Patents Examined by Apu Mofiz
  • Patent number: 9953337
    Abstract: Systems and methods of tracking and rewarding users of any of a variety of content hosting systems, such as search engines. In one embodiment, a method of rewarding a user of a search engine includes receiving secure identification information identifying a user, retrieving user account information using the secure identification information, receiving a search query associated with the user account information, crediting the user account with a reward that is directly related to providing the search query, and returning search results in response to the received search query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2018
    Inventor: Mazen A. Skaf
  • Patent number: 9946885
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a method replicates data from a first database system to a second database system and determines a modeling of a first access context for a table in the replicated data. An ACL rule based on the first access context is generated to restrict access to the replicated data in the second database system to users associated with the first access context. The method receives a request to access the replicated data from a user and determines a second access context for the user. The first access context for the ACL rule and the second access context for the user are compared to determine whether the user is allowed to access the replicated data. Access to the replicated data is allowed when the second access context and the first access context indicate the user is allowed to access the replicated data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: SAP SE
    Inventors: Maschhur Smid, Joachim Burgert
  • Patent number: 9946763
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a processing system of a question answering computer system determines a first set of relations between one or more pairs of terms in a question. The processing system also determines a second set of relations between one or more pairs of terms in a candidate passage including a candidate answer to the question. The processing system matches the first set of relations to the second set of relations. A plurality of scores is determined by the processing system based on the matching. The processing system aggregates the scores to produce an answer score indicative of a level of support that the candidate answer correctly answers the question.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael A. Barborak, James J. Fan, Michael R. Glass, Aditya A. Kalyanpur, Adam P. Lally, James W. Murdock, IV, Benjamin P. Segal
  • Patent number: 9946764
    Abstract: According to an aspect, a processing system of a question answering computer system determines a first set of relations between one or more pairs of terms in a question. The processing system also determines a second set of relations between one or more pairs of terms in a candidate passage including a candidate answer to the question. The processing system matches the first set of relations to the second set of relations. A plurality of scores is determined by the processing system based on the matching. The processing system aggregates the scores to produce an answer score indicative of a level of support that the candidate answer correctly answers the question.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael A. Barborak, James J. Fan, Michael R. Glass, Aditya A. Kalyanpur, Adam P. Lally, James W. Murdock, IV, Benjamin P. Segal
  • Patent number: 9921945
    Abstract: Aspects provide for automatic verification of JavaScript Object Notation (JSON) data by making a JSON call via an Extensible Markup Language (XML) Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) HTTP object against a data warehouse data item stored in a back end server. JSON response data returned from the back end server in response to the JSON call is converted into actual XML result data that includes a first plurality of XML statements. A Structured Query Language (SQL) query is executed against the data warehouse data item, and expected XML result data generated in response thereto that include a different (second) plurality of XML statements. The JSON response data returned from the back end server is thereby verified in response to matching the actual XML result data to the expected XML result data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: ADP, LLC
    Inventors: Tista Das, Sachin V. Havaldar, Laiyuan Liu
  • Patent number: 9916342
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes systems and methods for managing and implementing an asset license reclamation program across a network. The status of an asset, such as computer software, is automatically determined and if the asset does not meet particular use criteria, the asset may be flagged for reclamation and/or redeployment, either within the same network segment or in a separate network segment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: Branch Banking and Trust Company
    Inventors: Chris Bishop, Jason Pedone
  • Patent number: 9916375
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention enable users to generate a summary for a document with respect to a concept, making use of inherent hierarchies present in a text document based on subject-object relationships of the sentences in the text document. In one embodiment, a text document is parsed into sentences, and a tuple is created for each sentence, the tuple comprising a subject and an object found in the sentence. The tuples may then be searched for a specified topic to identify matching tuples, as well as tuples that are related to the matching tuples based on relationships between their respective subjects and objects. A summary focused on the specified topic may then be generated using the sentences corresponding to the matching tuples and the tuples related to the matching tuples.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Anand B. Bhagwat, Krishna Kummamuru
  • Patent number: 9910908
    Abstract: A data element of a linked data structure is atomically moved without delaying lockless readers. A status-indicating entity is allocated, associated with the data element, and indicates validity of the data element with respect to the first linked data structure. A copy element, or a pointer thereto, is created from the data element. The status-indicating entity is associated with the copy element and indicates no validity of the copy element with respect to a second linked data structure. The copy element is linked to the second linked data structure. The status-indicating entity is atomically updated to indicate no validity of the data element with respect to the first linked data structure and validity of the copy element with respect to the second linked data structure. The data element is deleted and the status-indicating entity is disassociated from the copy element. Both structures may be deallocated in a deferred reader-friendly manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Paul E. McKenney
  • Patent number: 9910907
    Abstract: A data element of a linked data structure is atomically moved without delaying lockless readers. A status-indicating entity is allocated, associated with the data element, and indicates validity of the data element with respect to the first linked data structure. A copy element, or a pointer thereto, is created from the data element. The status-indicating entity is associated with the copy element and indicates no validity of the copy element with respect to a second linked data structure. The copy element is linked to the second linked data structure. The status-indicating entity is atomically updated to indicate no validity of the data element with respect to the first linked data structure and validity of the copy element with respect to the second linked data structure. The data element is deleted and the status-indicating entity is disassociated from the copy element. Both structures may be deallocated in a deferred reader-friendly manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Paul E. McKenney
  • Patent number: 9911282
    Abstract: A system for detecting inappropriate content in a virtual world environment has, and a corresponding method utilizes, a rating unit for rating each of one or more virtual objects based upon its content. The system has, and the method utilizes, a tagging unit for tagging each of the one or more virtual objects with its respective rating, an object tagging database for storing ratings of the one or more virtual objects, and a policy database for storing policies associated with the ratings and the regions. Further, the system has, and the method utilizes, an object monitor for monitoring the movement of each of the one or more virtual objects, a security scanner for scanning each of the one or more virtual objects to determine the rating of each of the one or more virtual objects, and an enforcement module to enforce the policies of the policy database based upon the rating and the respective region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Neal J. Alewine, Rick A. Hamilton, II, Robert A. Hood, James W. Seaman
  • Patent number: 9910921
    Abstract: Methods and arrangements for keyword refinement and enhancement. There is received an initial keyword list comprising one or more keywords. Information is harvested from one or more information feeds, and an item is ascertained from the harvested information. One or more keywords from the initial keyword list are associated with the item. One or more new keywords are developed based on the associating of one or more keywords from the initial keyword list with the item. Other variants and embodiments are broadly contemplated herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Raguhuram Krishnapuram, Sameep Mehta, Chawda Bhupesh Shyamsundar, L Venkata Subramaniam
  • Patent number: 9892203
    Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable storage media for adding users to groups of content items organized into events based on a common attribute. An example system configured to practice the method can receive, from a client device, content items uploaded to a synced online content management system, wherein the content items are associated with an account of a first user. The system can cluster at least some of the content items as an event, wherein the event is associated with a common attribute, and identify a second user satisfying a minimum similarity threshold for the event based on the common attribute. The system can provide a suggestion to share the event with the second user. Upon receiving a confirmation of the suggestion, the system can make content items clustered in the event available to the second user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2018
    Assignee: Dropbox, Inc.
    Inventors: Drew Houston, Chris Beckmann
  • Patent number: 9886469
    Abstract: Described are methods, systems and computer readable media for performance logging of complex query operations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Inventors: David R. Kent, IV, Ryan Caudy, Charles Wright, Radu Teodorescu
  • Patent number: 9886681
    Abstract: A physical network presence management system includes a processor; and a memory communicatively coupled to the processor. The memory includes executable code stored thereon such that the executable code, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to implement a network browser; in which the processor is configured to: track content uploaded to a network through the network browser; periodically search the network for content related to the user authored by a source other than the user; the searching being based on a unique set of identifiers associated with the user; dynamically update the set of unique identifiers based on contextual trends within content returned as a result of the searching; and aggregate content published by the user with the content returned as a result of the searching to create an aggregate report of the presence of the user on the network.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: John Morgan Lance, Eleni Anna Rundle, Anuphinh Phimmasorn Wanderski
  • Patent number: 9886463
    Abstract: An index shared between a plurality of tables is used to access a data sharing space (DSS) storing a set of rows from a base table having a plurality of rows with stored data. First data values of the index are identified in response to a query for a table. A subset of rows is then retrieved from the DSS using the index elements corresponding to the first data values. Second data values and some of the first data values are then identified in response to a second query for a table. A second subset of rows are then retrieved from the DSS using the index elements corresponding to the second data values and some of the first data values and the query is then applied to the subset of rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Rafal P. Konik, Roger A. Mittelstadt, Brian R. Muras, Mark W. Theuer
  • Patent number: 9886470
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward methods and systems for data de-duplication. More particularly, in various embodiments, the present invention provides systems and methods for data de-duplication that may utilize a vectoring method for data de-duplication wherein a stream of data is divided into “data sets” or blocks. For each block, a code, such as a hash or cyclic redundancy code may be calculated and stored. The first block of the set may be written normally and its address and hash can be stored and noted. Subsequent block hashes may be compared with previously written block hashes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: Quantum Corporation
    Inventors: George Saliba, Theron White
  • Patent number: 9886447
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided in a data processing system for asynchronous replication in a hierarchical storage management integrated storage system. For a given file to be replicated from a primary storage system to a remote storage system, the primary storage system accesses the remote storage system to determine file existence and migration status at the remote storage system for the given file. Responsive to the primary storage system determining that the given file exists and has been migrated from first tier storage to second tier storage at the remote storage system, the primary storage system determines a first performance penalty for file recall and a second performance penalty for sending excess data from the primary storage system to the remote storage system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 6, 2018
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Araki, Thomas W. Bish, Norie Iwasaki, Hiroyuki Miyoshi, Satoshi Takai
  • Patent number: 9882769
    Abstract: A method is disclosed for providing an updated management object to an agent. The method includes the agent specifying the updated management object, and a device management client providing the updated management object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2018
    Assignee: BlackBerry Limited
    Inventors: Axel Ferrazzini, Michael Shenfield, James Andrew Godfrey
  • Patent number: 9875295
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for evaluating substitute terms. One of the methods includes receiving a query having an original term and determining one or more substitution contexts for the original term, wherein a substitution context includes one or more context terms and an indication of a position in the query of the original term and the one or more context terms. The substitution contexts are classified into a first category or a second category based on a respective score of each substitution context. The original term is associated with one or more substitution contexts in the first category.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Goolge Inc.
    Inventors: Zachary A. Garrett, Takahiro Nakajima, Akira Ishino, Kenichi Kurihara
  • Patent number: 9875271
    Abstract: The present invention is directed toward methods and systems for data de-duplication. More particularly, in various embodiments, the present invention provides systems and methods for data de-duplication that may utilize a vectoring method for data de-duplication wherein a stream of data is divided into “data sets” or blocks. For each block, a code, such as a hash or cyclic redundancy code may be calculated and stored. The first block of the set may be written normally and its address and hash can be stored and noted. Subsequent block hashes may be compared with previously written block hashes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2018
    Assignee: Quantum Corporation
    Inventors: George Saliba, Theron White