Abstract: Data to be loaded into a table of a database is read from an input file by a LOAD utility including a CHECK subutility that performs constraint checking on each row prior to loading the row into the table. During initialization of the CHECK subutility, the DB2 catalog is read to identify any constraints that apply to the data to be loaded. If any check constraints apply, check constraint routines are built and compiled by the CHECK subutility. If any referential integrity constraints apply, the key values for the parent index of each referential integrity constraint are read and stored in an additional dataspace allocated by the CHECK subutility so that the foreign key values from each row to be loaded can be located by the CHECK subutility and compared against the parent index values prior to loading the data into the table. When the constraint checking for the loading of data is complete, the additional dataspace allocated by the CHECK subutility is released.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing a user interface for refining a query applied to a database of images, where a Query Result Visualization Environment allows the user to organize the search results using various techniques. For example, the search results may be clustered on the basis of text, image or URL. The members of the resulting clusters may then be utilized by the user to refine the query to be applied to the database of images.

Abstract: A system and method for building a trading partner profile for use with commercial translator software is disclosed. A list of file types, maps for translating data formats, and instructions for invoking commercial translator software determines what file types a business is willing to accept. Information from this list as well as information from an incoming file is used to create a trading partner profile that the commercial translator software relies on to perform a translation of data from one format (e.g., an EDI standard format) to another format (e.g., a format for a business applications). After determination of the incoming file type, information from the incoming file and the list of file type/map/instructions is extracted to build a trading partner profile that is stored in a trading partner profile database. The commercial translator software uses the trading partner profile to complete the translation of the incoming file to a format for use by business or other applications.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method that allows a developer to add complex dependency logic to an existing database without having to modify the underlying structure of the database. One embodiment of the present invention provides a way to flexibly handle record state transitions by using an event model. The event model is a set of one or more items called an event. Each event in the event model has an associated event type and contains dependency logic that interrelates the events in the event model with one another. Each event represents a set of actions that are optionally contingent upon a condition. The actions and conditions that comprise an event are determine when the event is created. Each event may have a different set of actions and conditions. This enables an event to represent a number of different things. An event can represent anything it is defined to represent.

Abstract: A computer system having a shared disk file system running on on multiple computers each having their own instance of an operating system and being coupled for parallel data sharing access to files residing on network attached shared disks. Methods are provided for use as a parallel file system in a shared disk environment by use of a scalable directory service for the system with a stable cursor, a segmented allocation map. Synchronous and asynchronous takeover of a metadata node occurs for correction of metadata which was under modification and a new computer node to be a metadata node for that file. Locks are not constantly required to allocate new blocks on behalf of a user. We have provided recoverable local shares for Quota Management. A quota server and a quota client are provided for each file system, and a quotacheck utility allows parallel environments with minimal interference to other applications which require the use of quotas.

Abstract: A computer system having a shared disk file system running on on multiple computers each having their own instance of an operating system and being coupled for parallel data sharing access to files residing on network attached shared disks. Methods are provided for use as a parallel file system in a shared disk environment by use of a scalable directory service for the system with a stable cursor, a segmented allocation map. Dynamic prefetch and cached balance pools for multiple accesses improve the system. Extended file attributes are used for implementation of Access Control Lists in a parallel file system. Improvements to caching and cache performance developments balance pools for multiple accesses. A metadata node manages file metadata for parallel read and write actions.

Abstract: First, an operator sequentially teaches the start point A, the end point F and junction points B, C, D, E on the welding path by moving the torch head by jog feed without paying attention to the torch orientation. Next, a reference plane to define the orientation of the torch is specified, and an inclination angle and a forward angle representing the torch orientation be inputted into a robot controller. On the basis of these inputted angle data and the taught data, a basic welding orientation is automatically calculated. Further auxiliary points are set around the junction points B through E each forming corner parts connecting straight lines; tool vectors which may give a smooth torch orientation change through the corner parts are automatically calculated for the auxiliary points and the junction points; and on the basis of the results, a welding program is produced.

Abstract: A robot controlling method and apparatus using a laser sensor in which an optimum moving path is realized even if the accuracy of positioning workpieces is low. While a laser sensor is operated, a robot is started to move toward a taught position corresponding to the start position of a welding line. When the workpieces W1 and W2 are detected, a three-dimensional position of the points Q1-Q4 are calculated. The equations of a straight line Q1Q2 and a straight line Q3Q4 are obtained from position data of points Q1-Q4, and a corner position Q0 is calculated as a crossing point of these two straight lines. Then, access is made to a register, which is designated by an address designation counter value i, to read position shift data. When i=1, .DELTA.x=.DELTA.y=.DELTA. is read and a position shifted from the position Q0 by .DELTA. respectively along the straight lines Q1Q2 and Q3Q4 is calculated as a target position to which the robot movement is performed.

Abstract: A computer-implemented system for helping to construct a model-based diagnostic system which allows a user to customize the model-based diagnostic system according to the nature of various diagnosis targets. Unit procedure data including the operation of the deducing unit 4, hypothesizing unit 5, and verification unit 6 is stored in the unit procedure data storage unit 13. When the user uses the customization unit 14 to select unit procedure data in a desired sequence, the customize unit 14 stores user-selected unit procedure data or data to identify the unit procedure data in the deductive procedure data storage unit 8, hypothesize procedure data storage unit 9, and verification procedure data storage unit 10, respectively. The deductive unit 4, hypothesize unit 5, and verification unit 6 each refer to procedure data during operation to know processing function names that are set.

Abstract: A circuit (14) to evaluate fuzzy logic rules in a data processor (10) incorporates fuzzy rule weights. A rule strength is stored in a first register (220), while a weight value is stored in a second register (222) in a processor (10). The circuit (14) adds 1 to the weight value before multiplying with the rule value. The product is truncated to produce the weighted rule strength. In the execution unit (14), the rule value is initially applied to one adder (204) input (208), while a bit of the weight value is monitored to determine whether the rule value or 0-bits are inputted to the other adder (204) input (206) which adds the inputs to produce a partial product, which is then fed back to an adder (204) input for the next process cycle wherein the next bit of the weight value is monitored.

Abstract: In a control method and a control device for an autonomously exploring robot, sensory values induce, in a strategy generating network, control sets according to inner connectivity which is acquired in a training phase. The control sets control acting units which act on the environment. Control sets and sensory values are given as input to a network system which distinguishes between already trained pairs of values and unknown pairs of values.

Abstract: In a neural network of N neuron circuits, having an engaged neuron's calculated p bit wide distance between an input vector and a prototype vector and stored in the weight memory thereof, an aggregate search/sort circuit (517) of N engaged neurons' search/sort circuits. The aggregate search/sort circuit determines the minimum distance among the calculated distances. Each search/sort circuit (502-1) has p elementary search/sort units connected in series to form a column, such that the aggregate circuit is a matrix of elementary search/sort units. The distance bit signals of the same bit rank are applied to search/sort units in each row. A feedback signal is generated by ORing in an OR gate (12.1) all local search/sort output signals from the elementary search/sort units of the same row. The search process is based on identifying zeroes in the distance bit signals, from the MSB's to the LSB's. As a zero is found in a row, all the columns with a one in that row are excluded from the subsequent row search.

Abstract: Constraint evaluation system, expert system, and constraint evaluation method for evaluating an allocation proposal, in which the job combinations are selected for individual evaluation to test if each combination is consistent with a constraint. This shows whether there is a restriction in which one of the jobs of a combination is determined uniquely by the other job of the combination. When a restriction is detected, the current value, which has the restriction, is replaced with the restricted value of the job which is uniquely determined by a one-to-one dependency relation. After the individual evaluation associated with the restricted job is performed, a job other than the other job of the combination is selected.

Abstract: A neural network uses a fuzzy membership function, the parameters of which are adaptive during the training process, to parameterize the interconnection weights between an (n-1)'th layer and an n'th layer of the network. Each j'th node in each k'th layer of the network except the input layer produces its output value y.sub.k,j according to the function ##EQU1## where N.sub.k-1 is the number of nodes in layer k-1, i indexes the nodes of layer k-1 and all the w.sub.k,i,j are interconnection weights. The interconnection weights to all nodes j in the n'th layer are given by w.sub.n,i,j =w.sub.n,j (i, p.sub.n,j,1, . . . , p.sub.n,j,p.sbsb.n).The apparatus is trained by setting values for at least one of the parameters p.sub.n,j,1, . . . , p.sub.n,j,Pn. Preferably the number of parameters P.sub.n is less than the number of nodes N.sub.n-1 in layer n-1. w.sub.n,j (i,p.sub.n,j,1, . . . , p.sub.n,j,Pn) can be convex in i, and it can be bell-shaped. Sample functions for w.sub.n,j (i, p.sub.n,j,1, . . . , p.sub.

Abstract: An architecture for an electronic controller operated using fuzzy logic, including an input section with a plurality of inputs for analog or digital signals, a central control unit provided with memories wherein fuzzy logic membership functions are stored, and a defuzzyfier section has its input section composed of a plurality of fuzzyfiers arranged in parallel and independent of one another, each fuzzyfier including an analog input and a digital input for receiving signals from external sensors, and digital outputs connected to the input of a corresponding read-only memory of the central unit to select the address of a memory word.

Abstract: The invention permits various types of background knowledge for a concept learning system to be represented in a single formal structure known as an antecedent description grammar. A user formulates background knowledge for a learning problem into such a grammar, which then becomes an input to a learning system, together with training data representing the concept to be learned. The learning system, constrained by the grammar, then uses the training data to generate a hypothesis for the concept to be learned. Such hypothesis is in the form of a set of logic clauses known as Horn clauses.