Abstract: Validation of large numbers of alternative execution plans for a database query, either an exhaustive enumeration of the complete space of alternatives, or else an unbiased random sample, is performed by efficiently constructing execution trees from a data structure having groups alternative operators that are ranked in a directory. Each global rank of a plan identifies that plan uniquely among all the alternative plans. The operators are unranked from the directory according to a specification that characterizes the desired plans.

Abstract: A method and system for determining relevance rankings for pages identified in a search query is provided. In response to the search query, an information retrieval system identifies candidate pages/documents from a network that potentially match the search query. A relevance ranking system determines a relevance value for each of candidate pages so that the most relevant pages are displayed to a user. The relevance value is based on a combination of content-based relevance values of the pages and link values determined from a link structure of the pages. A link value is a function of a probability that a user will follow the link as compared to following all other links. With the present invention, improved relevance rankings are obtained for a candidate set of pages.

Abstract: A method and system is provided for grouping one or more interested objects in a directory system based on their corresponding accesses patterns with regard to other objects. The access pattern of an interested object is defined by other objects which the interested object has accessed or by which the interested object has been accessed. First, each interested object is put in a singleton cluster, the singleton cluster having only one such object member. A first and second singleton clusters are merged into a third cluster if the ratio between an access pattern in terms of objects associated with each of the first and second singleton clusters and a combined access pattern associated with the third cluster conforms to a limit defined by a predetermined threshold ratio. The clusters then keep merging until no more clusters can be merged.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a communication system including an entire object including multiple objects connected with the networks and storing the object's own data, a database including a polling table storing information for an object being performed data polling among the multiple objects, and a mapping controller for controlling data flows of the entire object, and of the object of the polling table in the database, where the mapping controller includes a configuration module for performing data polling to, and for managing the entire object, a performance module for managing performance data of the entire object and for each of the objects, a performance-polling module for calculating performance data by an alarm information for an object having troubles among the entire objects, for receiving the performance data accumulated in the entire object periodically, and for informing the received performance data to the performance module, and a mutual exclusion module for determining priority among each

Abstract: A graphical user interface-based contact information system allows users to see obtain not only contact information in a quick, efficient manner, but also allows users to see organizational charts and update communication devices. The contact information system comprises a server executing the graphical user interface that a users uses to access contact information. The contact information is stored in an information database. The graphical user interface can be a web browser. By navigating through web pages displayed to the user by the web browser, the user is able to extract contact information from the information database for a particular person, display organizational charts and provide updates to communication devices. In addition, the contact information system can access Internet sites to obtain services such as providing maps and driving directions to users based on the contact information for the particular person.

Abstract: A system and method of composing a query object for application against a database is provided. The method composes a selection clause for the query. Next, a criteria clause for the query is generated, with the criteria clause comprising input criteria related to the query, additional criteria specified against the query, and generated criteria based on a joint relationship. Next a source clause utilizing elements in the database accessed by the query is generated. A database traversal system and method is provided. The method identifies all tables directly accessible by each table and creates a data structure comprising an entry for each table. The entry comprises an identification field for each table and a link field identifying all tables directly accessible by each table. The data structure is traversed and an optimum path of the traversal paths utilizing data obtained from traversing the data structure is identified.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a database management system that is capable of autonomous dynamic ontology management through soft classing. The present invention is further related to a method of database management by dividing attribute data, e.g., price=10 dollars, into class elements containing data, e.g., attribute name=price, type=numeric, default units=dollars, and entry elements containing data, e.g., attribute value=10, to permit dynamic ontology management and evolution in the database through soft classing.

Abstract: A database stores records of resources that include web pages and web-accessed files, electronic files, and hardcopy documents. The URL of a web page or web-accessed file, the file access path of an electronic file, and the location of a hardcopy document are stored in the records. The records can be created by a user. The user can store an Internet link record when the user is browsing the web page or reviewing the web-accessed file. The user can store an electronic file record when the user is exploring files. The user can enter descriptions and notes that associate with the records. The resources can be organized into categories and sub-categories. For example, certain web pages and web-accessed files, electronic files, and hardcopy documents that cover the same subject can be grouped into one category. The records, including the descriptions and notes of the records, can be shared by other users that have access to the same database.

Abstract: A method to perform the insertion, deletion and updating of data in table-format data quickly and appropriately. A CPU 12 accepts a record number as a subscript, generates a subscript conversion array for giving an offset value corresponding to the range of the subscript in question, identifies the insertion position which indicates the position of the field value to be inserted, and, in the subscript conversion array, gives an offset value that defines the range of the corresponding subscript and also identifies the end of the array, and in the subscript conversion array, gives an offset value that increments the corresponding range of subscripts and also decrements the accepted subscript, and places the field value to be inserted at the stipulated end position, such that an offset value according to the range of subscripts within the subscript conversion array is given as the subscript.

Abstract: A system and method for searching extended regular expressions. The system enables users to submit searches for extended regular expressions. The searches may be arbitrarily complex. Searches may also be performed for Unicode and ASCII strings. The system may parse the extended regular expression to be searched and search one or more object stores for extended regular expressions satisfying the search. The extended regular expressions located may then be presented to the user.

Abstract: A persistent archive of a collection of data objects comprises a self-describing, infrastructure-independent representation of a logical structure for the collection and a self-describing, infrastructure-independent representation of the data objects. The archive is persistent in that it may be instantiated at an indefinite point in time in the future regardless of the state of technology at that time. A knowledge-based persistent archive of a collection of data objects comprises the foregoing two elements but also a self-describing, infrastructure-independent representation of knowledge relevant to the collection.

Abstract: A method and system for implementing policy by accumulating policies for a policy recipient from policy objects associated with a hierarchically organized structure of containers, such as directory containers (sites, domains and organizational units) that includes the policy recipient. Based on administrator input, policy settings for the policy recipient may be accumulated into a specific order by inheriting policy from higher containers, which may enforce their policy settings over those of lower containers. Policy that is not enforced may be blocked at a container. The result is an accumulated set of group policy objects that are ordered by relative strength to resolve any policy conflicts. Policy may be applied to a policy recipient by calling extensions, such as an extension that layers the policy settings into the registry or an extension that uses policy information from the objects according to the ordering thereof.

Abstract: A cluster of computer system nodes share direct read/write access to storage devices via a storage area network using a cluster filesystem. Version information about subsystems is acquired by a leader node when forming a cluster membership and distributed to all nodes in the cluster to enable proper messaging during operation. Access to files on the storage devices is arbitrated by the cluster filesystem using tokens. Upon detection of a change in location of the metadata server, client nodes waiting for a token are interrupted to check on the status of at least one of data and node availability. The cluster operating system maintains consistency of a mirrored data volume by automatically ensuring replication of a mirror leg while continuing to accept access requests to the mirrored data volume.

Abstract: A character string input in a URL input region of a browser is obtained. An HTTP request is sent, and a return code with respect thereto is confirmed. In the case where the return code is not a predetermined one, a search request is sent to a predetermined search engine. Registered search engines are extracted in the order from a high priority, and whether or not the search request has been sent to all the registered search engines is determined. Then, the search request is continued to be sent to the search engines in the order from a high priority until it is determined that the search request has been sent to all the search engines.

Abstract: A multimedia archive description scheme is provided for characterizing a multimedia archive having records and associated record descriptions. The multimedia archive description scheme provides a data structure which relates records by similarity measures. The principle data structure in the multimedia archive description scheme is a cluster. A cluster includes one or more attributes of the records in the archive and can include one or more cluster relationships. Cluster attributes can include feature space attributes, semantic attributes, media attributes and meta attributes of the records in the archive. The cluster relationships can relate records to clusters or clusters to clusters. Cluster relationships can include feature space (syntactic) relationships, semantic relationships, media relationships and meta relationships. The multimedia archive description scheme provides an efficient form for describing a collection of records.

Abstract: A data processing system is provided for quickly and appropriately handling alteration to shared data stored in main-memory areas of a plurality of machines connected via a network. The system has a transaction acceptor for accepting a request for executing the transaction, a transaction-execution manager for managing the execution of the transaction, a transaction executor for executing the transaction, a transcription processor for reflecting updated data sent from the base host on the replica data, a data monitor for monitoring whether data has been altered, and a register/deleter for registering/deleting positional information on at least a piece of data to be monitored for alteration to the data contents and an alteration-synchronizing transaction to be executed when the data has been altered, the alteration-synchronizing transaction being registered/deleted in relation to the data.

Abstract: Pre-defined descriptor or measurement questions or items are presented to a user or operator using a computer with a storage and a display for use in systematic observation and assessment. Measurement items that are used in the course of observation and assessment are automatically correlated with address data that is associated with a track of simultaneous digital recording so as to automatically generate meaningful indexes for the recorded material. Based upon the contents of the measurement questions or items, including any qualitative or quantitative descriptions or numerical rating results from use of the descriptors or measurement items, the indexes can readily be further processed, providing the capacity for improvements in efficiency, consistency, and accuracy in retrieving and utilizing the recorded material.

Abstract: Medical image management system to allow any conventional Internet browser to function as a medical workstation. The system may be used to convert medical images from a plurality of image formats to browser compatible format. The invention also relates to methods to manipulate digital medical images in such a way that multiple imaging modalities from multiple different vendors can be assembled into a database of Internet standard web pages without loss of diagnostic information.

Abstract: Techniques for managing work objects are described. These techniques include presenting an interface to a user allowing user specification of a category of work objects. The interface also allows user identification of one or more operations to be performed on the category of work objects. The operations may include searching for and unlocking groups of work objects, searching for and unlocking individual work objects, searching for and editing individual work objects and searching for and performing specified operations on categories of work objects comprising multiple work objects. Upon specification of the category of work objects and identification of the operations, the specified operations are performed on work objects included within the specified category.

Abstract: A system and method for statistical matching that determines statistical curves for data described in a data request and stored data that satisfies the request. The system may determine the statistical curves for each data type and determine whether any overlap exists between the statistical curves. A user may specify a particular acceptable percentage of data that may be used to satisfy the request. The data satisfying the request may be presented to the user or, alternatively, a match/no-match result may be presented indicating whether any data that satisfies the request exists.