Patents Examined by Michael J. Hicks
  • Patent number: 7392249
    Abstract: Providing persisting search folders within a computer that continuously identify data items having metadata matching a query of search criteria. A query of search criteria formulated via a graphical user interface is applied to a search filter to create a search folder. When the search folder is made live, the search filter is used to search one or more data stores for data items having metadata matching the query of search criteria. Upon finding these data items, the search folder is populated with a link to each data item having metadata matching the query of search criteria. The search folder detects when any new data items are added to a data store and when a change occurs to any metadata of data items previously stored in a data store. Upon detection, the search folders store links to matching new or changed data items.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Jensen M. Harris, Richard Hank Leukart, Jiaxin (Jesse) Wang, Jesse Clay Satterfield, Julia Cai, Jason V. Morse
  • Patent number: 7296016
    Abstract: A system provides search results relating to a point-of-view (POV). The system obtains a search query and POV data. The system generates a list of documents based on the search query and filters the list of documents based on the POV data. Alternatively, the system may perform a search based on the search query and the POV data to generate the list of documents. In either case, the system then presents the list of documents as the result of the search.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 13, 2007
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Martin Farach-Colton, Monika H. Henzinger, Bay-Wei Chang
  • Patent number: 7219107
    Abstract: A method includes defining collaborative information spaces (CISs) on a corporate intranet using semantic definitions that reflect how people work together. A classification scheme allows network spaces (e.g., intranet spaces) to be defined, e.g., defining resources and/or information associated with tasks and people. The classification scheme may also be used to define standard collaborative entities that should be supported within an enterprise. The CIS(s) and/or collaborative entities may have associated privacy levels to control access to information and resources of the CIS. The classification scheme allows a user, or group of users, to define public and private information spaces. For example, a user may define public information on a web-page that defines the users skills and assigned tasks. The user may have another set of private information that is accessible only to other members of others having a common task.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 15, 2007
    Assignee: SAP AG
    Inventor: Joerg Beringer
  • Patent number: 7197514
    Abstract: A system for the management of information relating to the installation of firestopping systems within one or more facilities by contractors includes a network server and client devices that interact with the network server via a computer network. The client devices may be associated with administrators and contractors. The network server collects information from the contractors that describes a penetration of a fire-rated structure or an installation of a fire-rated duct, and direct a database server to generate a record for the penetration or duct based on the collected information and store the record in a database. The information may include the contractor, an authorizer, work-type, location, and one or more firestopping systems to be installed. The network server may provide the contractors with lists of permissible selections for the information. The network server may generate these lists from information stored in the database that was previously provided by administrators.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2002
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Boros, Dennis L. Schaible
  • Patent number: 7191174
    Abstract: A method, a query optimizer, and computer program product are provided for implementing live switchover to a temporary sparse index for faster query performance. A first plan using an existing index is used for processing a query. A temporary sparse index is built for the query simultaneously with the first plan processing the query. When the temporary sparse index is built, processing the query with the first plan is stopped and a live switchover to the temporary sparse index is provided. Then a second plan using the temporary sparse index is used to continue processing the query at a point where processing stopped with the first plan.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul Reuben Day, Brian Robert Muras
  • Patent number: 7184998
    Abstract: A system and methodology for generating bushy trees using a left-deep tree join enumeration strategy for optimizing execution of a database query is described. In response to receipt of a query specifying at least one join condition between two or more database tables, each query block comprising an atomic portion of the query is identified and subplans are created for each query block based on grouping portions of each query block. At least one favorable access plan is determined for each subplan of each query block based, at least in part, on estimated execution costs. An optimal access plan for each query block is generated based upon at least one favorable access plan determined for each subplan. A query execution plan is then constructed based upon the optimal access plan generated for each query block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 27, 2007
    Assignee: Sybase, Inc.
    Inventor: Anisoara Nica
  • Patent number: 7177866
    Abstract: Tokens are used to prepare a target database for replication from a source database and to confirm the preparation in an asynchronous coordinated commit replication process. During a dual write replication process, transmission of the replicated data and locking of data records in the target database occurs only on updates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2007
    Assignee: Gravic, Inc.
    Inventors: Bruce D. Holenstein, Paul J. Holenstein, Wilbur H. Highleyman
  • Patent number: 7171403
    Abstract: Techniques are provided for determining the efficient conjunction of Boolean variables drawn from an and-or forest of choices. The techniques determine two contexts to conjoin, where the contexts consist of choices drawn from an and-or forest of choices. The choices in the first context are marked with a first mark, along with all of their antecedent choices. The choices in the second context are marked with a second mark, along with all of their antecedent choices. The techniques determine and-nodes in the and-or forest having the first mark from a first dependent or-node and the second mark from a second dependent node. The dependent or-nodes are refined and then partitioned into classes based on the presence of the first mark and the second mark, the first mark only, the second mark only, and neither mark.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 30, 2007
    Assignee: Palo Alto Research Center Incorporated
    Inventor: John T. Maxwell, III
  • Patent number: 7167869
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for representing hierarchical list data. One method involves receiving a first list comprising an element A1 and an element A2, the element A2 comprising a first nested list comprising an element N1 and an element N2; receiving a second list comprising an element B1 and an element B2, the element B2 comprising a second nested list comprising an element M1 and an element M2; storing the elements A1 and B1 in a first array; and storing the elements A2 and B2 in a second array, the second array comprising a first sub-array to store the elements N1 and M1, and a second sub-array to store the N2 and M2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2007
    Assignee: SAG AG
    Inventors: Malte Wedel, Andreas Roessler
  • Patent number: 7165083
    Abstract: This invention enables a file to be accessed even during replication while maintaining its consistency. The replication is done among a plurality of distributed storage devices, a file is searched, in response to an access request from a client machine #11, from GUID management databases 13, 23 each of which stores a relationship between a GUID of a file stored in a storage device #0 (#1) and a device ID of a storage device containing an original file. When the storage device #1 does not have the demanded file, a device ID (#0) of a storage device containing its original file is searched from the GUID management database based on a GUID of the file C, and the file C demanded by this the storage device #0 is accessed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 16, 2007
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Akihiko Sakaguchi, Masaaki Iwasaki
  • Patent number: 7162482
    Abstract: A system, method, and computer program product retrieve information associated with the signals. The information retrieval can be performed on a signal by quantizing the signal, forming words, and indexing based on weights of the words. The words are formed by grouping letters together to form a number of words within predetermined threshold values. The weights of the words are determined using a binomial log likelihood ratio analysis. The present invention may be applied to identification of an unknown song.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Assignee: MusicMatch, Inc.
    Inventor: Ted E. Dunning
  • Patent number: 7158996
    Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and program for managing a database. A request is processed to create an index on at least one key column of a table in a computer readable medium. A determination is made of table partitions in which rows of the table are stored. One index partition is generated for each determined table partition, wherein each index partition includes nodes, wherein each node in each index partition includes a key value from at least one column in a corresponding table row in the table partition associated with the index partition and a location identifier identifying the corresponding table row in the corresponding table partition. In certain embodiments, a technique is implemented during queries to limit the search to a subset of the multiple index partitions when possible and return rows in the order of the key columns of the index while the same range of key values can exist across multiple index partitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2007
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: RamanaKumari M. Croisettier, Paramesh S. Desai, Julie Ann Watts
  • Patent number: 7149762
    Abstract: In incremental garbage collectors based on the Train algorithm a futile condition may exist where the collector never finishes collecting an old train. The present invention provides an expanded collection set of a younger car with an object referenced from another train. That reference will be found by scanning the remembered sets of other car. If no such younger car is found, then a younger car with an external reference may be added to the collection set. One of these other cars is added to the collection set and, if there are no other changes, the collection will reduce the volume in the train being collected and therefore break the futile situation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Assignee: Sun Microsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Alexander T. Garthwaite
  • Patent number: 7139781
    Abstract: A system and method for managing logical versions of a filesystem made through a near-instantaneous copy process is provided. Each logical version of the filesystem, including the primary version, is assigned a unique epoch number or other identifying value, and each filesystem object is assigned two epoch numbers that define the space of logical versions for which the object exists. A list of all valid epoch numbers are maintained in a version table. The near-instantaneous creation of a logical version of the filesystem requires inserting a unique epoch number entry in the version table (106) and the next epoch number to the new logical version. An original state of the system is preserved through the use of a copy-on-write procedure for filesystem objects that are reference by that logical filesystem version (120). Accordingly, filesystem versions are maintained and original states of previous states of the logical filesystem versions are preserved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Jason C. Young, Rajagopal Ananthanarayanan, Randal C. Burns, Darrell D. E. Long, Robert M. Rees, Ralph A. Becker-Szendy, James J. Seeger, David M. Wolfe
  • Patent number: 7127462
    Abstract: A database management system is provided for protecting data from being malicious update or deleted. The system is arranged to hold as a table attribute an insert-only attribute and a row deletion prohibition period, and as an access right attribute a row insertion date and time holding column name and to specify a row insertion date and time when a row was inserted, for disabling said date and time data. When requesting a table data update or a row deletion, the table attribute and the row insertion date and time are checked for preventing the malicious update and deletion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 25, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Shigeto Hiraga, Takashi Itaya
  • Patent number: 7127470
    Abstract: A documents control apparatus includes an attribute sharing unit that shares an attribute of a document with another documents control apparatus, an edit processing unit that edits the attribute, and a switching unit that determines whether the attribute is shared with the other documents control apparatus. The switching unit switches the edit of the attribute based on the determination. If the attribute sharing unit does not share the attribute, the switching unit allows the edit processing unit to edit the attribute as requested. If the attribute sharing unit shares the attribute, the switching unit controls the operation of the edit processing unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2006
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazutoshi Takeya
  • Patent number: 7117207
    Abstract: Disclosed is a search mechanism comprising: accepting search intent information from a user having a search intent; creating a semantic taxonomy tree having term(s) representative of the search intent information; augmenting the term(s) with associated concepts derived from the term(s) using existing terminological data; associating a weight with at least one of the term(s); obtaining user preference intent; determining root term(s); transforming the semantic taxonomy tree to a Boolean search query; submitting the Boolean search query to searcher(s); receiving at least one search result(s); interpreting the search result(s); requesting page(s) specified the search result(s); receiving the page(s); generating ranked results; presenting the ranked results to the user; presenting the semantic taxonomy tree to the user; accepting user feedback from the user; and using the user feedback to update the user preference intent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2006
    Assignee: George Mason Intellectual Properties, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry Kerschberg, Wooju Kim, Anthony Scime
  • Patent number: 7099864
    Abstract: The present system improves the performance of a query in a database system when a plan for the query comprises sorting an input that is at least partially sorted such that a slow materialization sort can be applied. The invention applies the slow materialization sort by determining a sequence of subsets in accordance with the partially sorted input. As each of the subsets is determined, the subset is output for further processing. Advantageously, the invention reduces the waiting period for obtaining results from a sorting operation under certain circumstances.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Ian Richard Finlay, Miroslaw Adam Flasza, John Frederick Hornibrook, Adam J Storm, Daniele Costante Zilio
  • Patent number: 7099863
    Abstract: In a database system that supports object name overloading, database query statements are compiled and cached as data structures so that object level privileges are correctly resolved. Database query statements stored in the cached data structures are utilized when appropriate and a new compilation is performed when an incorrect resolution would result. The data structures are stored in a predefined order to ensure that a deterministic search of the cache is efficiently performed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2006
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Paul M. Bird, Michael J. Snowbell
  • Patent number: 7092932
    Abstract: Database access operations require a process of first locating a database of data that contains requested data and then retrieving the requested data from within the database table. The database tables are stored within a database file that contains an index structure to assist in the determination of the location of the table within the file. Depending upon the structure of the tables and their location within the database file, different searching methods may be used to determine the location of the table. Each searching method results in a different processing efficiency for the search. However, the most efficient searching methodologies operate only on database files having a preferred structure. The least efficient searching methodologies will operate on all database files. The present invention determines the most efficient searching methodology that is supported by a database file when it is registered with a processing system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2006
    Assignee: Unisys Corporation
    Inventor: Scott L. Titus