Abstract: Approximate substring indexing is accomplished by decomposing each string in a database into overlapping “positional q-grams”, sequences of a predetermined length q, and containing information regarding the “position” of each q-gram within the string (i.e., 1st q-gram, 4th q-gram, etc.). An index is then formed of the tuples of the positional q-gram data (such as, for example, a B-tree index or a hash index). Each query applied to the database is similarly parsed into a plurality of positional q-grams (of the same length), and a candidate set of matches is found. Position-directed filtering is used to remove the candidates which have the q-grams in the wrong order and/or too far apart to form a “verified” output of matching candidates. If errors are permitted (defined in terms of an edit distance between each candidate and the query), an edit distance calculation can then be performed to produce the final set of matching strings.

Abstract: Approximate substring indexing is accomplished by decomposing each string in a database into overlapping “positional q-grams”, sequences of a predetermined length q, and containing information regarding the “position” of each q-gram within the string (i.e., 1st q-gram, 4th q-gram, etc.). An index is then formed of the tuples of the positional q-gram data (such as, for example, a B-tree index or a hash index). Each query applied to the database is similarly parsed into a plurality of positional q-grams (of the same length), and a candidate set of matches is found. Position-directed filtering is used to remove the candidates which have the q-grams in the wrong order and/or too far apart to form a “verified” output of matching candidates. If errors are permitted (defined in terms of an edit distance between each candidate and the query), an edit distance calculation can then be performed to produce the final set of matching strings.

Abstract: The apparent speed of a connection between a browser at a user station and a proxy or gateway on a network such as the Internet is increased by providing a local proxy at the user station which interacts with a remote proxy. While the remote proxy is retrieving a newly requested World Wide Web page, for example, from the appropriate content provider, it may also be sending to the local proxy a stale cached version of that page. When the new version of the page is finally retrieved, the remote proxy determines the differences between the new version and the stale version, and, assuming the differences do not exceed the new page in size, sends the differences to the local proxy which then reconstructs the new page from the differences and the stale version. The local proxy delivers the new page to the browser, which need not even be aware that a local proxy exists; it is aware only that it received the page it requested.

Abstract: A messaging system in which a core messaging infrastructure stores and manages messaging attributes, but applications external to the core infrastructure define and modify most attributes. Attribute types may be easily defined or modified, the manner in which attribute values are obtained may be easily defined or modified, and the entity types to which attributes are assigned may be easily defined or modified. The messaging system includes a plurality of messaging entities, such as messages, folders, and users, a plurality of attributes associated with the messaging entities, and a plurality of applications. Each application is operable to examine and modify at least some of the messaging entities and attributes. An application selection device is operable to examine at least some of the messaging entities and at least some of the attributes and to select an application to be invoked, from among the plurality of applications, based on values of the examined messaging entities and attributes.

Abstract: A messaging system, and method of operation thereof, which supports combinations of directory and mailing list addressing mechanisms. Intended message recipients are specified as declarative addresses, which may include combinations of directory and mailing list information. The messaging system includes a messaging server and an address resolution module. The messaging server receives a message from a sender system and transmits the message to the recipient system. The address resolution module, which is coupled to the messaging server, receives a declarative address associated with the message, resolves the declarative address into at least one messaging address and transmits the at least one messaging address to the messaging server. In one embodiment, a database system may be coupled to the address resolution module to allow address resolution based on information stored in a database.

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 method and apparatus provide for the automatic aggregation of network management information in spatial, temporal and functional forms. Management information relating to a network is automatically aggregated by computational means in the form of a attribute name-value pair which is stored in an Aggregation Managed Object (AMO). The aggregation of network management information in the form of an AMO supports the spatial, temporal and functional aggregations. The AMOs themselves are stored in a database of a special management agent, the Management Aggregation and Visualization Server (MAVS) which allows network managers to access and set network information to and from the different aggregation forms.

Abstract: A messaging system that handles messages of any kind, and a method of operation thereof, in which advanced messaging services can be implemented for multiple users, across multiple mail clients, in a more flexible and less limited fashion than previous messaging systems. The messaging system includes a plurality of messaging entities together having a state. An event supplier detects a change in the state of the messaging entities and generates an event announcement. An event manager receives the event announcement and generates an event notification. An event consumer receives the event notification and examines or manipulates at least one messaging entity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a centralized electronic mail apparatus and method in which a message is sent to each of a subscriber's electronic mail receiving devices. When a sending party wishes to send an electronic mail message to a receiving party, the sending party creates the electronic mail message along with any attachments using his/her user device and sends the electronic mail message to the centralized electronic mail apparatus. The centralized electronic mail apparatus receives the electronic mail message and retrieves profile information from a profile database corresponding to the receiving party. Based on the profile information, the centralized electronic mail device further determines the receiving party's electronic mail receiving devices to which the electronic mail message is to be sent. The centralized electronic mail apparatus further determines the portions of the electronic mail message that are to be sent to each of the electronic mail receiving devices.

Abstract: The apparent speed of a connection between a browser at a user station and a proxy or gateway on a network such as the Internet is increased by providing a local proxy at the user station which interacts with a remote proxy. While the remote proxy is retrieving a newly requested World Wide Web page, for example, from the appropriate content provider, it may also be sending to the local proxy a stale cached version of that page. When the new version of the page is finally retrieved, the remote proxy determines the differences between the new version and the stale version, and, assuming the differences do not exceed the new page in size, sends the differences to the local proxy which then reconstructs the new page from the differences and the stale version. The local proxy delivers the new page to the browser, which need not even be aware that a local proxy exists; it is aware only that it received the page it requested.

Abstract: A messaging system, and method of operation thereof, which supports combinations of directory and mailing list addressing mechanisms. Intended message recipients are specified as declarative addresses, which may include combinations of directory and mailing list information. The messaging system includes a messaging server and an address resolution module. The messaging server receives a message from a sender system and transmits the message to the recipient system. The address resolution module, which is coupled to the messaging server, receives a declarative address associated with the message, resolves the declarative address into at least one messaging address and transmits the at least one messaging address to the messaging server. In one embodiment, a database system may be coupled to the address resolution module to allow address resolution based on information stored in a database.

Abstract: The apparent speed of a connection between a browser at a user station and a proxy or gateway on a network such as the Internet is increased by providing a local proxy at the user station which interacts with a remote proxy. While the remote proxy is retrieving a newly requested World Wide Web page, for example, from the appropriate content provider, it may also be sending to the local proxy a stale cached version of that page. When the new version of the page is finally retrieved, the remote proxy determines the differences between the new version and the stale version, and, assuming the differences do not exceed the new page in size, sends the differences to the local proxy which then reconstructs the new page from the differences and the stale version. The local proxy delivers the new page to the browser, which need not even be aware that a local proxy exists; it is aware only that it received the page it requested.

Abstract: A messaging system, and method of operation thereof, which supports combinations of directory and mailing list addressing mechanisms. Intended message recipients are specified as declarative addresses, which may include combinations of directory and mailing list information. The messaging system includes a messaging server and an address resolution module. The messaging server receives a message from a sender system and transmits the message to the recipient system. The address resolution module, which is coupled to the messaging server, receives a declarative address associated with the message, resolves the declarative address into at least one messaging address and transmits the at least one messaging address to the messaging server. In one embodiment, a database system may be coupled to the address resolution module to allow address resolution based on information stored in a database.

Abstract: A caching scheme for spatially distributed databases in which a central database maintains all information to be stored. A plurality of local databases include copies of the information stored in the central database. For each data record in the central database, there is at most one copy of the data record in the set of local databases.The caching scheme includes a method for serving database requests in which a service request is made to a first local database located in the area from which the request originates. If the first local database fails to service the request, the central database services the request. After serving the request, a second local database that contains the data record is identified and the data record therein is destroyed. A new copy is written to the first local database.

Abstract: A method of processing transaction charges from continuing billing arrangements that allows such charges to continue to be authorized after the account number to which the charges are directed has been invalidated, such as would result if the account number related to a credit or debit card that was lost, stolen or expired, or to a checking or savings account that was closed or transferred. A security key is used to indicate charges that are to be authorized after the account number has been invalidated. Charges that include the key are authorized, while charges that do not include the key are rejected.

Abstract: An analyzer system that analyzes a plurality of co-evolving time sequences to, for example, perform correlation or outlier detection on the time sequences. The plurality of co-evolving time sequences comprise a delayed time sequence and one or more known time sequences. A goal is to predict the delayed value given the available information. The plurality of time sequences have a present value and (N-1) past values, where N is the number of samples (time-ticks) of each time sequence. The analyzer system receives the plurality of co-evolving time sequences and determines a window size ("w"). The analyzer then assigns the delayed time sequence as a dependent variable and the present value of a subset of the known time sequences, and the past values of the subset of known time sequences and the delayed time sequence, as a plurality of independent variables. Past values delayed by up to "w" steps are considered.

Abstract: The present invention is a messaging system, and method of operation thereof, which provides message recipients with control over the delivery of message and charges the cost of a message to the sender of the message. A message is received at a messaging server from a sender system, the message including an indication of a recipient system. A notification message is transmitted to the recipient system, allowing the message recipient to determine whether they desire the message to be delivered. If so, an activation message is received from the recipient system and the message is transmitted to the recipient system. A charge for the message is assessed to the sender of the message. The message is stored in the messaging server until the activation message is received. At least a portion of the assessed charge may be credited or debited to the recipient of the message.

Abstract: A data base system buffers incoming records according to destination in the disk or non-volatile memory. The data is compressed and transferred to disk when sufficient data has been accumulated for a particular disk destination. Techniques for compressing the compression dictionary as well as the data stream are described.

Abstract: A distributed database management computer system includes a plurality of nodes and a plurality of database pages. When a first node in the computer system updates a first database page, the first node generates a log record. The first node determines whether it manages the first database page. If the first node determines that it manages the first database page, the first node writes the log record to a log storage local to the first node. However, if the first node determines that it does not manage the first database page, the first node then determines whether it includes a local log storage. If the first node includes a local log storage, the first node writes the log record to the local log storage, even if the first node does not manage the first database page. If the first node does not include a local log storage, the first node sends the log record to a second node managing the first database page.

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for maintaining a log of incoming records for a database system. Seek points are inserted into the compressed data log in a manner that allows recovery to start from a specified point without a need for decompressing earlier portions of the log. The initial block of data is used as the compression dictionary. A new compression sequence using the same initial compression dictionary is started at each seek point.