If the second electronic document is not located at the second path, continue searching in a directory higher than the reference directory.

Abstract: A data processing system providing a result of filtering an item desired by an individual user. On receipt of a request from a user terminal for executing a process of filtering a predetermined item, a filtering evaluation system instructs a plurality of filtering systems to individually execute a filtering process. On receipt of the result of the filtering process, the user terminal individually sets specific compatibility ratings for designating ratings of compatibility with a desired degree and then transfer the rated rankings to the filtering evaluation system. Based on the received compatibility ratings, the filtering evaluation system establishes a preferential filtering system out from the various filtering systems. Thenceforth, the user terminal is enabled to receive the result of the filtering process acquired by the preferential filtering system.

Abstract: Companies and other organizations store extensive datasets having overlapping data contents in different data base systems whose data base structures are incompatible with one another. The invention is concerned with the integration of such structurally incompatible data base systems, in particular with the data interchange between such systems. Various procedures are proposed which serve the purpose of combining such data base systems together such that problem-free data interchange is possible in both directions. In particular, the invention allows data shared across the system to be entered and changed in the different systems.

Abstract: A database system with multi-level partitioning is disclosed. The system includes a plurality of storage facilities with each storage facility storing data that represents rows of database tables. In each storage facility table rows corresponding to a specific table are logically ordered according to a row identifier, also called the row ID. The row ID includes a first value that is based on one or more columns of the table. The row ID also includes a second value that is based on one or more columns of the table. The row ID also includes a third value. The first value is calculated based on a single-level function. The single-level function is a combination of a plurality of functions. The single-level function produces different values for two rows when any of the plurality of functions produces different values for the two rows. The first value of the row ID is predominate in determining the order of the rows in the storage facilities.

Abstract: The invention relates to communicating message data between application programs, the message data relating to units of work performed by the application programs. A plurality of message queuing subsystems interface to the application programs and are coupled together through a coupling facility. The message data is communicated in shared queues between the message queuing subsystems by means of data structures contained in the coupling facility. The data structures include an administrative structure listing unit of work descriptors describing operations performed by the queuing subsystems on a shared queue. A connection failure between a queuing subsystem and the shared queue is notified to the remaining queuing subsystems connected to the shared queue.

Abstract: A method that comprises: 1) sending to a manufacturer a customer request for assembly instructions for a grouping of components; and 2) presenting to assemblers a set of assembly instructions which are customized and specific to the grouping of components.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for performing an inclusion hash join and an exclusion hash join using a hash join are provided. The inner and outer tables are transposed to left and right tables, respectively. A hash table is created from the left table, the right table is scanned, and the hash table is probed. If the right table hash value matches a hash table value, the actual values are compared. If they match, the current outer table row is included in the result. If an exclusion condition is present, the hash table is probed with the right-table-row's hash value. If no hash values match, the outer table row is added to the result and the next row is addressed. If one or more hash values match, the actual values are compared.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for improving the precision of information retrieval systems that use logical form searching techniques. Under one embodiment of the invention, several logical form triples are produced from the user's query and are combined together by restrictive logical operators to generate a compound logical form query. A search is then performed to find documents that meet the requirements set by the compound logical form query. In other embodiments, results generated by a logical form search are intersected with results from a word search to form a more precise set of results. In further embodiments of the invention, three pairs of search results are intersected with each other to form three sets of final results. These final results are then ranked based on the techniques used to form their constituent result pairs.