Abstract: An object-oriented mechanism is disclosed that allows new configuration data to replace existing configuration data within an existing object-oriented program. The new configuration data allows an OO program to be quickly and easily generated from an existing OO program without manually changing the source code of the existing OO program. When a factory object creates an object in the existing OO program, the new configuration data that defines a modified class is used to create the object. In this manner class substitution or redefinition in an OO program is easily accomplished, thereby allowing a new OO program to be easily generated from an existing OO program (or framework).

Abstract: Based on the encoding of deterministic finite-state automata (DFA) in discrete-time, second-order recurrent neural networks, an algorithm constructs an augmented recurrent neural network that encodes a FFA and recognizes a given fuzzy regular language with arbitrary accuracy.

Abstract: An extension to the JVM is described by which the efficiency with which applications are developed and transmitted between platforms is vastly improved. The present invention imposes a new object model on the Java object model provided intrinsically by the Java programming language. The object model of the present invention separates attribute data from an object which would otherwise be encapsulated therein. This data represents the external interface of a particular instance of the object class. The internal interface of the object class, i.e., the behavior common to all instances of a particular object type, is stored separately in an object type information file.

Abstract: A data analyzing method and system for generating a rule based on data items in a data base, wherein the rule expresses relational features of the data items. The invention includes a user interface and a rule generation module. The rule generation module, in response to an input from the user via the user interface, selects data items for use in a conditional clause and a conclusion clause of a rule from the data items stored in the data base, converts, when the selected data items have numerical values, the numerical values into symbolic values and creates plural candidate rules each expressing a correlation between selected data items in a rule form having one or plural sets of item names and symbolic values.

Abstract: A compiler which facilitates wide compilation functions using an intermediate compile mechanism that performs wide compilation functions without changing existing program makefiles. The intermediate compile mechanism supports cross-module inline substitutions and passing of arguments in registers, to improve execution times of executable programs.

Abstract: To generate a problem solving plan and/or a system control plan respectively in association with the contents of the problem and/or the system operation conditions, there are disposed element knowledge for storing therein problem solving methods and system control guidelines and harmonizing knowledge for selecting and/or modifying the element knowledge. Depending on the contents of the problem and/or the system operation conditions, selections and modifications are executed on the problem solving methods and system control guidelines so as to produce an optimal problem solving method and/or an optimal system control guideline. Even when the solving method, the problem solving condition, and system executing situation vary depending on a given problem solving condition and a given system executing situation, an appropriate solving plan can be proposed.

Abstract: A method for effecting computer implemented decision support. The method can improve on a candidate solution by allowing problem solving methods to cooperate towards the creation of a more desirable solution. The method can realize an enhanced understanding of tradeoffs inherent in competing objectives, and can incorporate factors or special considerations not easily specified, by enabling the decision maker to actively participate in the creation of a more desirable solution.

Abstract: In a computation system for a topological map, a winner-unit-candidate-set calculation module calculates a winner unit candidate set which is the set of candidates for a winner unit corresponding to an input vector at a current input timing, on the topological map. The calculation module calculates the winner unit candidate set on the basis of, for example, a winner unit having been calculated at a past input timing near the current input timing. A winner-unit calculation module calculates the winner unit which corresponds to the input vector at the current input timing, as the unit which has received the maximum input among the units contained in the winner unit candidate set calculated by the winner-unit-candidate-set calculation module.

Abstract: A social learning inferencing engine for a wide range of information searching applications is generally applicable to a wide range of applications due to the engine's interfaces and the objects involved in these interfaces. The basic interfaces are a record of a user's score of a object, a count of the number of times a user references an object, and a prediction of a user's score of a object given the user has not previously scored the object. The scores of this user and other users strongly similar or strongly dissimilar to this user for this object and other objects strongly similar or strongly dissimilar to this object are used in making this prediction. The two central object classes in the system are the users and the objects. The user object class contains member fields that identify the user, specify configuration values specific to this user (these configuration values being used in predicting the scores of the objects for this user), and links to objects that the user has scored or referenced.

Abstract: The invention is a robot teaching pendant containing a display device with graphic display capabilities. Display data is displayed on the graphic display and includes the movement of a robot and taught points. This display data is generated by a display data generation unit based on robot programs stored in data storage unit by buffering the data from a robot controller. This display data may also include representative images of the robot tool along with its coordinates in a tool coordinate system and the taught points in a user or world coordinate system. Thus, the action of the robot can be visually recognized with ease, and the robot can be taught easily and accurately.

Abstract: A computer implemented conversational method to parse meaning from input sequences of symbols, using a large dictionary stored in a semantic network, where thousands of dictionary entries for symbols are stored as nodes connected by inheritance links. Input symbols are matched to dictionary entries, with priority given to entries which cover a range of concreteness similar to the range covered by the dictionary. Ranges of concreteness which are missing are identified and reported back to the user. Concreteness of each entry is quantified from topology of inheritance links; quantification is done automatically when defining meanings by inheritance. As network topology shifts due to creation and removal inheritance links, quantified concreteness of affected dictionary entries are updated, automatically maintaining a consistent concreteness numbers. New inheritor links cause entries to become more concrete.

Abstract: A knowlege discovery system (10) is provided for autonomously discovering knowlege from a database. The system includes a data reduction module (50) which reduces data into one or more clusters. This is accomplished by the use of one or more functions including a genetic clustering function, a hierarchical valley formation function, a symbolic exspansion reduction function, a fuzzy case clustering function, a relational clustering function, a K-means clustering function, a Kohonen neural network clustering function, and a minimum distance classifier clustering function. A data analysis modual (60) autonomously determines one or more correlations among the clusters. The corrolations represent knowlege.

Abstract: A general neural network based method and system for identifying peptide binding motifs from limited experimental data. In particular, an artificial neural network (ANN) is trained with peptides with known sequence and function (i.e., binding strength) identified from a phage display library. The ANN is then challenged with unknown peptides, and predicts relative binding motifs. Analysis of the unknown peptides validate the predictive capability of the ANN.

Abstract: A system which performs a plurality of independent analysis procedures simultaneously, possibly involving differing types of tissues and differing process steps, comprising a robotic arm, which may move the different tissue samples among a plurality of processing stations, and a processor, which may select the next tissue sample to move, when to move it, and where to move it to. The processor may direct the robotic arm to interleave the differing process steps. The processor may select a tissue sample to be moved in response to timing information about the procedures, which may specify the start time and end time of each process step. The specified times may be exact or may be a range of times. The processor may determine the exact time for a step by generating a possible sequence of steps and examining that sequence for conflicts, adjusting that sequence in response to those steps with a specified range of times, and iterating the calculation over a plurality of possible sequences.

Abstract: A circuit designing method and apparatus for the design of a large-scale logic circuit. A circuit configuration for a Programmable Logic Device (PLD) is revised in response to a genetic algorithm and then a logic circuit for providing a target output is designed. A collection of grammar rules for feeding out the PLD circuit configuration is applied as a chromosome, and the chromosome (a collection of grammar rules) is revised to feed out the chromosome giving the most suitable circuit configuration. The chromosome length is proportional to the number of grammar rules and does not depend upon the scale of the PLD circuit. Consequently, even for a large PLD circuit, it is possible to design the circuit configuration within a suitable calculating time.

Abstract: A discriminant neural network and a method of training the network are disclosed. The network includes a set of hidden nodes having associated weights, and the number of hidden nodes is minimized by the training method of the invention. The training method includes the steps of 1) loading a training data set and assigning it to a residual data set, 2) computing a vector associated with a first hidden node using the residual data set, 3) projecting training data onto a hyperplane associated with said first hidden node, 4) determining the number and locations of hard-limiter thresholds associated with the first node, and 5) repeating the above for successive hidden nodes after removing satisfied subsets from the training data until all partitioned regions of the input data space are satisfied.

Abstract: A tool, and the method of making the tool, for process system identification that is based on the general purpose learning capabilities of neural networks. The tool and method can be used for a wide variety of system identification problems with little or no analytic effort. A neural network is trained using a process model to approximate a function which relates process input and output data to process parameter values. Once trained, the network can be used as a system identification tool. In principle, this approach can be used for linear or nonlinear processes, for open or closed loop identification, and for identifying any or all process parameters.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and software for installing and operating selected software applications on a client computer that is in communication with a server computer on a computer network is described. In one aspect, a method for installing and operating a selected software application on a client computer that is in communication with a server computer across a computer network. In one embodiment, browser software is provided on the client computer that includes a browser user interface and is effective to identify and download selected software applications from the server onto the client computer for execution thereby. A data transfer communication link is established between the client and server computers across the network, a desired software application is selected using the browser, and the desired software application is transmitted across the network from the server to the client.

Abstract: The invention provides for the use of synaptic strengths to reflect the connectivity of local space to give a topological representation. Synaptic strengths are zeroed and the mobile entity's position is initialized. A probability of firing (P) is calculated from the spatial firing pattern of each cell. A cell fires if P is higher than a random number. The mobile entity's position is updated from a record of real motions and firing is again determined. Synapses between cells that both fire within 250 msec are strengthened. Synapses between cells with overlapping fields increase in strength whereas synapses between cells with distant fields will stay weak.

Abstract: A compiler-loader system enables the creation of different loaded executable images in target computers complying with different versions of an instruction-set architecture, the different images being created from a single executable program on secondary storage. The compiler generates an executable program containing a routine executable on both versions of the target computers, and also containing an architecture entry with (i) an address of the program location from which the routine is called, (ii) an instruction executable on only one version of the target computers that performs the same function as the routine but with superior performance, and (iii) a value indicating which version of the target machines the instruction can be executed on. The loader determines whether the target machine can execute the instruction, and if so replaces the subroutine call appearing at the address in the architecture entry with the instruction appearing in the architecture entry.