Abstract: A method includes sending, by a computing device of a distributed storage and task (DST) network, a plurality of sets of encoded data slices and index generation task information to a set of DST execution units. The method further includes receiving partial data indexes from the set of DST execution units. The method further includes generating a data index based on the partial data indexes and determining an operational task from a list of operational tasks that includes storing the plurality of sets of encoded data slices, storing the data index, long term storage of the raw data, execute a data processing function on the sets of encoded data slices and execute a data processing function on the data index. The method further includes partitioning the operational task into a set of partial tasks and sending the set of partial tasks to the set of DST execution units.

Abstract: A method includes a first computing entity receiving a request for first data from an affiliated source device by a user device. When a re-encryption key of the user device is not based on a key pair of the first computing entity the method further includes decrypting the first encrypted data using a private key of the first computing entity and encrypting the recovered first data with a public key of a second computing entity to produce second encrypted data. The method further includes encrypting the second encrypted data with the re-encryption key of the user device to produce double encrypted data. The method further includes sending the double encrypted data to the user device, where the user device is capable of decrypting the double encrypted data to recover the first data using a private key of the user device based on a key pair of the second computing entity.

Abstract: A method includes receiving an DSN access request, identifying an DSN address of the DSN access request, identifying one or more DS processing units affiliated with the DSN address. The method further includes selecting a DS processing unit of the one or more DS processing units based on DS processing attributes, determining if the selected DS processing unit is associated with a favorable availability level and, when it is determined that a favorable availability level does not exist, deterministically selecting another of the one or more DS processing units and, when it is determined that a favorable availability level does exist, forwarding the DSN access request to the selected DS processing unit to be processed for storage in one or more DSN storage units.

Abstract: A storage unit (SU) includes an interface configured to interface and communicate with a dispersed storage network (DSN), a memory that stores operational instructions, and processing circuitry operably coupled to the interface and to the memory. The processing circuitry is configured to execute the operational instructions to perform various operations and functions. The SU, of a first SU set, receives a partially encoded slice request to restore a set of encoded data slices (EDSs) that are based on first dispersed storage error coding function parameters. The SU generates a decode threshold number of partially EDSs based on the first and second dispersed storage error coding function parameters. The SU then outputs the decode threshold number of partially EDSs to a second SU set to undergo selective combination respectively to generate new EDSs for storage within the SUs of the second decode threshold number of SUs of the second SU set.

Abstract: A method includes generating a plurality of entigen groups from a set of phrases of a statement and identifying two plausible entigen groups based on a true meaning interpretation of the statement. The method further includes identifying a related entigen group based on a phrase of the statement and interpreting each of the two plausible entigen groups in light of the related entigen group to determine whether one of the two plausible entigen groups is a more likely interpretation of the statement than the other one of the two plausible entigen groups. When the one of the two plausible entigen groups is the more likely interpretation of the statement, the method further includes updating the one of the two plausible entigen groups using the related entigen group to produce an updated entigen group and adding the statement as the updated entigen group to a knowledge database.

Abstract: A method includes generating entigen groups from phrases of a related topic, where the entigen groups represents most likely meanings of the phrases. The method further includes identifying a first entigen group and a second entigen group, where a first meaning of the first entigen group is similar to, but not identical to, a second meaning of the second entigen group. The method further includes determining a meaning difference between the first meaning and the second meaning. When the first meaning has priority over the second meaning, the method further includes updating the second entigen group with the meaning difference to produce an updated second entigen group. When the second meaning has priority over the first meaning, the method further includes updating the first entigen group with the meaning difference to produce an updated first entigen group.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a set of encoded data slices for storage. The method further includes selecting, based factor(s) from a set of factors, one or more of a local vault, a regional vault, and a global vault for storing the set of encoded data slices. The method further includes determining, based on at least one factor from the set of factors, a number of copies of the set of encoded data slices for storing in each vault of the vault selection. The method further includes identifying “Z” number of sets of storage units for storing the number of copies of the set of encoded data slices, wherein “Z” is equal to a number of vaults times the number of copies. The method further includes sending the number of copies of the set of encoded data slices to the Z number of sets of storage units.

Abstract: A method begins with a computing device receiving a request to acquire digital content from a digital content provider and forwarding the request to a dispersed storage network (DSN) pre-paid module. The method continues with the DSN pre-paid module validating the request, generating a plurality of sets of at least a threshold number of digital content read requests, and sending the plurality of sets of the at least a threshold number of digital content read requests to the digital content provider via the computing device when the request to acquire the digital content is validated. The method continues with at least one of the DSN pre-paid module and the computing device receiving a plurality of sets of at least a decoded threshold number of encoded data slices and decoding the plurality of sets of the at least a decoded threshold number of encoded data slices to produce the digital content.

Abstract: A method for processing partial tasks in a distributed storage network (DSN) includes receiving a partial task request message for a DS execution unit, where the partial task request message includes corresponding partial tasks. The method continues by processing each partial task request message in accordance with the processing parameters to produce task request slice groupings, generating slices, such that each message is directed at a corresponding DS execution unit, and the sending the slice groupings and the task request slice groupings to the selected DS execution units for storage therein. The method continues by retrieving at least a decode threshold number of task response slices of one or more task response slice groupings from the DS execution units, decoding the task response slices, retrieving at least a decode threshold number of partial result slices, and decoding the partial results slices and processing the partial results to produce a result.

Abstract: A method includes encoding a data object using an encoding matrix having a unity matrix portion to produce a plurality of sets of encoded data slices that includes data encoded slices and redundancy encoded slices. The method further includes dividing a task into a set of partial tasks. The method further includes determining processing speeds of a set of distributed storage and task (DST) execution units allocated for storing the plurality of sets of encoded data slices. The method further includes mapping storage and partial task assignments regarding the data encoded slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices to the set of DST execution units based on the processing speeds. The method further includes outputting the data encoded slices of the plurality of sets of encoded data slices and the set of partial tasks to the set of DST execution units in accordance with the storage-task mapping.

Abstract: A method includes interpreting sets of first language identigens to produce an entigen group which represents a most likely meaning of a string of first language words. The method further includes identifying, for each entigen of the entigen group, a corresponding set of second language identigens to identify sets of second language identigens. The method further includes selecting, for each entigen of the entigen group, a selected second language identigen from the corresponding set of second language identigens based on meaning of the entigen to produce an initial string of second language words.

Abstract: A method includes generating a plurality of entigen groups from a plurality of phrases, where the plurality of entigen groups represents a plurality of most likely meanings for the plurality of phrases. The method further includes determining an initial interpretation of the related topic based on the plurality of most likely meanings for the plurality of phrases and generating a plurality of scores for the plurality of entigen groups based on the initial interpretation and source information of the plurality of phrases. The method further includes interpreting the plurality of scores in relation to the initial interpretation to determine a confidence level of the initial interpretation and when the confidence level of the initial interpretation compares favorably to a confidence threshold, indicating that the initial interpretation is reliable.

Abstract: A method includes upon storage of a set of encoded data slices in one or more sets of storage units of a dispersed storage network (DSN), setting, by a computing device of the DSN, a deletion time for the set of encoded data slices and an encoded data slice reduction time for the set of encoded data slices. The encoded data slice reduction time is set at a time prior to the deletion time. Upon expiration of the encoded data slice reduction time, the method further includes implementing an encoded data slice reduction scheme. The encoded data slice reduction scheme includes one or more of: a reduced rebuild operation and an explicit deletion. The explicit deletion includes deleting encoded data slices such that a remaining number of encoded data slices is equal to or exceeds a decode threshold number and is less than a pillar width number.

Abstract: A computing device includes an interface to communicate with a dispersed storage network (DSN), a memory, and a processing module. The computing device receives less than a decode threshold number of encoded data slices (EDSs) of a set of EDSs corresponding to a data object. The computing device also receives, from the second wireless communication system, at least one remaining EDS corresponding to the set of EDSs. the computing device combines the less than the decode threshold number of EDSs of the set of EDSs and the at least one remaining EDS to generate at least the decode threshold number of EDSs of the set of EDSs corresponding to the data object. The computing device dispersed error decodes the at least the decode threshold number of EDSs of the set of EDSs corresponding to the data object to reproduce the data segment of the plurality of data segments.

Abstract: A method includes determining to optimize a financial system that provides support for ongoing financial obligations utilizing a group of augmenting assets. Each augmenting asset is associated with a corresponding future time-estimated benefit payment and with a corresponding series of time-certain obligated payments. A first percentage of an aggregate of future time-estimated benefit payments provides an augmenting asset contribution to the ongoing financial obligations and a second percentage of the aggregate of the future time-estimated benefit payments provides an offset for an aggregate of each series of time-certain obligated payments. The continues with determining an estimated future augmenting asset contribution to the ongoing financial obligations based on an estimated first percentage of the aggregate of future time-estimated benefit payments.

Abstract: A method for execution by a dispersed storage and task (DST) processing unit operates to receive a write threshold number of slices of a data object and an access policy; determine a current timestamp that indicates a current time value; and store the write threshold number of slices, the access policy, and the timestamp in a plurality of storage units of a dispersed storage network (DSN).

Abstract: A method includes establishing information regarding a potentially adverse condition associated with one or more user devices. The information includes one or more of: geographic location coordinates of the potentially adverse condition, an identifier of the potentially adverse condition, and a relevant time period of the potentially adverse condition. The method further includes determining group constraints for a group regarding the potentially adverse condition. The group constraints include one or more of: family member devices, neighbor devices, friend devices, first responders, co-workers, and devices of other persons having an affiliating commonality. The method further includes selecting user devices to produce selected user devices. The selected user devices have an affiliation with the group. The method further includes obtaining status associated with the selected user devices and issuing the status to the selected user devices.

Abstract: A method performed by a processing module embedded in a solid state memory device begins by receiving at least one partial task related to a group of slices of contiguous data, and slices of the group of slices of contiguous data to produce received slices. The received slices are random access stored in the solid state memory device, and the processing module decides whether to execute the at least one partial task. In response to a positive determination, a portion of the received slices are random access retrieved, and the at least one partial task is executed using the portion of the received slices to generate a partial result. The partial result is random access stored in the solid state memory device; and the processing module facilitates dispersed storage of the partial result in a distributed storage task network (DSTN).

Abstract: A method for execution by a dispersed storage and task (DST) processing unit operates to receive a write threshold number of slices of a data object and an access policy; determine a current timestamp that indicates a current time value; and store the write threshold number of slices, the access policy, and the timestamp in a plurality of storage units of a dispersed storage network (DSN).

Abstract: A processing system in a dispersed storage and a task network DSTN determines whether or not to execute a partial task. When determined to execute the partial task, the processing system operates by determining execution steps and a schedule; identifying a portion of the contiguous data for execution of one or more steps of the execution steps; retrieving the portion of the contiguous data from the disk drive; executing the one or more steps of the execution steps in accordance with the schedule on the portion of the contiguous data to produce a partial result; dispersed storage error encoding the partial result to produce a plurality of sets of slices in accordance with dispersal parameters associated with one or more of the group of slices and the partial task; and facilitating storing a plurality of sets of slices in the DSTN.