Abstract: An online system validates item updates using a machine-learning model to identify item updates that need independent review. The online system maintains an item database that has item entries for items on the online system. The online system receives item updates from an item update system and applies an error prediction model to the item updates to generate an error likelihood score for each item update. The online system samples a subset of the item updates based on the error likelihood scores and passes these sampled item updates to a human reviewer system. The human reviewer system labels each of the sampled item updates with an error label indicating whether the corresponding item update is actually erroneous. The online system determines whether to update the item database with the full set of received item updates based on the error labels.

Abstract: A conversation-based computing system may include a back-end computing module, a design module, and an execution module. The design module may be configured to provide a graphical user interface through which different conversation models are defined in metadata. Each model may include a topic containing respective goals, where the goals are associated with respective conversation flows that define respective dialogs that directs conversations toward the associated goals. Each model may also define references to topic-specific content stored in the back-end module. The execution module may be configured to execute a particular model between the system and a front-end computing device and set up integration of a live agent into the model. Execution of the model may involve, in part, carrying out, in an at least partially-automated fashion, the flow for the model according to the dialog, the topic-specific content corresponding to the model, and communicating using a specific communication protocol.

Abstract: An identity management system is augmented to compute a time-varying confidence score for an asserted attribute value, typically a value that is received from a third party identity issuer. In this approach, an identity provider (IdP) computes a time-varying confidence score for an asserted attribute that the IdP includes in a security assertion returned to a service provider. The confidence score typically is “deteriorating” (i.e., diminishes over time) for an attribute value. The degree to which the score deteriorates, however, may be altered by one or more qualified attribute verification event(s). Preferably, the IdP maintains a profile of the service provider, and that profile may also include other information, such as a threshold for an attribute confidence score that the SP deems acceptable (to enable access to the service). Based on the SP profiling, the IdP also can recommend use of a given identity issuer for a specific attribute.

Abstract: An identity management system is augmented to compute a time-varying confidence score for an asserted attribute value, typically a value that is received from a third party identity issuer. In this approach, an identity provider (IdP) computes a time-varying confidence score for an asserted attribute that the IdP includes in a security assertion returned to a service provider. The confidence score typically is “deteriorating” (i.e., diminishes over time) for an attribute value. The degree to which the score deteriorates, however, may be altered by one or more qualified attribute verification event(s). Preferably, the IdP maintains a profile of the service provider, and that profile may also include other information, such as a threshold for an attribute confidence score that the SP deems acceptable (to enable access to the service). Based on the SP profiling, the IdP also can recommend use of a given identity issuer for a specific attribute.

Abstract: A conversation-based computing system may include a back-end computing module, a design module, and an execution module. The design module may be configured to provide a graphical user interface through which different conversation models are defined in metadata. Each model may include a topic containing respective goals, where the goals are associated with respective conversation flows that define respective dialogs that directs conversations toward the associated goals. Each model may also define references to topic-specific content stored in the back-end module. The execution module may be configured to execute a particular model between the system and a front-end computing device and set up integration of a live agent into the model. Execution of the model may involve, in part, carrying out, in an at least partially-automated fashion, the flow for the model according to the dialog, the topic-specific content corresponding to the model, and communicating using a specific communication protocol.

Abstract: A conversation-based computing system may include a back-end computing module, a design module, and an execution module. The design module may be configured to provide a graphical user interface through which different conversation models are defined in metadata. Each model may include a topic containing respective goals, where the goals are associated with respective conversation flows that define respective dialogs that directs conversations toward the associated goals. Each model may also define references to topic-specific content stored in the back-end module. The execution module may be configured to execute a particular model between the system and a front-end computing device and set up integration of a live agent into the model. Execution of the model may involve, in part, carrying out, in an at least partially-automated fashion, the flow for the model according to the dialog, the topic-specific content corresponding to the model, and communicating using a specific communication protocol.

Abstract: A conversation-based computing system may include a back-end computing module, a design module, and an execution module. The design module may be configured to provide a graphical user interface through which different conversation models are defined in metadata. Each model may include a topic containing respective goals, where the goals are associated with respective conversation flows that define respective dialogs that directs conversations toward the associated goals. Each model may also define references to topic-specific content stored in the back-end module. The execution module may be configured to execute a particular model between the system and a front-end computing device and set up integration of a live agent into the model. Execution of the model may involve, in part, carrying out, in an at least partially-automated fashion, the flow for the model according to the dialog, the topic-specific content corresponding to the model, and communicating using a specific communication protocol.

Abstract: A conversation-based computing system may include a back-end computing module, a design module, and an execution module. The design module may be configured to provide a graphical user interface through which different conversation models are defined in metadata. Each model may include a topic containing respective goals, where the goals are associated with respective conversation flows that define respective dialogs that directs conversations toward the associated goals. Each model may also define references to topic-specific content stored in the back-end module. The execution module may be configured to execute a particular model between the system and a front-end computing device and set up integration of a live agent into the model. Execution of the model may involve, in part, carrying out, in an at least partially-automated fashion, the flow for the model according to the dialog, the topic-specific content corresponding to the model, and communicating using a specific communication protocol.

Abstract: A conversation-based computing system may include a back-end computing module, a design module, and an execution module. The design module may be configured to provide a graphical user interface through which different conversation models are defined in metadata. Each model may include a topic containing respective goals, where the goals are associated with respective conversation flows that define respective dialogs that directs conversations toward the associated goals. Each model may also define references to topic-specific content stored in the back-end module. The execution module may be configured to execute a particular model between the system and a front-end computing device and set up integration of a live agent into the model. Execution of the model may involve, in part, carrying out, in an at least partially-automated fashion, the flow for the model according to the dialog, the topic-specific content corresponding to the model, and communicating using a specific communication protocol.

Abstract: Systems and methods for selectively coupling one of a group of peripherals to a computer. In one embodiment, a USB switch is coupled between a computer and multiple USB peripheral devices. The switch selectively connects the computer to either a single one of the peripherals, or none of the peripherals. The switch employs a microcontroller which receives control signals from the computer and controls a switching mechanism such as a set of multiplexers or relays to connect data lines from the computer to one of the peripheral ports of the switch, while disconnecting the remainder of the peripheral ports. The switch may also disconnect all of the peripheral ports. The switch may also incorporate a display which is controlled by the switch's microcontroller. One or more power sources may be included to provide power to each of the peripheral ports.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the invention, a technique is provided for interactive execution of commands on multiple computer targets. As the commands execute on the remote systems, the user receives feedback in real time. The feedback consists of the status of each command on each system and the output from each command executed on each system, among other items. The feedback is formatted in a user-friendly fashion to enable the user to quickly determine the status of the job, such as which systems have succeeded in executing the commands and which have failed. The feedback also indicates which systems are currently being operated on. The feedback may be viewed in real time as well as saved to a file for later viewing. In one embodiment, the user is also provided with a graphical user interface (GUI).

Abstract: A pluggable tablespace is enabled by logically partitioning a database into a set of tablespaces and storing all of the tablespaces disk pointers in tablespace-relative format. A pluggable set of tablespaces is unplugged by generating the associated metadata, and making a binary copy of the tablespaces. The pluggable set of tablespaces is plugged into a target database by making the pluggable set accessible to the target database and incorporating the associated metadata, without patching any of the disk pointers.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for using a resource manager to coordinate the committing of a distributed transaction. According to the method, a first set of changes is communicated to a first resource manager. In communicating the first set of changes, the changes are directly communicated to the first resource manager without being received at a second resource manager. A second set of changes is communicated to the second resource manager. In communicating the second set of changes, the changes are directly communicated to the second resource manager without being received at the first resource manager. Either the first resource manager or the second resource manager is selected as a committing coordinator. A commit request message is transmitted to the committing coordinator to request that the first set of changes be committed at the first resource manager and that the second set of changes be committed at the second resource manager.

Abstract: Provided are mechanisms that may be used to support efficient exportation of user data stored in a database system. According to an aspect of the present invention, a database system is configured to store data for users in separate repositories referred to as tablespaces. To store data in this manner, a database system may be configured in variety of ways.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for using a resource manager to coordinate the committing of a distributed transaction. According to the method, a first set of changes is communicated to a first resource manager. In communicating the first set of changes, the changes are directly communicated to the first resource manager without being received at a second resource manager. A second set of changes is communicated to the second resource manager. In communicating the second set of changes, the changes are directly communicated to the second resource manager without being received at the first resource manager. Either the first resource manager or the second resource manager is selected as a committing coordinator. A commit request message is transmitted to the committing coordinator to request that the first set of changes be committed at the first resource manager and that the second set of changes be committed at the second resource manager.

Abstract: A method and system for recovering after failure of a first server to which a client was connected for accessing a resource is provided. When it is detected that a connection between the first server and the client has failed, the client is automatically connected with a second server that has access to the resource. After automatically connecting the client, the client accesses the resource through the second server. The client stores information about the state of the session with the first server so that processing can continue where it left off after the client connects with the second server. The client may be pre-connected to the second server prior to the failure of the first server to reduce the latency caused by switching in response to a failure. The second server may be configured to pre-parse the commands that the client issues to the first server to further reduce the latency associated with switching to the second server.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for passing a client from a first server to which the client was connected for accessing a resource, to a second server for accessing the resource. While executing, the first server ceases to respond to the client. After the client detects that the first server has ceased to respond to the client, the client is automatically connected with the second server that has access to the resource. After automatically connecting the client, the client accesses the resource through the second server. The client stores information about the state of the session with the first server so that processing can continue where it left off after the client connects with the second server. The client may be pre-connected to the second server prior to the failure of the first server to reduce the latency caused by switching in response to a failure.

Abstract: An approach for recovering after premature termination of a plurality of transactions involves: A) selecting a previously unselected transaction from the plurality of transactions; B) processing the selected transaction by undoing the lesser of a predetermined number of changes made by the selected transaction and all changes made by the selected transaction; and C) repeating steps A) and B) until all of the plurality of transactions have been processed. Another aspect of the approach involves: A) selecting a previously unselected transaction from the plurality of transactions, wherein the selected transaction is the previously unselected transaction from the plurality of transactions that made the fewest number of changes in the database; B) processing the selected transaction by undoing one or more changes in the database made by the selected transaction; and C) repeating steps A) and B) until all transactions from the plurality of transactions have been processed.

Abstract: An advanced message queuing system is integrated into a database system. A queue is an ordered list of messages. Messages are requests for processing by an application. Messages are database objects and can represent events or data. Messages comprise user data and control information such as a queue name. Each queue is part of a table in a relational database. A queue table holds a set of queues. Dictionary tables store configuration information describing queues and queue tables. Messages are entered into a queue by instructing the database system using an enqueuing command attached to a message and control information. The control information describes how to order, schedule, and execute the message, and can include a result queue name into which a result message is written after execution. The system responds to a dequeuing command by delivering a copy of a message from the queue. A user can define message order within a queue, message delay factors, and exception processing.