Abstract: A method and apparatus are disclosed for providing virtual Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) attribute subtypes based on metadata associated with a relevant data type. In one embodiment, a computer system receives a request that specifies an LDAP attribute. The computer system identifies metadata corresponding to a data type of the LDAP attribute and identifies, based on the metadata, an attribute subtype of the LDAP attribute.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the invention relate to optimizing storage of schema-less data. At least one of a schema-less dataset including a plurality of resources one or more query workloads associated with the plurality of resources is received. Each resource is associated with at least a plurality of properties. At least one set of co-occurring properties from the plurality of properties is identified. A graph including a plurality of nodes is generated. Each of the nodes represents a unique property in the set of co-occurring properties. The graph further includes an edge connecting each node representing a pair of co-occurring properties. A schema is generated based on the graph that assigns a column identifier from a table to each unique property represented by one of the nodes in the graph.

Abstract: An approach is provided for associating physical locations to websites. The element platform may determine one or more user interactions by at least one user with at least one user interface element embedded in at least one website of at least one online entity, wherein the at least one user interface element is associated with one or more physical locations of the at least one online entity. Then, the element platform may cause, at least in part, a storage of the one or more physical locations in at least one user collection database based, at least in part, on the one or more interactions.

Abstract: Some embodiments include a method for searching a hierarchical database structure of a database management system. In some embodiments, the method comprises detecting text input in a database search field, wherein the text input defines a search for data in the hierarchical database structure, wherein the hierarchical database structure includes items, and wherein the items include one or more of actions to be performed on data in the hierarchical database structure, indexes for looking up data in the hierarchical database structure, and database schemas defining databases in the hierarchical database structure. The method can also comprise selecting items in the hierarchical database structure based on the text input; presenting selectable options, wherein the selectable options are associated with the items in the hierarchical database structure; detecting selection of one of the selectable options, and presenting data associated with the one of the items.

Abstract: Generating a listing in a network-based commerce system Listing identification data is received from a user, and listing data associated with the listing, based on the listing identification data, is retrieved. Thereafter, a listing is generated that is at least partially based on the listing data tier posting on the network-based commerce system. In one embodiment, the user may edit the listing data prior to the listing being posted. The network-based commerce system may include a database of listing data associated with at least one of movies, music, games, books and motor vehicles. In one embodiment, the proposed listing comprises a plurality of check boxes each of which is associated with an attribute of the listing and the system automatically, without human intervention, checks attributes based on the listing data. The editing by the user may include the user selecting one or more of the check boxes.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus provide for a progressive player to allow for a user to subscribe to media content. The media content can be organized according to a media orchestration descriptor (MOD). The MOD identifies each segment (i.e. media element, media asset) of the media content and indicates relationships among the segments to define a presentation of the segments during playback of the media content. Immediately, in response to subscribing to the media content, the progressive player initiates playback of the media content in conjunction with downloading the media content to a buffer. Playback of the media content is controlled with respect to the playback time of the amount of buffered media content, where the buffered media content comprises media content in the buffer that has been downloaded but not yet played back.

Abstract: In managing a relational database, a relational manager sets a foreign key lookup value to an unavailable state in a source table row containing each of a foreign key value and the foreign key lookup value in a source table in a relational database, wherein the foreign key value references a primary key value in a referenced row in a separate destination table in the relational database. The relational manager, responsive to looking up, for the foreign key value, in a data structure separate from the source table, a location of the referenced row in the relational database, when the foreign key lookup value is set to the unavailable state, updating the foreign key lookup value with the location, wherein the foreign key lookup value in the source table is looked up for identifying the location of the referenced row for subsequent retrievals of the referenced row for the foreign key value.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention support a flexible access control design that includes flexible ownership and assignment of access control lists (ACLs). The ACLs can be assigned to one or more resources, or items, or types of resources or items. A creator or owner of an ACL can grant privileges to others such that they may modify or assign the ACL. Each ACL can have one or more owners, i.e., users that can exercise control over the ACL. Any owner of an ACL can designate certain privileges to other users. These other users may then use the ACL based on the privileges granted to them.

Abstract: Users belonging to a particular category at a networking site are monitored by a system and according to a method for their selection of articles from a networking update stream. The characteristics of the users, including the categories they belong to, are received as metadata corresponding to the each respective article. Periodically an article database is queried according to the category and a selected time period to determine the number of users that have chosen to follow the industry and that have initiated selection actions towards articles in the database. Articles from the query are ranked according to their popularity among users having interest in the same industry category and are presented to a viewing user at the networking site.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a class reference data record for classifying documents of value includes creating a class reference image using a multiplicity of reference images of already classified documents of value in the same class; and creating a class reference data record having at least one class reference parameter using the class reference image. The pixel and intensity values of the respective pixel in the class reference image are a function of the pixel values of the relevant pixels in the multiplicity of reference images of already classified documents of value in the same class. The method includes determining at least one quantitative property of a document of value to be classified; and classifying the document of value to be classified on the basis of a comparison between the quantitative property of the document of value to be classified and the class reference data record.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing standard real world to virtual world links may include a processing element configured to receive indications of an image including an object, determine whether the object corresponds to a particular object having a predefined association based on a recognition of the object, and execute a function corresponding to the predefined association in response to the object corresponding to the particular object.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and computer-readable media for ranking search results based on current and past presences of a user and a user's contacts from a social graph in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A search query is received from a user and search results responsive to the search query are obtained from a search engine. Contacts from a user's social graph are obtained, and presence data for the user and the contacts is obtained. The relevancy scores of the search result entities are modified based on the current presence of a contact at an entity, the past presence of a contact at an entity, and the past presence of the user at an entity. The search results are ranked based on the modified relevancy scores and provided to the user.

Abstract: Techniques are described for using electronic communications to enable users to supply data to an online service, such as a fee-based online search functionality service that provides user-specific data searching capabilities. The electronic communications may, for example, be email communications, and may be used to supply data in various manners, such as based on the communications' body contents and/or file attachments. In addition, users may configure various types of data analysis or manipulation operations to be performed on data supplied via electronic communications. After a user's data has been supplied to and optionally manipulated by the online service in a configured manner, that user (or others to whom that user provides access) may access that data from the online service in various manners, including by using one or more data retrieval access interfaces that are distinct from an electronic communication address used to supply the data.

Abstract: A search server that receives a search request from a mobile computing device, the search request comprising a first search query that comprises one or more search terms; utilizes stored search queries to determine a second search query received from the mobile computing device, the second search query being received within a threshold time period prior to the first search query; determines search results by identifying applications based on the stored information regarding the applications and the search terms in the first search query; for at least one application in the search results, determines a state of the application that corresponds with the second search query; and transmits a search result object comprising information regarding the applications determined based on the first search query and the states determined based on the second search query.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and system are provided for monitoring developments in a field of prior art. The method comprises using one or more processors receive a search query including a first patent concept related to the field of prior art; search the Internet as a function of the search query; generate a first set of search results; store the first set of search results in a database; conduct a subsequent search on the Internet as a function of the search query; generate a second set of search results; compare the first and second sets of search results to identify differences in the results; and communicate the differences to a user. An ontology of patent concepts may be stored in a system database. The searches may be conducted automatically on a regular basis thereby notifying the user of any intervening changes in the field of prior art.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to systems and methods for maintaining coherency between different entities in a distributed system. A coherency module automatically detects a change in state in a first entity, wherein the change in state relates to a change in functional code in the first entity. A synchronization message is transmitted to a second entity to synchronize data in the second entity with data in the first entity as a result of the change in state. The second entity is configured to synchronize the data in the second entity with the data in the first entity after receiving the synchronization message.

Abstract: Various technologies and techniques are disclosed for creating and managing persistent document collections. A data store is used for storing one or more persistent document collections. A content management application is used for managing documents for users, for creating one or more persistent document collections of a sub-set of the documents upon user request, and for storing the one or more persistent document collections in the data store. Users can create one or more persistent document collections from a sub-set of the documents. Users can also modify the one or more persistent document collections. A requested portion of one or more persistent document collections can be output upon request from an external application so that the external application can download one or more of the documents that are represented by the persistent document collection for further modification by the user.

Abstract: A method for identifying a result responsive to a current location of a client device includes receiving, form a client device and at a host, a search query that includes a point of interest and a current location of the client device. The method also includes automatically updating the search query as the current location of the client device changes and instructing the host to identify a potential location associated with the point of interest and located within a user-defined proximity from the current location of the client device.

Abstract: A method to automatically allocate tenants to database services includes determining a query plan based on a workload for each tenant. A distance metric is created based on the query plan for each tenant, and tenants are clustered based on the distance metric into a predetermined number of clusters which is equal to the predetermined number of databases.

Abstract: A document management apparatus receives image data generated by a first user using an image processing apparatus, stores the image data, receives a document file that enables image data to be edited and was transmitted by a second user from a user terminal, searches for image data corresponding to the received document file among the stored image data, and transmits the received document file to an unique destination assigned to the first user who has generated the found image data.