Abstract: A system provides support for the use of summary catalog data structures. In particular, the system defines such summary catalogs as data structures and provides standardized methods for operating on the data structures. The summary catalogs provide a convenient and highly available mechanism for obtaining information regarding files in the system. The summary catalogs are closely tied to queries in that the summary catalogs store query results. The summary catalogs may be encapsulated into objects that hold selected properties that are derived from other objects in a query or may be formed by other mechanisms. Copies of a summary catalog may be kept consistent using replication that propagates changes. In addition, consistency of summary catalogs with the source objects from which they originated may be maintained.

Abstract: The semantic integration problem for merging multiple databases of very large size, the merge/purge problem, can be solved by multiple runs of the sorted neighborhood method or the clustering method with small windows followed by the computation of the transitive closure over the results of each run. The sorted neighborhood method works well under this scheme but is computationally expensive due to the sorting phase. An alternative method based on data clustering that reduces the complexity to linear time making multiple runs followed by transitive closure feasible and efficient.

Abstract: A network management system includes a domain administrating server (DAS) that stores a virtual catalog representing an overview of all files distributively stored across a network domain currently or in the past. The current and historical file information is used for assisting in auditing or locating files located anywhere in the domain. The current file information is used for assisting in transferring files across the domain. The domain administrating server (DAS) also includes a rule-base driven artificial administrator for monitoring and reacting to domain-wide alert reports and for detecting problematic trends in domain-wide performance based on information collected from the network domain.

Abstract: Disclosed is an object-oriented approach to storage and transmission of retrievable items in a client-server computer environment. Special processing modules manage retrieval and permanent storage, on client computers, of requested objects in a manner that minimizes unnecessary transmission and storage. The user enters a "subscription" in connection with items related to hierarchically inferior items. The subscription specifies the amount of information the user desires to download and store locally with respect to a specified hierarchical depth level. The invention also includes a pruning module for deleting, from local storage, items inconsistent with the subscription and which the user does not explicitly indicate a desire to store, and a facility for updating locally stored items upon re-establishment of communication with the server.

Abstract: An external oscillator is connected to the port accumulator of a microprocessor and supplies event signals to the microprocessor during its sleep state (following the execution of a STOP or WAIT instruction). Because the port accumulator within the microprocessor is capable of receiving and retaining a count during the microprocessor's mode, even though normal processing is suspended, the microprocessor is able to acquire information concerning external events which occur during the sleep mode. The technique may be used to indicate when the duration of the sleep mode exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: An improved document matching and retrieval system is disclosed where an input document is matched against a database of documents, using a descriptor database which lists descriptors and points to a list of documents containing features from which the descriptor is derived document. The descriptors are selected to be invariant to distortions caused by digitizing the documents or differences between the input document and its match in the document database. An array of accumulators is used to accumulate votes for each document in the document database as the descriptor base is scanned, wherein a vote is added to an accumulator for a document if the document is on the list as having a descriptor which is also found in the input document. The document which accumulates the most votes is returned as the matching document, or the documents with more than a threshold number of votes are returned.

Abstract: A computer storage management system responds to a recognition of an insufficiency of disk storage space available by converting inefficiently used storage space to efficiently used space and free space. The management system controls allocation of storage space to storage space consumers pursuant to an allocation ordering scheme which ensures fairness of storage space consumption among competing consumers. Generation of free storage space and allocation of space are substantially concurrent events, creating a continuous flow of space generation and space consumption. Storage space is consistently kept and used in an efficient manner, and competing processes are allocated storage space fairly and effectively.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and a system for providing information required for meeting with a desired person while travelling. A subscriber registers his or her attribute data, attribute data of a desired person and his or her travel schedule data through an input/output terminal. Input data is transferred via a communication network to a host computer. Host computer generates information regarding the other party who the subscriber can meet with for each subscriber by processing data transferred from many subscribers. Generated data is stored in an output list file, so that the subscriber is able to know a possibility to meet with a desired person while travelling by making access to the output list file through the input/output terminal.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method and apparatus that forces all parts of an update transaction to commit automatically using a two-phase commit. The present invention uses the two-phase commit messages to negotiate a system commit number (SCN) that is then recorded on each of the nodes as the logical point in time that the distributed transaction committed. The two-phase commit scheme of the present invention consists of a "prepare" phase and a "commit" phase. The transaction in the distributed database environment involves multiple participants (databases). In the prepare phase, one of the N database participants is selected as the "commit point." The commit point includes the log into which the information is written that states the transaction has committed. The remaining N-1 participants enter a "prepare phase." In the prepare phase, the prepare participants lock their databases and enter a state in which they are ready to roll back or commit to the transaction.

Abstract: A system for accessing a write-once read-many storage medium is intended to modify and update a stored data on the medium according to an operator's desire and easily manage the modified data and the updated data on the storage medium. The system is arranged to have a first and second searching unit, a writing unit and a reading unit. The first searching unit operates to search a non-writing area next to a last data-written area on a data storage area of the storage medium and the writing unit operates to read the updated data on the searched area. The second searching unit operates to search a last data-written area on the storage medium and the reading unit operates to read the data from the searched area. For searching the area by the second searching unit, a binary search may be used.

Abstract: A method for managing a computerized database characterized by the steps of: a) providing a collection of view styles including a card view and a list view; b) selecting an initial view from the collection of view styles; c) determining an initial record index; d) deriving information from at least one record of a computerized database indicated by the record index; e) displaying the information in the selected view style; f) detecting a user input indicating a view style, an index selection, or both; and g) repeating steps d, e, and f in response to the detected user input. The method also includes displaying a card area on a screen of a pen-based computer system which depicts structured information concerning an entity, and displaying a free-form area on the screen depicting unstructured information concerning the entity.

Abstract: A report generation system and method generates a secondary report containing detailed information concerning a specific data element of a primary report. To generate the secondary report, the user first selects a data element on the on-screen primary report using either a mouse or a keyboard. The user then activates a command by either selecting from a menu, typing a command keystroke, or clicking the mouse. The system then generates a secondary report using new parameters determined by the particular data element selected by the user.

Abstract: A method, system and process for enhancing a database server by improving memory allocation and memory copying during the process of reconstructing a data structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the efficiency and security of a database management system (DBMS) is disclosed. A plurality of query packages are stored at a host DBMS. Generation of the query packages is limited only to those users that have authorization, such as the database administrator of the DBMS. The query packages include a plurality of procedures. Each procedure is a single SQL statement that has been pre-compiled. Each query package also includes an authorization table that enumerates each individual user, or category of user, that can invoke any procedure within the query package. By formulating a plurality of query packages, each package tailored to a particular category of user, security of the data on the DBMS is enhanced. Further, by having static statements that are pre-compiled, access time to the data on the DBMS is significantly reduced. Moreover, the database administrator and users can interactively generate and use the query packages in a user friendly environment.

Abstract: This file server system appears to the host computer to be a plurality of data storage devices which are directly addressable by the host computer using the native data management and access structures of the host computer. The file server however is an intelligent data storage subsystem that defines, manages and accesses synchronized sets of data and maintains these synchronized sets of data external from the host computer system's data management facilities in a manner that is completely transparent to the host computer. This is accomplished by the use of the snapshot application data group that extends the traditional sequential data set processing concept of generation data groups.

Abstract: A data processing system includes at least one transaction processing application and a plurality of data managers which can be accessed by the transaction processing application. Each data manager is responsible for managing a separate data base. The system further includes a work-in-progress store and a work-in-progress store manager for managing the work-in-progress store. Whenever the transaction processing application instructs a data manager to perform an update, the data manager passes information concerning the update to the work-in-progress store manager which records this information in the work-in-progress store, and whenever the application completes a transaction, the data managers perform updates to their respective databases and the work-in-progress store manager is instructed to discard the contents of the work-in-progress store relating to this transaction.