Abstract: An encryption key matrix has rows grouped into segments, with a set of one segment per column establishing a slot. Slots are assigned to device manufacturers, with the keys of the slots then being assigned to decryption devices made by the respective manufacturer. In generating the slots, the number “q” of segments in a column is first defined such that a predetermined maximum number of devices can be revoked devices (in that all the keys held by the device are revoked) while ensuring that a good device remains a functional device with a probability of at least (1?Q), wherein Q is a predefined device confidence. Once the number “q” of segments has been defined, the slots themselves are defined in a provably non-discriminatory fashion using an error-correcting code such as a Reed-Solomon code.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for selectively making information available to groups of parties amongst a plurality of parties. Public keys that may be descriptive, such as a simple name or part of a name, are generated and published. Random suffixes or keys, which are random both in nature and in appearance, are generated, combined with public keys and distributed to members of groups selected to have access to secure data identified by a particular secure key. The random suffixes may be combined with the public keys to form a URL that appears to be simultaneously random and descriptive. Secure keys may be changed periodically, replacing the random suffix portion with a newly generated random suffix. Secure keys may be encryption keys derived from randomly generated decryption keys.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system and method for instructing a computer program to self-optimize comprising inputting commands into the computer program and allowing a learning protocol in the computer program to determine an approximately optimal policy of operation of the computer program based on the commands. The commands comprise operational choices for the computer program to select from including an approximately optimal choice for optimizing the operation of the program. The commands comprise a selection command for selecting any function in a list of instructions inputted into the program, wherein the function provides a basis of making an approximately optimal choice. Additionally, the commands comprise a rule command for instructing the computer program of how to make an approximately optimal choice. Moreover, the commands comprise a reward command for instructing the program which of the operational choices results in an approximately optimal choice for optimizing the operation of the computer program.

Abstract: A system and method that utilize a scheduling algorithm to profile the seek operation of an I/O command based on its available rotational time, for improving the average command access time and hence the disk drive throughput. The seek profile of a command is adjusted so that the seek operation is performed in a servo dual mode: a conservative mode at a slower seek velocity, and an aggressive mode at a higher seek velocity. The scheduling algorithm reorders the I/O commands based on the seek length from the current command to the next command, and on the rotational distance that reflects the rotational time. If the rotational time for a particular command is long relative to its seek length, the seek operation is performed in the conservative mode with a very high probability of success within the available time.

Abstract: A system and method for improving the effectiveness of web advertising by allowing a user to return and request a previously displayed ad that appeals to the user. Generally, the system employs an intelligent browser cache maintained within a user's terminal to keep web pages in cache and maintain information about hyperlinks contained therein. Furthermore, the system allows for the storing of ads in a bookmark memory without clicking on the ads. The bookmark memory is either permanently maintained or temporarily stored for a predetermined time period at the user's terminal to allow the user view all the stored ads at a later time. The system further includes an algorithm for computing the differences between previously visited pages stored in the intelligent browser cache and a new page in terms of their hyperlinks.

Abstract: A method and system for representing database and query information for multiple windows, includes defining an interval hash tree as a two-way interval tree, constructing a first interval hash tree for database windows, constructing a second interval hash tree for query windows, and matching the second and first interval hash trees node by node.

Abstract: A system for automating data partitioning in a parallel database includes plural nodes connected in parallel. Each node includes a database server and two databases connected thereto. Each database server includes a query optimizer. Moreover, a partitioning advisor communicates with the database server and the query optimizer. The query optimizer and the partitioning advisor include a program for recommending and evaluating data table partitions that are useful for processing a workload of query statements. The data table partitions are recommended and evaluated without requiring the data tables to be physically repartitioned.

Abstract: Encrypted e-mails that reside in e-mail service providers servers or a gateway machines can be compromised and deciphered with advances in technology for breaking encryption codes. Significant security can be achieved by encrypting the message, splitting message, and transmitting the individual fragments via a set of unique e-mail servers. At the receivers end, the message can be reconstructed from the individual pieces and then decrypted and displayed to the recipient.

Abstract: A program product and method of compiling a computer program to optimize performance of a computer program. First, after initialization, a profiling run is done on computer code which may include program code blocks and program data. Execution of each computer program step is monitored and each occurrence of each individual code unit is logged, e.g. each instruction block or block of data. Frequently occurring code units are identified periodically as hot blocks. An initial snapshot of hot blocks is logged, e.g., when identified hot blocks exceed an initial block number. Profiling continues until the profiling run is complete, updating identified hot blocks and logging a new current snapshot whenever a current set of identified hot blocks contains a selected percentage of different hot blocks. Snapshots are selected as representative to different program modes. The program is optimized according to program modes.

Abstract: An adaptive replacement cache policy dynamically maintains two lists of pages, a recency list and a frequency list, in addition to a cache directory. The policy keeps these two lists to roughly the same size, the cache size c. Together, the two lists remember twice the number of pages that would fit in the cache. At any time, the policy selects a variable number of the most recent pages to exclude from the two lists. The policy adaptively decides in response to an evolving workload how many top pages from each list to maintain in the cache at any given time. It achieves such online, on-the-fly adaptation by using a learning rule that allows the policy to track a workload quickly and effectively. This allows the policy to balance between recency and frequency in an online and self-tuning fashion, in response to evolving and possibly changing access patterns. The policy is also scan-resistant.

Abstract: A system and method is provided that allows a single user to maintain on the user's personal machine multiple identities for browsing on the Internet and establish multiple reputations corresponding to the multiple identities. The system includes a multiple identity browser that allows a user to create and select from amongst a plurality of identities. The multiple identity browser includes a list of free e-mail web sites for establishing e-mail addresses corresponding to the plurality of identities. The user can also create and store user names and passwords that the user utilizes at various web sites. An automatic cookie management module is provided that manipulates and stores cookie data sets corresponding to each of a plurality of identities in a multiple identity database module. The cookie management module sets the current cookie data set corresponding to the current identity set by the user in the multiple identity browser.

Abstract: A computer-based method and system comprising three data structures: partially ordered data structure (or simply ordered data structure), contiguous list v, and vector p, is used for solving a large sparse triangular system of linear equations which utilizes only the non-zero components of a matrix to solve large sparse triangular linear equations and generates explicitly only the non-zero entries of the solution. A list of the row indices of the known non-zero values of x which require further processing is stored in the ordered data structure. Actual non-zero values of x are stored in the contiguous list v and the corresponding pointers to the location of these values are stored in the vector p. The computer-based method manipulates these three matrices to find a solution to an upper or lower sparse triangular system of linear equations.

Abstract: A digital pen that has an ink writing tip includes a laser on a pen body that directs light toward paper across which the writing tip is stroked. A CMOS camera or CCD is also mounted on the pen body for detecting reflections of the laser light, referred to as “speckles”. A processor in the pen body determines relative pen motion based on the speckles. A contact sensor such as an FSR on the pen body senses when the tip is pressed against the paper, with positions being recorded on a flash memory in the pen body when the contact sensor indicates that the pen is against the paper. The memory can be later engaged with a handwriting recognition device to correlate the positions to alpha-numeric characters. Ordinary paper can be used, but, if desired, special bar-coded paper can also be used, so that the recorded positions can be tagged with a page number, form field, and absolute position on the page.

Abstract: The present invention provides a smooth ending system for an auction on the Internet. The system randomly selects an end time for the auction by picking an auction duration from a probability distribution, so that bidders have no preferences over the time of bidding. At any given time, assuming that the auction is still in process, there is a fixed probability, independent of the time that has elapsed since the beginning of the auction, that the auction will end within the next time unit.

Abstract: Upon receiving a read command, a disk drive moves a read head to target data and reads the data into a read buffer. In an action called “prefetching”, the drive continues to read nearby data into the read buffer which doubles as a data cache. When another I/O command is present and must be serviced, prefetching is preempted thereby reducing the data read into the cache. Moving the head from the current I/O command to the next I/O command creates a delay comprising two components: seek time and rational latency. Based on the relative values of these components, a time period, less than the entire delay period, is calculated in which prefetching will continue. By continuing prefetching instead of preempting it, the likelihood of cache hits is increased because more data is available in the read buffer. Furthermore, by performing prefetching during part of the otherwise unused delay period, no performance penalty is introduced.

Abstract: A system, method and program product for computer program development. A new computer program to be developed is outlined and the outline organized to identify required modules. Required modules are provided to the system, which categorizes them and posts a list of required modules with corresponding requirements on, for example, a dedicated web site. Module requirements may include module specifications, a corresponding price and a deadline. Software developers intending to participate may provide an intention to submit. If fewer than two developers intend to submit module candidates for one or more required modules, the computer program outline may be reorganized to encourage more participants. For each required module where at least two module candidates are received, the candidates are tested for compliance with corresponding module requirements.

Abstract: A distributed processing system, program product and method of executing a computer program distributed across a plurality of computers. First, interested participants register and provide a commitment for available excess computer capacity. Participants may enter a number of available hours and machine characteristics. A normalized capacity may be derived from the machine characteristics and a normalized excess capacity may be derived from the number of hours committed for the participant. New registrants may be assigned benchmark tasks to indicate likely performance. Parties may purchase capacity for executing large computer programs and searches. The computer program is partitioned into multiple independent tasks of approximately equal size and the tasks are distributed to participants according to available excess capacity. A determination is made whether each distributed task will execute within a selected range of other distributed tasks and, if not, tasks may be reassigned.

Abstract: A system, method and search engine for searching images for data contained therein. Training images are provided and image attributes are extracted from the training images. Attributes extracted from training images include image features characteristic of a particular numerically generated image type, such as horizontal lines, vertical lines, percentage white area, circular arcs and text. Then, the training images are classified according to extracted attributes and a particular classifier is selected for each group of training images. Classifiers can include classification trees, discriminant functions, regression trees, support vector machines, neural nets and hidden Markov models. Available images are collected from remotely connected computers, e.g., over the Internet. Collected images are indexed and provided for interrogation by users. As a user enters queries, indexed images are identified and returned to the user. The user may provide additional data as supplemental data to the extracted image data.

Abstract: A system (100) for searching and retrieving documents includes a database (106), a memory device (108), a user interface device (102) and a controller (104). The database (106) stores documents. The memory device (108) stores software, tokens and an index. The software performs methods according to a background routine (118) and a foreground routine (116). Each token (e.g., speed) has related expressions (e.g., miles per hour, mph, kilometers per hour, and kph) assigned thereto that define the token. The index has documents, having an occurrence of one of the related expressions for one of the tokens, assigned to the one of the tokens. The user interface device (102) accepts and sends search queries having a token and receives information related to the documents, having an occurrence of the related expressions for the token, responsive to a user interface process (120). The controller (104) is electrically coupled to the memory device (108), the user interface device (102) and the database (106).

Abstract: A digital pen that has an ink writing tip includes a laser on a pen body that directs light toward paper across which the writing tip is stroked. A CMOS camera or CCD is also mounted on the pen body for detecting reflections of the laser light, referred to as “speckles”. A processor in the pen body determines relative pen motion based on the speckles. A contact sensor such as an FSR on the pen body senses when the tip is pressed against the paper, with positions being recorded on a flash memory in the pen body when the contact sensor indicates that the pen is against the paper. The memory can be later engaged with a handwriting recognition device to correlate the positions to alpha-numeric characters. Ordinary paper can be used, but, if desired, special bar-coded paper can also be used, so that the recorded positions can be tagged with a page number, form field, and absolute position on the page.