Abstract: Systems and methods for deleting non-key values from an index distributed over a plurality of computing devices maintains a non-key master list that includes the non-key values that are stored on each of the plurality of computing devices and receives a list of non-key values to delete. The systems and methods further intersect the list of non-key values to delete with the non-key master list, creating a first delete list for a first one of the plurality of computing devices that includes non-key values to be deleted that are stored on the first computing device. The systems and methods further transmit the first delete list to the first computing device and update the non-key master list based on the list of non-key values to delete.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for determining preferences from information mashups and, in particular, a system and method for constructing a ranked list from multiple sources. In an exemplary embodiment, the system and method tunably combines multiple ranked lists by computing a score for each item within the list, wherein the score is a function of the associated rank of the item within the list. In one exemplary embodiment, the function is equal to 1/(n^(1/p)), where p is a tuning parameter that enables selection between responsiveness in the combined ranking to one candidate ranked highly in one source versus responsiveness in the combined ranking to a candidate with lower but broader support among the various sources ranking the candidates.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for determining sizing of chunk portions in data de-duplication. The method chunks input data into segments where each segment has a first size, assigns an identifier to each of the data segments, assigns an index to each of the identifiers, creates a suffix structure and a longest common prefix structure from the indexes, detects repeated sequences of indexes and non-repeated indexes from the suffix structure and the longest common prefix structure, determines a second size based on said detected repeated sequences and non-repeated indexes, and chunks the input data into a second plurality of data segments each having the second size.

Abstract: The present invention provides a processor-implemented method and system of printing a plurality of electronic documents on a computer printer, where the printer is logically coupled to a plurality of computer systems. In an exemplary embodiment, the method and system include (1) bundling requests for printing a set of the documents from at least one user of at least one of the computer systems, where the bundling includes (a) delaying each of the requests by a certain amount of time and (b) reordering a print queue so that the documents from the user form a contiguous set of documents from the user, (2) outputting one cover sheet from the printer for the contiguous set, and (3) printing the contiguous set on the printer.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for determining sizing of chunk portions in data de-duplication. The method chunks input data into segments where each segment has a first size, assigns an identifier to each of the data segments, assigns an index to each of the identifiers, creates a suffix structure and a longest common prefix structure from the indexes, detects repeated sequences of indexes and non-repeated indexes from the suffix structure and the longest common prefix structure, determines a second size based on said detected repeated sequences and non-repeated indexes, and chunks the input data into a second plurality of data segments each having the second size.

Abstract: A system and method for determining preferences from information mashups and, in particular, for determining preferences from cross-modality information based on a social welfare function is disclosed. An exemplary embodiment of the invention uses a social welfare function (SWF) to identify a vote computing method from among a group of vote computing methods. The SWF embodies subjective values, e.g. business objectives. The embodiment uses the SWF to identify the vote computing method that combines cross-modality information into a single information mashup in a manner that is most congruent with the subjective values relative to the other vote computing methods. The information mashup may be in the form of a single, merged ranked list.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide a system and method for determining preferences from information mashups and, in particular, a system and method for constructing a ranked list from multiple sources. In an exemplary embodiment, the system and method tunably combines multiple ranked lists by computing a score for each item within the list, wherein the score is a function of the associated rank of the item within the list. In one exemplary embodiment, the function is equal to 1/(n?(1/p)), where p is a tuning parameter that enables selection between responsiveness in the combined ranking to one candidate ranked highly in one source versus responsiveness in the combined ranking to a candidate with lower but broader support among the various sources ranking the candidates.