Abstract: This invention provides an information processing method and apparatus, which can automatically set a word, which has already been electronically stored, as a search keyword, and can perform a search operation. For this purpose, in an information search apparatus for searching a data file for desired data, and reading out the desired data, input text data is stored in a data storage area, and when extraction of a search keyword is instructed, a search keyword extraction program automatically extracts a keyword used for search from the text data stored in the data storage area in response to the instruction. A multimedia data file stored in a nonvolatile storage medium is searched based on the extracted keyword.

Abstract: A database driven automatic program production system which can change the structure of a driving database without having an influence on an existing program produced by a user. A program execution system which has driving database 4, feature program 6 and call processing program 5 and executes a computer program by driving the database includes driving database structure definition file 7, program structure definition file 1, feature definition file 2 and conversion program 3 which produces contents of driving database 4. In this case, conversion program 3 can input driving database structure definition file 7, program structure definition file 1 and feature definition file 2. In order to change the contents of driving database 4, contents of feature definition file 2 or conversion program 3 are changed, and driving database 4 and program structure definition file 1 can have a relationship wherein they are independent of each other.

Abstract: A method and system for interacting with a database via multiple types of media where the database includes data lacking a format for use with each of the media. The method includes selecting data to be accessed, selecting one of the media for providing access to the data selected, automatically formatting the data selected for use with the media selected, and transmitting the formatted data for output via the media selected. The system includes a processor, memory, software and media required for performing the method.

Abstract: A scrubber object may be dropped onto a container object on a computer system. A dialog box is opened which allows a user to select search criteria for the disposal of files/data within the container. After selecting the appropriate search criteria, the present invention will search the container for items meeting the criteria and will then display a list of those items for user approval. The user may then accept all items in the list for disposal, reject all items on the list for disposal, or accept some items and reject some items on the list for disposal.

Abstract: In accessing shared data in a shared storage device from a plurality of systems, the access is prevented from concentrating on one system without the necessity of exclusive control such as a lock mechanism, etc. Predetermined shared data in a network is all updated by a predetermined shared data updating unit in a first data processing device. The update result is written by a version data writing unit to the update storage device. If the predetermined shared data is referred to in the predetermined shared data referring unit in the second data processing device, the referring operation is performed by the predetermined shared data reference control unit on the predetermined shared data of one version prior to the latest version in the shared storage device, thereby requiring no lock mechanism.

Abstract: A method and a system of database divisional management for use with a parallel database system comprising an FES (front end server), BES's (back end servers), an IOS (I/O server) and disk units. The numbers of processors assigned to the FES, BES's and IOS, the number of disk units, and the number of partitions of the disk units are determined in accordance with the load pattern in question. Illustratively, there may be established a configuration of one FES, four BES's, one IOS and eight disk units. The number of BES's is varied from one to four depending on the fluctuation in load, so that a scalable system configuration is implemented. When the number of BES's is increased or decreased, only the management information thereabout is transferred between nodes and not the data, whereby the desired degree of parallelism is obtained for high-speed query processing.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for cataloging datastore characteristics. A computerized system in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes an external non-object-oriented datastore and a class definition tool that captures a database description associated with the datastore, captures a record layout associated with the datastore, associates the database description with the record layout to define a specification for the datastore, and augments the datastore specification to constrain use of the datastore by datastore persistent objects. The class definition tool stores the datastore specification in a catalog.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for using a non-object-oriented datastore as a generic persistent datastore for persistent objects. A computerized system in accordance with the principles of the present invention provides a "bridge" that interfaces between an application program and a non-object-oriented database management system to provide persistent storage for objects manipulated by the application program.

Abstract: A locking mechanism for a check-in/check-out model in which one or a plurality of clients make access to a public database of a server, includes a long transaction management part, provided in the server, for managing transactions including a check-out which copies data from the public database and a check-in which writes data back to the public database requested from the client, a short transaction management part, provided in the server, for managing transactions which do not copy data from the public database, and a transaction list storing information indicative of contents of transactions carried out by each of the long transaction management part and the short transaction management part. The long transaction management part waits the check-in of arbitrary data until another transaction making reference to the arbitrary data ends when the other transaction is detected from the transaction list between the check-out and the check-in.

Abstract: A data processing apparatus and method for creating data analysis applications using reusable software operators . An initial operator is provided for converting source information into a virtual database format. Query operators are provided for receiving data in a virtual database format, processing the data in the virtual database, and outputting the results of the processing in another virtual database which has the same schema as the received virtual database. A plurality of query operators may be combined in order to customize the processing of the virtual database data. A terminal operator is provided for converting data in a virtual database into an external format which may then be further processed by an external operator. By combining initial, query, terminal, and external operators, users may create customizable data processing applications. In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, operators are provided for analyzing the difference between a first document and a second document.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for organizing and reviewing information from diverse computer applications. An item, describing the information and referring to an attached file, is formed for each piece of information. In turn, each item is grouped into a selected view for a particular user. An external file or object, corresponding to an item, is accessible from the present invention. Changes or additions in information, within an item such as an external file or object as well as a view, are determined and indicated with respect to each user.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for accessing non-object-oriented data using object-oriented techniques. A computerized system in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes a "bridge" that interfaces between an application program and a non-object-oriented database management system to materialize data retrieved from the non-object-oriented database management system as objects that can be manipulated by the application program. The bridge includes a "collection of object collections" for modeling hierarchical structures, a datastore collection made up of one or more datastore persistent objects, and an instance manager. A datastore class definition tool generates class definitions for datastore persistent objects that encapsulate or wrapper the data retrieved from the non-object-oriented database management system.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for representing data from non-object-oriented external datastores as queryable datastore persistent objects. A computerized system in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes a "bridge" for locating a logical unit of data in a non-object-oriented datastore, for retrieving the data from the datastore, and for mapping the data retrieved from the datastore into a datastore persistent object so that the data is encapsulated within the datastore persistent object.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for using a datastore cursor for the incremental presentation of query results when traversing implied collections in non-object-oriented datastores. A computerized system in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes a "bridge" for receiving a query request to retrieve data from the external non-object-oriented datastore, for retrieving data from the external non-object-oriented datastore in response to the received query request, and for encapsulating the retrieved data in one or more datastore persistent objects, wherein the datastore persistent objects are materialized in the memory of the computer as members of a datastore collection and the datastore collection is limited to a specified number of datastore persistent objects.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for the incremental presentation of data from non-object-oriented datastores as datastore persistent objects. A computerized system in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes a "bridge" that interfaces between an application program and a non-object-oriented database management system to materialize data retrieved from the non-object-oriented database management system as objects that can be manipulated by the application program. The bridge includes a datastore collection comprised of a specified number of datastore persistent objects. The datastore collection manages the datastore persistent objects such that they are added and deleted from the datastore collection.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for querying a non-relational, non-object-oriented datastore using objected-oriented techniques. A computerized system in accordance with the principles of the present invention includes a "bridge" for receiving a query request to retrieve data from the external datastore, for parsing the query request according to a specified syntax, and for storing the parsed query request in a query object, wherein the query object is later accessed to direct the retrieval of data from the external datastore.

Abstract: A method is provided for specifying the representation of a document and determining the relevance of the document according to an externally defined topic profile. The topic profile includes one or more compound terms having a positive correlation with the topic of interest. Each compound term has a specified form such as capitalization, punctuation, number, or adjacency relation, that is either ignored by conventional indexing processes or requires substantial data overhead to track. The compound terms of the topic profile are tagged to indicate how corresponding terms are treated when identified in a document being analyzed. Application of the topic profile to a document generates a document representation in which compound terms present in the document are retained in their specified form. A similarity function between the document representation and the topic profile is calculated, and the result is compared to a relevance threshold associated with the topic profile.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for efficiently searching through a tagged document for the location of a desired word in text using tags as reference units for search and retrieval, whereby any of the referenced words in the text is searched for and retrieved quickly.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for transparently invoking from a first database management system (DBMS) a stored procedure residing at a second DBMS. The first DBMS initially receives an instruction from a user to execute the stored procedure. In response, an invoking instruction executable at the second DBMS is automatically generated for causing the second DBMS to execute the stored procedure. The invoking instruction is sent to the second DBMS. In response to the invoking instruction, the second DBMS executes the stored procedure and provides the results to the first DBMS, which provides the results to the user. The fact that the stored procedure resides at the second, rather than the first, DBMS is transparent to the user.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for managing datastore persistent objects and datastore collections in an object-oriented environment. A computerized system in accordance with the principles of the present invention creates datastore persistent objects that encapsulate logical units of data retrieved an external non-object-oriented datastore, creates schema mappers associated with the datastore persistent objects that translate common elements between the data retrieved from the datastore and the datastore persistent objects, creates datastore collections for organizing the datastore persistent objects, and tracks the datastore collections, schema mappers and datastore persistent objects using an instance manager.