Abstract: The invention is directed to a computer-implemented process for processing information related to entities and said entities being contained in a stream of information, the entities being stored in resource directories of a system, each resource directory containing entities and being annotated with a version number modified with the addition of at least one new entity.

Abstract: A method of selecting an object out of a group of objects. The object may belong to a category. The method may include receiving, object-related information indicative of properties of objects of the category by using network connected databases. The method may further include generating, an extended profile for at least one of the objects based on the received object-related information and object-specific information. The method may additionally include determining, a data structure of weighted keywords based on the natural language input using at least one out of the group consisting of a predefined dictionary, a predefined ontology, predefined system rules, and a predefined regular expression, and selecting, the object out of the group of objects based on a mapping of the extended profile and the data structure of weighted keywords resulting in a preference fit score for the selected object.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for returning to a user an answer to the question “what is <string>.” Concepts and classes to which the concepts belong are determined from a corpus, such as taxonomy. The concepts are mapped to categories according to the structure of the taxonomy. Homonyms for words are collected and scored according to likeliness of use. Concept vectors are assembled for the identified concepts based on articles in the corpus and social media usage. Words are evaluated for generic-ness and a generic score is associated therewith. In responding to a query, the generic-ness of the terms of the query is evaluated and additional context solicited if the terms are generic. Candidate homonym concepts for a string in the query are selected according to context vectors for the homonym concepts. One or more homonym concepts are selected and the one or more categories corresponding to these concepts are returned.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for traversing a level in a search path in a tree data structure by recording a version number of a node on the search path, finding a child pointer in the node on the search path, recording a version number of a child node corresponding to the child pointer, reading a version number of the node on the search path, comparing the recorded version number of the node to the read version number of the node, reading at least one child pointer in the node and comparing the read child pointer to an address of the child node.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for retrieving connection score data for a user, the user being a user of a computer-implemented social networking service, the connection score data comprising one or more connections scores, each connection score reflecting a degree of interaction between the user and a respective contact, determining that a first connection score is less than or equal to a minimum connection score, the first connection score being associated with a first contact of the user within the social networking service, and, in response to determining that the first connection score is less than or equal to the minimum connection score, removing the first contact as a contact of the user within the social networking service.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for managing game state for one or more games accessed by devices of a user. One method includes an operation for providing a database on a server. The database is accessible by the devices of the user and is structured to identify one or more applications of the user, each application being associated with a plurality of slots, and each slot including metadata and a map table. Further, an Application Programming Interface (API) is provided to enable access to the database. The method further includes an operation for receiving a request using the API from an application executed at one of the devices of the user. The request identifies a first slot associated with the application and an action to perform regarding one or both of the metadata and the map table. The request from the application is verified, including comparing a first version associated with the first slot and a second version provided in the request.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and other embodiments associated with bi-temporal user profiling are described. An event is detected that occurs at a valid event time. In response to the event, a repository is accessed that stores data describing one or more user profiles that include a profile record valid time period specifying a time at which the given profile record is valid. A prior user profile record is retrieved that has a profile record valid time period that overlaps with the valid event time. An updated user profile record is created based, at least in part, on the event. The updated user profile record is saved with the valid event time demarcating the start of a profile valid time period. The prior user profile with the valid event time demarcating the end of the profile record valid time period is also saved for subsequent processing.

Abstract: Systems and methods for safeguarding against interruptions when updating data of an electronic device are provided. In some aspects, a method includes applying a current operation of a plurality of operations to the data. The plurality of operations is associated with a current update for the data. The method also includes generating current a current version of a checkpoint if the applying step has completed. The current version of the checkpoint comprises a next operation indicator that specifies a next operation of the plurality of operations to be applied to the data. The method also includes storing the current version of the checkpoint on the electronic device such that the current version of the checkpoint persists across reboot of the electronic device.

Abstract: Provided are techniques for rejecting rows while locating a target row. For a row that is stored in a hash space, a row filter value is generated for that row, and the row filter value is stored with the row. While trying to locate the target row in a collision chain in the hash space, a row filter value is calculated for the target row. For the row in the collision chain, the stored row filter value of the row in the collision chain is compared with the computed row filter value of the target row. In response to determining that the stored row filter value does not match the computed row filter value, it is determined that the row in the collision chain is not the target row.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for returning to a user an answer to the question “what is <string>.” Concepts and classes to which the concepts belong are determined from a corpus, such as taxonomy. The concepts are mapped to categories according to the structure of the taxonomy. Homonyms for words are collected and scored according to likeliness of use. Concept vectors are assembled for the identified concepts based on articles in the corpus and social media usage. Words are evaluated for generic-ness and a generic score is associated therewith. In responding to a query, the generic-ness of the terms of the query is evaluated and additional context solicited if the terms are generic. Candidate homonym concepts for a string in the query are selected according to context vectors for the homonym concepts. One or more homonym concepts are selected and the one or more categories corresponding to these concepts are returned.

Abstract: The present disclosure is directed to a computer system and method performed by a selectively programmed data processor for providing data to a Web page such that items are presented to the user in a way that imitates a real world shopping experience. Various aspects of the disclosed technology also relate to systems and methods for calculating product or category associations using associative relation extraction. Additional aspects of the disclosed technology relate to automatic topic discovery, and event and category matching.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, at least a portion of data from a first processing system is archived onto a second processing system based on partitions of the data. A query received at the first processing system is processed at the second processing system to retrieve archived data satisfying the received query in response to determining at the first processing system that the received query encompasses archived data. Embodiments of the present invention further include methods, systems, and computer program products for archiving and accessing data in substantially the same manner described above.

Abstract: A fault-tolerant node for synchronous heterogeneous database replication and a method for performing a synchronous heterogenous database replication at such a node are provided. A processor executes a computer program to generate a series of database transactions to be carried out at the fault-tolerant node. The fault-tolerant node comprises at least two relational database management systems, each of which are different relational database management system products, each implementing snapshot isolation between concurrent transactions. Each system comprises a database and a database management component. For each database transaction, operation instructions are provided concurrently to each of the systems to carry out operations on their respective databases and to provide respective responses. The responses generated by the systems either comprise an operation result or an exception.

Abstract: A text mining apparatus, a text mining method, and a program are provided that accurately discriminate inherent portions of each of a plurality of text data pieces including a text data piece generated by computer processing. A text mining apparatus 1 to be used performs text mining using, as targets, a plurality of text data pieces including a text data piece generated by computer processing. Confidence is set for each of the text data pieces. The text mining apparatus 1 includes an inherent portion extraction unit 6 that extracts an inherent portion of each text data piece relative to another of the text data pieces, using the confidence set for each of the text data pieces.

Abstract: A computer system that includes at least one processor, a first storage resource, and a second storage resource maintains a count of key events. The system determines that the count is not significant and, in response, stores data associated with the key in the second storage resource. The system subsequently can determine when the count has become significant and, in response, stores the data associated with the key in the first storage resource.

Abstract: A hash table supports extended entries. The extended entries permit a base entry to extend its associated data into one or more neighboring entries. Extended entries thereby provide a mechanism through which a hash table entry may store additional data compared to a base entry. Extended entries may coexist with base entries in the hash table. The hash table thereby provides the flexibility to adapt dynamically to meet system requirements and to balance the needs of additional data storage by blending the number of extended entries (that each store more data than a base entry) and the number of base entries (each storing less data than an extended entry).

Abstract: A method is used in managing global metadata caches in data storage systems. Space is allocated in a memory of a data storage system to a global metadata cache which is configured to store metadata objects for a plurality of different file systems responsive to file system access requests from the plurality of different file systems. A metadata object associated with a file of a file system of the plurality of different file systems is stored in the global metadata cache. The metadata object is accessed by a plurality of different versions of the file.

Abstract: Systems and methods for hierarchical reference counting via sibling trees are provided. The hierarchical data structure, together with its associated operations, can efficiently maintain reference counts and significantly reduce input/output (IO) operations compared to traditional techniques. The data structure presented here is applicable to any directed acyclic graph (DAG-type) structure where reference counts are used. Various embodiments of the present invention use a data structure to maintain a “sibling pointer” (pointing to the sibling node as a way to avoid reference count updates) and a “sibling count.” When nodes in the tree diverge, the sibling pointer and sibling count are updated as opposed to directly manipulating the reference counts of the children of the diverging nodes. Various other embodiments can use additional entries or fields that allow for improved efficiency and advantages.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards providing a device and method of identifying media items from a media library maintained by a media server that are similar to a designated media item. The media server stores a controlled vocabulary which is represented as a hierarchically linked set of nodes wherein a plurality of nodes correspond to concepts and a library of media items. Each media item corresponds to a record in the media library and the record includes at least one metadata field with assigned keywords. The media server receives a designation of a media item from a user computer, retrieves the keywords assigned to the media item, obtains all related concepts from the controlled vocabulary, computes a search weight for each related concept, and queries the media library to identify media items that match the designated media item and provides the results to the user computer.

Abstract: Providing electronic library resources. A method includes obtaining metadata about one or more electronic library resources from a library resource publisher. The metadata defines locations of the library resources. The metadata is normalized to a standardized format appropriate for a plurality of library resource systems.