Abstract: A method of storing in a packet attributes associated with an object corresponding to a class that is part of an inheritance tree, each class in the inheritance tree including a storage method including an index parameter, includes the following steps: calling storage methods of parent classes, if any, incrementing the index parameter, placing a first free address in the packet into the packet at an address determined by the index parameter, and copying attributes of a current class into the packet from the first free address with an identifier of the current class. The storage method calls the storage method of the corresponding class with a null value of the index parameter.

Abstract: A method and apparatus aids consistent, high-quality input of meta-information associated with items inserted into a database by coupling a hierarchical subject taxonomy, used to definitively assign an element, with sets of attributes appropriate for each category. Each attribute in turn is itself associated with a set of legal values drawn from a universe of appropriately typed values. The method and apparatus can be used to enable a user of a database management system to input or augment a set of semantically relevant and consistent meta-information associated with content in or being placed into the database management system. The content in the database system is placed into one or more of a set of hierarchical taxonomic categories. Zero or more semantically relevant attributes are associated with each taxonomic category. Relevant sets of values for each attribute, drawn from a universe of appropriate values, are associated with each attribute at each level in the taxonomic hierarchy.

Abstract: Telephone calls, data and other multimedia information is routed through a hybrid network system which includes transfer of information across the internet utilizing telephony routing information and internet protocol address information. The system includes an information services manager that provides data management and data communications between element managers and presentation managers. Information forward from the network element managers is utilized by the information services manager to provide information to network operators.

Abstract: A query containing an outer join of a view based on a join of two tables is transformed by pushing one or more predicates of the outer join into the view. The pushed predicates provide new access paths and join methods that are used by a database server in generating an access plan to evaluate the view. In one embodiment, costs for processing the original and transformed queries are estimated and the lower cost query is processed.

Abstract: A method and system for privately retrieving selected information from a database. The method includes determining, at a server, a first commodity and a second commodity, communicating the first commodity to an inquiring processor and the second commodity to the database, and retrieving the selected information from the database based on the first commodity and the second commodity such that the selected information is not revealed to the database. The first and second commodities may, for example, include a random address in the database and a private information retrieval query for encoding the random address, respectively. The inquiring processor determines an address offset based on the random address and the address of selected information in the database, and sends the address offset to the database. The database cyclically shift its contents according the address offset, and executes the query on the cyclically shifted contents.

Abstract: An improved method of and apparatus for aggregating data elements in multidimensional databases (MDDB) realized in the form of a high-performance stand-alone (i.e. external) aggregation server which can be plugged-into conventional OLAP systems to achieve significant improvements in system performance. In accordance with the principals of the present invention, the stand-alone aggregation server contains a scalable MDDB and a high-performance aggregation engine that are integrated into the modular architecture of the aggregation server. The stand-alone aggregation server of the present invention can uniformly distributed data elements among a plurality of processors, for balanced loading and processing, and therefore is highly scalable.

Abstract: An apparatus and methods are provided for collaboratively searching one or more knowledge databases formed by a combination of databases from a global computer network. The apparatus preferably includes a computer communications network, a plurality of computer servers positioned in communication with the computer communications network for collectively providing at least one knowledge database, a plurality of client-user computer interfaces positioned in communication with the computer communications network for providing user interface access to the computer communications network, and a collaborative searching engine positioned in communication with the computer communications network and accessible through the plurality of client-user computer interfaces for providing collaborative searching with each of the plurality of client-user computer interfaces.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for distributing and synchronizing objects. One or more embodiments of the invention provide for distributing copies of the objects locally. By copying objects (including the data and behavior for the object) into local address space, the object's methods may be executed locally thereby avoiding excessive network traffic. The state of the various object copies across a network may not be synchronized due to local changes and modifications. To synchronize the objects, one or more embodiments of the invention provide for the use of a policy that specifies conditions as to when objects are synchronized. Embodiments of the invention provide flexibility in setting the policy to accommodate varying applications. For example, a policy may provide for synchronization that is based temporally (e.g., every 10 minutes or daily at 10:00 P.M.). Alternatively, a policy may provide for synchronization based on the type or number of messages transmitted.

Abstract: A method and system for applying arbitrary similarity metrics to data entities in order to partition the entities into subsets of related entities. The method and system iteratively construct successive subsets, during construction of each subset adding candidate entities, not yet assigned to a subset, with high affinities toward the subset and removing entities previously assigned to the subset for which the affinities toward the subset have decreased. The method and system efficiently partition data with a high probability of finding an optimal or near-optimal partitioning.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for managing files in a network system and, in particular, a network printing system. A processing unit, such as a printer manager detects an update to a file, such as a print file, maintained in a storage unit. At least one network device, such as a printer controller, maintains a copy of the file to update that is a previous version of the file to update maintained at the storage unit. The processing unit processes a data structure indicating network devices that include previous versions of the file and determines the network devices that include at least one previous version of the file. The processing unit then transmits a message to the network devices that include at least one previous version of the file to delete the previous versions of the file.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for disseminating over the Internet product information produced and maintained by product manufacturers using existing universal product codes (bar codes) as access keys. A cross-referencing resource, which may take the form of an independent HTTP server, an LDAP directory server, or the existing Internet Domain Name Service (DNS), receives Internet request messages containing all or part of a universal product code and returns the Internet address at which information about the identified product, or the manufacturer of that product, may be obtained. By using preferred Web data storage formats which conform to XML, XLS, XLink, Xpointer and RDF specifications, product information may be seamlessly integrated with information from other sources.

Abstract: A memory device having an associative memory for the storage of data belonging to a plurality of classes. The associative memory has a plurality of memory locations aligned along rows and columns for the storage of data along the rows. Each memory row has a plurality of groups of memory locations, each storing a respective datum, wherein groups of memory locations adjacent along one and the same row store data belonging to different classes. Groups of memory locations adjacent in the direction of the columns and disposed on different rows store data belonging to one and the same class. Each class has data having a different maximum lengths. The device is particularly suitable for the storage of words belonging to a dictionary for automatic recognition of words in a written text.

Abstract: In a system in which a set of data items are distributed across a network of servers, at least some of the data items being cached versions of data items from a source server, a content delivery method includes determining a data identifier for a particular data item, the data identifier being determined using a given function of the data comprising the particular data item; and responsive to a request for the particular data item, the request including at least the data identifier of the particular data item, providing the particular data item from a given one of the servers of the network of servers. The request for the particular data item may be resolved based on a measure of availability of at least one of the servers, where the measure of availability may be a measurement of bandwidth to the server; a measurement of a cost of a connection to the server, and/or a measurement of a reliability of a connection to the server.

Abstract: An improved method of and a system for managing data elements in a multidimensional database (MDB) supported upon a parallel computing platform using modular-arithmetic based address data mapping (i.e. translation) processes on integer-encoded business dimensions. The parallel computing platform has a plurality of processors and one or more storage volumes for physically storing data elements therein at integer-encoded physical addresses in Processor Storage Space (i.e. physical address space in the one or more storage volumes associated with a given processor). The location of each data element in the MDB is specified in MDB Space by integer-encoded business dimensions associated with the data element. A data loading mechanism loads the integer-encoded business dimensions and associated data elements from a data warehouse. The address data mapping mechanism performs a two part address mapping processing.

Abstract: An image storage, indexing and retrieval system is disclosed in which a plurality of images are storable in digital form (on a writeable DVD), each with an associated information file, the associated information file including metadata which has been automatically captured and stored and/or input by a user. Metadata is automatically captured via the camera. The user can also input metadata via the camera at the time of image capture, or via a player/recorder system and its various interfaces when the captured images are added to an interactive database stored in random access memory. The user may designate one or more elements of the metadata of the associated information file as an image link for each of the image files, and further the user may specify more than one image links for each of the image files. All of the images having a common image link form a group of images, and the user can determine a sequence of display of all of the digital image files any group.

Abstract: A system, method, and article of manufacture is provided for tracking the distribution of content electronically. First, an electronic storage medium tracking identifier is incorporated onto an electronic storage medium and stored on a database. Next, a package tracking identifier is situated onto a package in which the electronic storage medium is stored. The electronic storage medium is then tracked while being shipped between various entities using the tracking identifier on the package. Further, the electronic storage medium may be identified using the tracking identifier on the electronic storage medium in order to afford various advertising, security, support, or retail-related features.

Abstract: A method and system for the creation of a custom playlist of various audio/visual tracks that are to be automatically recorded to a storage medium is disclosed. The user communicates with personal computer (PC) software by means of a graphical user interface (GUI). The GUI allows the user to create a custom playlist and to signal the intent that a recording of that custom playlist to a storage medium be made. Once the user has indicated the custom playlist is to be recorded, the software automatically records the custom playlist with no further user interaction required. In this manner, a minimum amount of user interaction is required.

Abstract: Improved method of and apparatus for joining and aggregating data elements integrated within a relational database management system (RDBMS) using a non-relational multi-dimensional data structure (MDD). The improved RDBMS system of the present invention can be used to realize achieving a significant increase in system performance (e.g. [deceased] decreased access/search time), user flexibility and ease of use. The improved RDBMS system of the present invention can be used to realize an improved Data Warehouse for supporting on-line analytical processing (OLAP) operations or to realize an improved informational database system or the like.

Abstract: A candidate-itemset generating unit generates a candidate-itemset composed of at least one candidate item to be included in the left hand side or the right hand side of the association rule. A candidate-itemset verifying unit selects itemsets having frequencies (appearing times in the database) more than the minimum frequency out of the candidate-itemsets, as large-itemsets. A candidate rule generating unit generates candidate association rules based on a large-itemset of k−1 long and a large-itemset of 1 long. A chi-square testing unit generates an association rule set based on the candidate association rules by performing a chi-square test in which a &khgr;2 statistics and a significant level are used as parameters.

Abstract: A system and method for compensating for functional differences between heterogeneous database management systems, wherein data associated with a client is distributed among the heterogeneous database management systems, is discussed. The system simulates support of multiple pending actions on a single connection in any of the heterogeneous database management systems which does not support multiple pending actions on a single connection.

Abstract: A grinding wheel is described which is bonded with a phenol formaldehyde resin based bond containing hexamethylenetetramine as the curing agent. The wheels are made by first wetting the abrasive with furfural in varying quantities relative to the amount of hexamethylenetetramine in the phenol formaldehyde resin. Different amounts of the curing agent require different specific amounts of furfural to produce optimum properties in the finished grinding wheel.