Abstract: An information retrieval system finds information in a Distributed Information System (DIS), e.g. the Internet using query learning and meta search for adding documents to resource directories contained in the DIS. A selection means generates training data characterized as positive and negative examples of a particular class of data residing in the DIS. A learning means generates from the training data at least one query that can be submitted to any one of a plurality of search engines for searching the DIS to find “new” items of the particular class. An evaluation means determines and verifies that the new item(s) is a new subset of the particular class and adds or updates the particular class in the resource directory.

Abstract: A system and method for data compression of structured medical history information using multiple, updatable, static dictionaries in conjunction with an advanced probability-based model. The system is not a free text, word or phrase compressor as is presented in generalized or universal data compression systems. It employs a series of static dictionaries consisting of structured data developed from standardized medical classifications of disease, disorders, surgical procedures and medications. Prior probability information is utilized to achieve a high level of data compression of multiple data items at a time. The dictionaries are designed for flexible updating, efficient storage and retrieval, and data integrity. A portable medical card may be imprinted with the compressed medical information.

Abstract: During composition of an ideograph which is entered into a text string in a data processing system by phonetic spelling on a typically data processing system keyboard, the keystrokes entered by the user are automatically captured and stored in a second field of a multi-field data packet into which the text string is being entered. The captured keystrokes thus provide a phonetic representation of the text string for users unfamiliar with the character set of the text string language. Intermediate representations, such as hiragana or katakana representations of a Japanese Kanji character, may also be automatically captured and stored in a third field within the multi-field data packet for other purposes. By switching the field displayed for the multi-field data packet containing the text string, a user may utilize the alternative representations to determine the correct meaning and pronunciation for the text string.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for organizing text content of one or more text passages, such as text passages obtained in response to a search query, and/or other text passages, using an organization based on concept terms obtained from the one or more text passages. A hierarchical structure is used to organize the documents in a way that informs the user about co-occurrence relations among terms that represent concepts, indicating the relative degree of occurrence and context of discussion of the terms within the search results. One or more candidate hierarchies may be generated, each with a different term in the most-dominant position. The one or more candidate hierarchies can be evaluated, and a hierarchy to be displayed can be selected based on the evaluation.

Abstract: A method for estimating string-occurrence probability in a database comprises receiving a first probability of occurrence for each maximal substring from a plurality of substrings, each maximal substring in the plurality of substrings belonging to the string; obtaining an overall probability of occurrence; receiving a probability of occurrence for a maximal overlap of each maximal substring in the plurality of maximal substrings; obtaining a normalization factor; and dividing the overall probability of occurrence by the normalization factor to obtain the estimate.

Abstract: A user accessing a Web site can select the format in which information is presented. The information, instead of being stored in a static HTML document, is dynamically formatted for each user in accordance with that user's personality traits. The information to be displayed is stored in a database server. Client computers running Web browsers do not access that database server directly. Instead, they access it through an application server running server software for dynamic Web pages and also software which implements the business models needed to format the information for each user's personality traits. Those business models and the identity of the browser which each client user is running are used to format the information in from the database server as required. When the user accesses the home page on the application server, the user is presented with a list of links corresponding to personality traits so that the user can view the information as desired.

Abstract: A system for automatically creating databases containing industry, service, product and subject classification data, contact data, geographic location data (CCG-data) and links to web pages from HTML, XML or SGML encoded web pages posted on computer networks such as the Internet or Intranets. The web pages containing HTML, XML or SGML encoded CCG-data, database update controls and web browser display controls are created and modified by using simple text editors, HTML, XML or SGML editors or purpose built editors. The CCG databases may be searched for references (URLs) to web pages by use of enquiries which reference one or more of the items of the CCG-data. Alternatively, enquiries referencing the CCG-data in the databases may supply contact data without web page references. Data duplication and coordination is reduced by including in the web page CCG-data display controls which are used by web browsers to format for display the same data that is used to automatically update the databases.

Abstract: A messaging system includes a message bus and a first processing device. The message bus is adapted to transmit a first message. The first message includes a second message, and the second message includes at least a first command. The first processing device is coupled to the message bus. The first processing device includes a message interface adapted to receive the first message and extract the second message independent of the first command. An input queue is adapted to store the second message. A message interpreter is adapted to retrieve the second message from the message queue and decode the second message to identify the first command. A method for communicating messages includes transmitting a first message over a message bus. The first message includes a second message, and the second message includes at least a first command. The first message is received and the second message is extracted independent of the first command. The second message is stored in an input queue.

Abstract: In a computer system, data records stored in nonvolatile memory are read into a volatile memory and operated on in a sorting operation. A tournament-type sort is applied, with the tree size dynamically reconfigured within the volatile memory as a function of the number of data records to be sorted. The memory space occupied is reduced by the reconfigured tree and sort speed is augmented.

Abstract: Methods are presented for authoring geometrical databases which incorporate touch or haptic feedback. In particular, a database of geometrical elements incorporates attributes necessary to support haptic interactions such as stiffness, hardness, friction, and so forth. Users may instantiate objects designed through CAD/CAM environments or attach haptic or touch attributes to subcomponents such as surfaces or solid sub-objects. The resulting haptic/visual databases or world-describing models can then be viewed and touched using a haptic browser or other appropriate user interface.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for achieving local number portability. Two databases are interfaced so that message data from one database is selectively passed to the other database and processed for transfer to corresponding requesting software applications. More specifically, a regional interface broadcast agent is interfaced to an interface broadcast agent repository so that message data from the regional interface broadcast agent is selectively passed to the interface broadcast agent repository.

Abstract: A method and system for manipulating a data structure are described. In one embodiment, a data structure is accessed, the data structure comprising a number of nodes. A project is accessed, the project comprises one sub-structure, the sub-structure comprising a sub-set the nodes and a relationship defined between the nodes of the sub-set. In addition, a number of query results is created using the sub-structure and a data structure, and a layout and the number of query results are sent to a client.

Abstract: A smart passive reference to an object oriented object provides control over creation and deletion of the object it references. A reference count is incremented when an active reference to an object is created, and is decremented when an active reference to the object is deleted. The smart passive reference allows suspending the activity of a thread until no threads have active references to the object. In addition, the smart passive reference can be used to invalidate the smart passive references in other threads, thereby allowing a thread to obtain exclusive access to an object. The smart passive reference also provides an interface to cause the managed object to be deleted when the reference count goes to zero.

Abstract: A method and system for querying hierarchically classified data. The system first receives a query request and then identifies classifications of the data that may satisfy the received query request. The system then displays the identified classifications. In response to selection of a displayed classification, the system displays sub-classifications when the selected classification has sub-classifications and displays the data within the classification when the selected classification has no sub-classifications. In another aspect, the system generates search results for items that are hierarchically classified. For classifications within the hierarchy of classifications, the system generates a search entry containing terms describing the items within that classification. The system then receives a search criteria. The system selects as initial search results those search entries whose terms most closely match the received search criteria.

Abstract: A story segment retrieval device for a multimedia computer system storing a multimedia signal including a video signal, an associated audio signal and text information as a plurality of individually retrievable story segments, each having associated therewith a finite automaton (FA) model and keywords, at least one of which is associated with each respective node of the FA model.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for accessing a database. The database is modeled as an objects framework having zero or more business objects and one or more data objects. The data objects represent data in the database and the business objects represent logic for operating on the data objects.

Abstract: An efficient method and system is provided for searching for the shortest paths between a source and multiple destinations, and between multiple sources and multiple destinations. The speed of the conventional Dijkstra method, which is the basic calculation method, is increased by employing information concerning the relationship between a node and a set of destinations on a graph. The relationship information is constituted by the estimate function h(v) concerning a specific node v and a set T of destinations, where h(v) is a lower bound of all the shortest path lengths extending from node v to each of the destination sets T. Employment of the estimate function can increase the speed of the Dijkstra method.

Abstract: A development tool for creating telecommunication subscriber services or other operations. The tool reads a subscriber service logic diagram containing function primitives which define the service and creates data structures containing text descriptions of primitive operation and parameters pertaining thereto. The tool then examines the data structures and determines the appropriate text descriptions for the function primitives and corresponding parameters, based upon parameter values assigned by a user in creating the subscriber service logic diagram. The tool also validates parameters against available constraints. The text descriptions are then ported into the subscriber service logic diagram, thereby clarifying the operation of the subscriber service defined by the logic diagram.

Abstract: A data extractor system for extraction, deformatting, and postformatting of data available on the WWW. A user, connected to the Internet/Web, contacts a fee-based intermediate data service which provides an interface to determine various aspects of the user's query, including output format. The intermediate data service generates a Java stripping agent which is sent to the user's browser to interface with a third party data provider. The Java stripping agent contains the knowledge to strip away the formatting of user interfaces.

Abstract: Methods and systems for optimal access of data are disclosed. A system for optimally updating data is described wherein a central database transmits a location table to a remote terminal having an access time variant (ATV) storage medium wherein a first set of data items is stored. The data on the ATV medium can be displayed visually upon a user's accessing a particular piece of data from the ATV medium. The user's data access habits are indexed on a location table by the central database where the location table is optimized and updated according to the number of accesses the user makes to particular data items. A second set of data is then transmitted to the remote terminal along with the updated location table and stored on the ATV database in optimized form, thereby reducing the access time to the second set of data on all the remote terminals since each particular user's individual habits govern the optimization process.