Abstract: A method of obtaining information about usage of application executable files and associated software program in a network of computers or on an individual computer is provided. The method involves collecting information about last use of software programs, and associated executable files, on a computer or a set of managed computers from various resources on the computers. The information that is collected includes file name, directory, date and time the executable was last started, a security identifier of the last user, the method of last use, whether the executable was found to be running at the time it was found, and whether the executable is registered to run as a service. From this information, a list is generated regarding software items, and the list is merged such that a given executable has a single software item on the list. Reports are produced detailing information about one or more software items on the list. The reports may be displayed in a graphic user interface designed for that purpose.

Abstract: A computer information database system manages computer profile data for a set of computers. A profile group managing server coupled to the database manages the database such that there is a multiple node tree structure of groups for the set of computers in which each node is a group level and a top level is a root, based upon primary grouping criteria that correspond to selected computer profile data. Included in a database mapping table are fields that correspond to ranges of values for computer profile data of interest corresponding to primary grouping criteria including ranges that extend between a selected high and a selected low value. The ranges for any or all of the grouping criteria may be altered. The data in the database can be manipulated to produce summaries and reports of attributes of the computers in a given group.

Abstract: A security control verification and monitoring subsystem of a managed computer system performs security control verification operations regularly and for each security control verification operation determines the applicable security benchmark level for use by a given computer. The subsystem assigns security risk categories to groups of computers based, for example, on overall system or group administrator supplied potential impact settings and/or system type and business or information type selections. The subsystem further associates the security risk categories with security benchmark levels based on mapping information supplied by the overall system or group administrator. The subsystem then directs the computer to benchmark definition files based on the assigned security risk category, the associated security benchmark level and attributes of the computer.

Abstract: A user access security subsystem of a computer information database system utilizes computer grouping criteria and user type criteria to control user access to both computer profile data and system administrative features. Computer grouping criteria determine profile data access for the respective users. User type criteria determine which administrative features are accessible to the respective users, thus what administrative authority is delegated to the users. Combining computer grouping and user type criteria restricts a given user to exercising the delegated administrative authority only with respect to the particular grouping of computers to which the user has been granted access through the associated login group. To maintain access security, a given user may grant to another only those access rights that are equal to or more restrictive than the given user's rights. The subsystem enforces access restrictions by tailoring the user interface based on the associated login group and user type.

Abstract: A computer information database system manages computer profile data for a set of computers. A profile group managing server coupled to the database manages the database such that there is a multiple node tree structure of groups for the set of computers in which each node is a group level and a top level is a root, based upon primary grouping criteria that correspond to selected computer profile data. Included in a database mapping table are fields that correspond to ranges of values for computer profile data of interest corresponding to primary grouping criteria including ranges that extend between a selected high and a selected low value. The ranges for any or all of the grouping criteria may be altered. The data in the database can be manipulated to produce summaries and reports of attributes of the computers in a given group.

Abstract: A method of obtaining information about usage of application executable files and associated software program in a network of computers or on an individual computer is provided. The method involves collecting information about last use of software programs, and associated executable files, on a computer or a set of managed computers from various resources on the computers. The information that is collected includes file name, directory, date and time the executable was last started, a security identifier of the last user, the method of last use, whether the executable was found to be running at the time it was found, and whether the executable is registered to run as a service. From this information, a list is generated regarding software items, and the list is merged such that a given executable has a single software item on the list. Reports are produced detailing information about one or more software items on the list. The reports may be displayed in a graphic user interface designed for that purpose.

Abstract: A computer information database system manages computer profile data grouping the plurality of computers in groups that are nodes of a tree in accordance with user-specified grouping criteria that are respective values of computer profile data of interest, and manipulating the database data to produce summaries of attributes of the computers in a given group and in the groups in the subtree that has the given group as its root. The grouping criteria may be ranges of values for primary grouping criteria, particular values for primary and secondary grouping criteria, ranges of values for both primary and secondary grouping criteria, and so forth. The system uses a group mapping database table that includes profile value-to-match fields for the primary grouping criteria and, as appropriate, the secondary grouping criteria. To use ranges of values, the group mapping database table includes for each range an associated low limit profile value field and a high limit profile value field.

Abstract: A Computer Information Database System includes a software update and patch audit subsystem that manages computer profile data using system grouping and audit specification criteria. The subsystem thus selects a particular group of computers using the grouping criteria, and further selects from within the group the computers that pass or fail the applicable audit requirements. A given computer passes the requirements if the computer has installed thereon the specified software updates and patches that are applicable to the computer operating system platform. Otherwise, the computer fails. The audit subsystem may instead select particular computers using the audit specification criteria and then using the grouping criteria further select the subset of these computers that belong to a particular group. Further, the audit specification criteria may be set differently for the respective groups.

Abstract: A user access security subsystem of a computer information database system utilizes computer grouping criteria and user type criteria to control user access to both computer profile data and system administrative features. The computer grouping criteria determine profile data access for the respective users. The user type criteria determine which administrative features are accessible to the respective users, and thus, what administrative authority is delegated to the users. The combination of the computer grouping and the user type criteria restricts a given user to exercising the delegated administrative authority only with respect to the particular grouping of computers to which the user has been granted access through the associated login group. To maintain access security, the subsystem allows a given user to grant to another only those access rights that are equal to or more restrictive than the given users rights.

Abstract: A computer information database system manages computer profile data grouping the plurality of computers in groups that are nodes of a tree in accordance with user-specified grouping criteria that are respective values of computer profile data of interest, and manipulating the database data to produce summaries of attributes of the computers in a given group and in the groups in the subtree that has the given group as its root. The grouping criteria may be ranges of values for primary grouping criteria, particular values for primary and secondary grouping criteria, ranges of values for both primary and secondary grouping criteria, and so forth. The system uses a group mapping database table that includes profile value-to-match fields for the primary grouping criteria and, as appropriate, the secondary grouping criteria. To use ranges of values, the group mapping database table includes for each range an associated low limit profile value field and a high limit profile value field.

Abstract: A Computer Information Database System includes a software update and patch audit subsystem that manages computer profile data using system grouping and audit specification criteria. The subsystem thus selects a particular group of computers using the grouping criteria, and further selects from within the group the computers that pass or fail the applicable audit requirements. A given computer passes the requirements if the computer has installed thereon the specified software updates and patches that are applicable to the computer operating system platform. Otherwise, the computer fails. The audit subsystem may instead select particular computers using the audit specification criteria and then using the grouping criteria further select the subset of these computers that belong to a particular group. Further, the audit specification criteria may be set differently for the respective groups.

Abstract: A network includes one or more client computers which can retrieve Web pages and supplemental content items, such as advertisements, from one or more server computers, for display or other processing. Each Web page can have fixed content, one or more fixed URL's identifying supplemental content items to be, for example, displayed at particular locations on the Web page, and one or more sets of conditional items, with each conditional item set comprising content item(s) or content item identifier(s), such as URL's, and personal selection criteria to be used in selecting one of the content item(s) or identifier(s) to be, for example, displayed at a respective location on the Web page. When a client computer receives a Web page from a server computer, it (that is, the client computer) will, for example, display the fixed Web page content and, obtain supplemental content items identified by the fixed URL's to be displayed along with the fixed content.

Abstract: A system for assisting a customer during shopping includes machine-readable currently-owned item indicia store and a compatibility determination subsystem. The machine-readable currently-owned item indicia store includes a smart-card, magnetic disk or the like, for storing indicia identifying selected characteristics of items which are currently owned by the customer, including such information as, for example, accurate color andr styling parameter and metric information. The compatibility determination subsystem generates a compatibility assessment in response to the currently-owned item indicia stored by the currently-owned item indicia store, indicia identifying selected characteristics for items provisionally selected by the customer, and compatibility parameter information identifying compatibilities among various types of indicia.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a modified electronic image combines multiple image transforms into a single composite transform, and then modifies the electronic image in accordance with the composite transform. The composite transform includes sample values sequentially modified in accordance with each of the multiple image transforms being combined. The method and apparatus further provides a user interface allowing a user to select individual transforms for composition. The use of a composite transforms allows a user to interact with the image processing system more quickly and interactively while obtaining a desired modified image.

Abstract: A dynamic lookup table device and method for storing a plurality of function values, wherein each stored function value represents a value of a function evaluated at a selected domain point of the function's domain. The device generates an input address which identifies a domain point. In response to the input address, a memory device within the lookup table device provides a lookup table entry value. The memory device includes a plurality of storage locations for storing a plurality of lookup table values. It also includes a page table storage device for mapping each input address to a corresponding storage location. Each unallocated input address is mapped to at least one shared storage location containing a default lookup table value. Each allocated input address is mapped to a corresponding storage location allocated to the input address. If the lookup table entry provided by the memory device is the default value, the lookup table device determines the value of the function at the selected domain point.

Abstract: Virtual address space for array data to be stored in a virtual memory is allocated by establishing a table that associates segments of the virtual address space with predetermined array data dimensions and maintaining a map that identifies, for each segment, which portions of the segment have been allocated to store array data. The table and map are used to identify a contiguous portion of the virtual address space for the array data to be stored.

Abstract: A display system for connection to a bus in a digital processing system having a system memory. The display system comprises a display memory, a display and an interface. The display memory stores image data. The display receiving stored image data from the display memory and generates in response thereto a displayed image. The interface receiving image data and address signals from the bus, the signals corresponding to addresses in the system memory. In response to the address signals, the interface determines whether the image data relates to image data for an image stored in said display memory and in response thereto controls storage of the image data in the display memory.

Abstract: A virtual memory management arrangement translates a process virtual address of an item of data in an array of data into a physical address for use in accessing a memory. A virtual address translation portion forms, in response to a process virtual address, an array virtual address including a sub-array identifier identifying a sub-array in the array and an array virtual offset identifying a virtual storage location in the sub-array. A physical address translation portion forms, in response to the array virtual address, a physical address for use in accessing a memory.

Abstract: A method for communicating a transform definition to a destination device. The transform definition outputs image parameter data based on input image data and has a channel corresponding to each output image parameter. Each channel has at least one input table, an output table and a grid table representing an input/output relation of an image transformation. The destination device is provided with: identification data identifying the communication as that of a transform definition; version data for distinguishing the transform definition from other versions of the transform definition; size data specifying a size of one of the grid table's dimensions for each channel's grid table; with input table, output table, and grid table data of any input, output, and grid table which is shared by a plurality of channels; and with input table, output table and grid table data of any private input, output, and grid tables.

Abstract: An interpolation system generates an interpolated value in response to an input value. The interpolation system includes a function value store comprising a plurality of function value storage tables for storing function values for alternating domain coordinate values in a domain. An address generator, in response to an input value, generates address signals identifying locations in the function value storage tables to enable the function value storage tables to transmit function values in parallel. An interpolator receives function values transmitted in parallel by the function value storage tables and the input value and generating in response thereto the interpolated value.