Abstract: In a computer system having a number of applications and storage repositories using protocols which are different from each other, a document management system is interposed into a content and/or property read/write path of the computer system. The document management system provides for attachment of properties to documents, which allow for separating the content of the document from the properties which describe the document. This separation of the document content from its properties allows for a user level access and control of documents providing for flexibility in organizing, storing and retrieving documents. Further, interface mechanisms are provided which allow the different applications and storage repositories to interact with the document management system. The interface mechanisms include translators and bit providers.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided which allows a user to enhance the functionalities of system operations in a computer system that were traditionally encapsulated within the computer system, and outside the control of the user. The user is provided with the ability to build arbitrary, extensible behaviors and to have those behaviors executed on low level computer system processes after the user issues an operation request through a known input device. The mechanism may be implemented as properties which are integrated on a content and/or property read write path of the computer system.

Abstract: A document management system is provided which organizes, stores and retrieves documents according to properties attached to the documents. A property attachment mechanism allows a user to attach arbitrary static and active properties to a document. The active properties include executable code which dynamically change system configuration of the document in response to a triggering event which is predefined by the user. The present invention eliminates the generally tedious and error-prone process of configuring and reconfiguring an existing system configuration in response to new or changing user needs.

Abstract: A document management system is provided which organizes, stores and retrieves documents according to properties attached to the documents. A property attachment mechanism allows a user to attach arbitrary static and active properties to a document. The active properties include executable code which activates an external service in response to a triggering event which is predefined by the user, such as an operation performed on the document. When the operation is applied to the document, the operation is compared to the active properties of the document to determine if it is a triggering event. If an active property is triggered, its code is executed which automatically invokes an external service that executes independently from the operation. The results of the service are sent back to the document management system and the operation is then continued. In this manner, a user interacts directly with a document rather than locating, loading and executing an external service to be applied to the document.

Abstract: Write operations for weakly consistent replicated database systems have application-specific embedded dependency queries and related descriptions of the results that are expected to be returned when the respective dependency queries are run against the database. The dependency queries are arbitrary queries that are provided by the application to satisfy the requirements of the application. Write operations that conflict with the current state of any given instance of such a database are detected by comparing (a) the results that are returned when the dependency queries for those writes are run against the given instance of the database with (b) the results that are expected to be returned.

Abstract: A method in which access control programs (ACPs) permit controlled delegation of access rights from clients to untrusted intermediaries. ACPs are programs that encode arbitrary specifications of delegated access rights. In the method, a client creates an ACP and associates it with a request to a server, the request being made through one or more intermediaries. When processing a request received from an intermediary, the server executes the access control program to determine whether or not to grant the request.

Abstract: Write operations for weakly consistent replicated database systems have embedded application-specific merge procedures that are invoked for resolving conflicts whenever it is found that the related write operation conflicts with the current state of a given instance of such a database. The effect of executing such a merge procedure is deterministic for any state of the given instance of the database happens to be in when the merge procedure is executed.

Abstract: Write operations for weakly consistent replicated database systems have embedded conflict detection and conflict resolution procedures for identifying and resolving, respectively conflicts between such write operations and the current state of any given instance of such a database. These write operations are committed to a firm execution order by the host for one instance of such a database, and this execution order propagates to the other instances of the database. Accordingly, a write log distinguishes between the writes that are known to be committed to a firm execution order (the "tentative writes") is maintained for each instance of the database, thereby enabling the user to explicitly identifying the stable data and the potentially unstable data in any given instance of the database. Furthermore, provision is made for enabling users to select from a set of predefined consistency guarantees across all instances of such a database for any given session.

Abstract: The present invention provides client-selected consistency guarantees to clients of a weakly consistent replicated database on a per "session" basis. The clients have access to utilities which allow the clients to, individually or collectively, define a "session" over which the selected guarantees are enforced. A "session" is broadly defined as a sequence of logically related Reads and Writes to the database. Sessions are initiated and terminated substantially independently of other sessions which may exist concurrently. Clients are allowed, however, to clone sessions and/or merge sessions with other clients. Clients select a minimum relevant subset of guarantees from among a set of pre-defined consistency guarantees, where "relevancy" is a client determined factor. At any given time, the system may be enforcing a number of different combinations of consistency guarantees.

Abstract: A write log that distinguishes between write operations that are known to be in a stable write order ("committed writes") and write operations that still are in a potentially unstable write order ("tentative writes") are maintained for each instance of a weakly consistent replicated database so that the stable and the potentially unstable data in any given instance of such a database can be explicitly identified.

Abstract: To produce a continuous query for an append-only database, a client defined query first is converted into its minimal bounding non-decreasing monotone (hereinafter referred to as "monotonic increasing" query. This monotonic query, in turn, is converted into an incremental query, The resulting monotonically increasing incremental query then is installed on the database as a stored procedure that takes two date/time parameters (hereinafter referred to as "time" parameters), one of which (.tau.) identifies the last time the procedure was executed, and the other of which (t) identifies the current time. All database records are timestamped as of the time that they are entered into the database. Thus, in operation, more or less standard procedure calls periodically invoke each of the stored query procedures, thereby periodically executing the incremental queries over database records that have timestamps spanning successive time slots.

Abstract: The present invention describes a method for selectively delivering electronic messages to an identified user or users in a system of mobile and fixed devices, including multiple display devices and multiple users, based on the context of the system and the environment of the identified user. Electronic messages intended for an identified user or users may be given a level of privacy and a level priority, and contextual attributes for its delivery may be specified. The system perceives contextual attributes for the recipient user or users, including display devices in close proximity to the identified users, and determines a display property for said electronic message based on the contextual attributes, the user profile properties of each user, and the level of privacy and level of priority of the electronic message.

Abstract: A database of interests is maintained in a distributed computing system to register the individual interests of users in centrally stored non-textual media files, such as digital voice, music, scanned-in image, and video files. Uniquely named piece table style persistent data structures are employed to give users controlled access to the underlying non-textual media files by embedded name reference to such piece tables in ordinary messages or text files, so a database of piece tables is also maintained. A garbage collector periodically enumerates the interest database to delete interest entries which have been invalidated. Aged piece tables are deleted from the reference database when there no longer are any recorded interests referring to them, and non-textual media files are deleted to reclaim the storage space allocated to them when there no longer are any piece tables referring to them.