Patents Examined by Shahid Al Alam
  • Patent number: 6954750
    Abstract: Refining a current query. Receiving information regarding the relevancy of documents retrieved from a document collection in response to a current query. Ranking the retrieved documents in accordance with the relevancy information. Forming a candidate query based on the rankings and analysis of locations of the retrieved documents in a latent semantic index vector space formed from the retrieved document. Applying the candidate query to the document collection. Ranking the documents retrieved in response to the candidate query in accordance with the received relevancy information. Comparing the ranking of documents retrieved in response to the candidate query and the ranking of documents retrieved in response to the current query with the received relevancy information. Choosing the query that produces the best ranking.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Content Analyst Company, LLC
    Inventor: Roger Burrowes Bradford
  • Patent number: 6954752
    Abstract: Techniques for managing data objects in conjunction with a computer system are provided. In a technique for clustering data objects on a disk storage device, the invention comprises maintaining a log of at least a portion of accesses (e.g., read and for write operations) to the data objects; determining from the maintained log a cluster comprised of data objects accessed at substantially similar times; and storing the data objects comprising the cluster in close proximity to one another on the disk storage device. In a technique for prefetching data objects on a disk storage device, the invention comprises receiving a request for a data object in a cluster, determining from the log a probability that at least one other data object in the cluster may be subsequently requested; and, in response to the probability being not less than a predetermined value, retrieving both the requested data object and the at least one other data object.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Arun Kwangil Iyengar
  • Patent number: 6950834
    Abstract: A database table reorganization is defined to permit online access of the table during the reorganization. Records are reorganized in the database table by vacating records from a defined number of pages and then filling the pages with records in accordance with a desired ordering for the records. Temporary pointers to the new locations of moved records are used to prevent table scanner access to the database table from missing or duplicating records while scanning the database table during reorganization. Removal of the temporary pointers is synchronized with the completion of scanning of all table scanners that are commenced during a time when records are being moved as part of a vacating or filling step.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 29, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Matthew A. Huras, Nelson Hop Hing, Jeffrey J. Goss, Bruce G. Lindsay
  • Patent number: 6947925
    Abstract: A system and method for performing a lookup in a second namespace, the lookup being performed from a first namespace, whereby a component performing the lookup is not required to be configured for performing a lookup in the second namespace, the system and method further comprising: parsing a first lookup request for a URL tag, the first lookup request for an object located in the second namespace, the lookup request including a symbolic name corresponding to a target location in the second namespace, the URL tag corresponding to a URL context; searching the URL context for a provider URL corresponding to the symbolic name; and creating a second lookup request, the second lookup comprising the provider URL and the object's name.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Russell L. Newcombe, Christopher P. Vignola
  • Patent number: 6944616
    Abstract: A system and method for historical database training of a support vector machine (SVM). The SVM is trained with training sets from a stream of process data. The system detects availability of new training data, and constructs a training set from the corresponding input data. Over time, many training sets are presented to the SVM. When multiple presentations are needed to effectively train the SVM, a buffer of training sets is filled and updated as new training data becomes available. Once the buffer is full, a new training set bumps the oldest training set from the buffer. The training sets are presented one or more times each time a new training set is constructed. A historical database of time-stamped data may be used to construct training sets for the SVM. The SVM may be trained retrospectively by searching the historical database and constructing training sets based on the time-stamped data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Pavilion Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Ralph Bruce Ferguson, Eric J. Hartman, William Douglas Johnson, Eric S. Hurley
  • Patent number: 6944620
    Abstract: A method for creating a second file system on a device implementing a first file system is provided. One or more first files are selected from a set of files. The files comprise one or more characteristics particular to the second file system. One or more ancestors of the first files are selected automatically. The ancestors comprise one or more characteristics particular to the second file system. Based on the first files and the ancestors, data is generated to emulate one or more of the first files and the ancestors (and/or characteristics of one or more of the first files and the ancestors) that the first file system does not support. A file system comprising the first files, ancestors, and the data is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: Wind River Systems, Inc.
    Inventors: Christophe Cleraux, Philippe Basciano
  • Patent number: 6944623
    Abstract: Disclosed is a method for data synchronization in a web-based transmission device management system, in which managing data requiring synchronization between a web server and a client is constructed as a tree data structure, and a change flag for judging a data change is easily set. The web server increases a second event number by a certain degree whenever an event datagram is transmitted to the client, and the client judges whether or not the event datagram is lost by comparing the second event number and a first event number stored by the client whenever an event datagram is transmitted from the web server. If the event datagram is not lost, the client increases the first event number by a certain degree and performs data synchronization using the received event datagram.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2005
    Assignee: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventor: Young-Eun Kim
  • Patent number: 6931405
    Abstract: Subscription-based notification using event channels that each correspond to a particular scope. Each channel manages notifications through the use of a a schema definition. The event subscriptions identify the position and attributes that any desired event notification would take in the the schema definition. The channel then receives event notifications in the form of XML fragments. The channel then determines the position that the XML fragment would take as defined by the schema definition. The channel determines whether the position and attributes of the event notification matches the position and attributes of the event subscription. If a match is found, then the event notification is copied and forwarded to the recipient designated in the corresponding subscription.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventors: Ahmed El-Shimi, Alexander E. Nosov, Travis Muhlestein, Patrick R. Kenny, Raymond W. McCollum
  • Patent number: 6931404
    Abstract: A system for operating a workflow and a method applied to the system are proposed, so as to conduct an electronic workflow for an enterprise based on a server/client architecture in a intranet or internet environment. A terminal device of the system allows a user at the terminal device to submit a request for inquiring, browsing, issuing or reading a document, which is transmitted a network server for initiating a service server, so as to process the request and transmit the processed result through the network server to the user. The foregoing system and method can substitute for a conventional system in manual processing and is a powerful tool to fulfill the objectives for an enterprise in promoting the working efficiency and reducing the management cost.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Inventec Corporation
    Inventors: Sheng-Chang Chang, Hi Feng Wu
  • Patent number: 6920464
    Abstract: A method is provided for inventory management which includes an initial step of receiving a customer request for an inventory item and then generating a table or menu of one or more inventory items that most closely correspond to the customer request using a price forecasting system. Based on negotiations concerning price, timing and other typical concerns, an item is selected from the table and a price quotation associated with the selected inventory item is generated using the price forecasting system, which price quotation has been predetermined by a yield management system using a pricing strategy. The customer information associated with the customer request is input into a traffic billing system. Information needed for price recalculation associated with the customer request is input into the yield management system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2005
    Assignee: Grantley Patent Holdings, Ltd.
    Inventor: Billy Shane Fox
  • Patent number: 6915303
    Abstract: A technique for creating a custom database is provided. A system description of a structure of a database is received. A structure for the custom database is generated based on the system description. In addition, a search engine based on the system description is generated to store and locate data in the custom database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Steven V. Kauffman
  • Patent number: 6883001
    Abstract: An apparatus for searching document information in response to a search request from a client is disclosed. When a document file is designated as a search condition by a search condition designating unit of the client, the unit causes contents of the designated file to be transmitted via a network. A document search unit of a search machine forms a keyword based on the file contents transmitted from the search condition designating unit, and searches similar documents from an index or selection of important words extracted from search target documents provided in a search database.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 19, 2005
    Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
    Inventor: Seiichiro Abe
  • Patent number: 6735591
    Abstract: The present invention, the Information Warehouse, is a method and apparatus for gathering, storing and organizing information related to all the aspects of any organization, using a novel classification system. The Information warehouse contains one or more information bases. Each Information base is a specially configured database. Each information base consists of thirteen tables containing specially defined and structured records. Seven tables contain information elements classified into seven categories. Three tables contain the information needed by the Relationships manager. Three tables contain information needed by the Transactions managers. The present invention allows for users to input information about the constituents of an organization and their activities into the information base. This populating of the information base can be done in two ways.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Inventor: Joseph M. Khan
  • Patent number: 6725230
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for analyzing a process based on displaying data to a user from a plurality of different sources and a machine-readable medium for implementing such a method. The present invention also provides a mapping system and a method for displaying data to a user employing a hierarchy including data nodes and data leaves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Aegis Analytical Corporation
    Inventors: Joseph D. Ruth, Susan A. Dorr, Nick Galemmo, Jeffrey A. Junak, Olivier Libouban, Justin A. Neway
  • Patent number: 6701315
    Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products for delivering information to a user in one or more preferred delivery media are provided. Preferred delivery media includes, but is not limited to, e-mail, HTML, fax, printed copy, and mail. A user profile, indicating a user's preferred delivery medium (or media), is retrievably stored. When a user requests information, the user's profile is searched to determine the preferred delivery medium (or media) within which to deliver the requested information to the user. The requested information is retrieved, formatted for the preferred delivery medium, and then delivered to the user in the preferred medium. If the information is delivered to a user in multiple media, a consistent format among the various delivery media is maintained. The integrity of information delivered to a user is also verifiable, regardless of the delivery medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: Bell & Howell Mail and Messaging Technologies Company
    Inventor: Pamela Sue Austin
  • Patent number: 6701311
    Abstract: A customer self service system and method for performing resource search and selection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 2, 2004
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Debra L. Biebesheimer, Donn P. Jasura, Neal M. Keller, Daniel A. Oblinger, Mark E. Podlaseck, Stephen J. Rolando
  • Patent number: 6694338
    Abstract: A method comprising defining one or more aggregate virtual fields for a first document using meta-data associated with the first document is disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: Contivo, Inc.
    Inventor: Walter Lindsay
  • Patent number: 6687688
    Abstract: The present invention provides a data management system that efficiently uses data areas and significantly increases search efficiency. According to this invention, in the data management system coordinate data 1 is stored in an index 2. An index generating means 3 generates the index from the coordinate data. A range search means 4 finds all coordinate data included in a specified range in the n-dimensional space, that is, one or more pieces of coordinate data which exist in an outmost area and which is included in a specified range. A nearest data search means 5 finds coordinate data nearest to a specified coordinate data. The index contains area nests in the form of code strings representing coordinates of dimensions and sequences of terms representing divisions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Mutsumi Fujihara, Shuichi Kamimura
  • Patent number: 6678679
    Abstract: Methods and systems for forming and testing hypotheses regarding improving the correspondence between information needs and data retrieved in response to those needs. In a preferred embodiment, user feedback regarding relevancy of retrieved data is used in combination with the technique of latent semantic indexing to independently facilitate both hypothesis formation and testing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Science Applications International Corporation
    Inventor: Roger Burrowes Bradford
  • Patent number: 6678683
    Abstract: A document management system which can flexibly cope with an access right range of a secret document while efficiently sharing document data is provided. The document management system has a data server, a full-text search service server connected to the LAN, and a fire wall arranged between the full-text search service server and the data server. When the user wants to refer to document/document image data accumulated in the data server, a client terminal designates a character train included in the document/document image data to be referred to, thereby performing the searching process. When the user wants to designate an access-limited character train as a search word, a password for the access-limited character train is simultaneously designated. When the access-limited character train and the password are not designated, the document including the access-limited character train is not displayed as a search result but is seen as if the document including the access-limited character train does not exist.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 13, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hirotaka Shiiyama