Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention allow concurrent accesses to a cache. A request to update an object stored in a cache is received. A first data structure comprising a new value for the object is created in response to receiving the request. A cache pointer is atomically modified to point to the first data structure. A second data structure comprising an old value for the cached object is maintained until a process, which holds a pointer to the old value of the cached object, at least one of one of ends and indicates that the old value is no longer needed.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention allow concurrent accesses to a cache. A request to update an object stored in a cache is received. A first data structure comprising a new value for the object is created in response to receiving the request. A cache pointer is atomically modified to point to the first data structure. A second data structure comprising an old value for the cached object is maintained until a process, which holds a pointer to the old value of the cached object, at least one of one of ends and indicates that the old value is no longer needed.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for processing requests in a data processing system. While the principles of the invention are not limited to a particular domain, they are particularly suitable for use in an electronic trading system. By way of example of one aspect of the invention, a method for directing requests to at least one node in a system comprising multiple nodes and a plurality of requests comprises associating a number to each request, assigning at least one number to each node so as to balance a load across the nodes, and sending a request to a node based on the number associated to the request. Various other aspects are disclosed.

Abstract: A method for dynamically converting electronically encoded HTML document from a text format to an image format. The method includes receiving a request for the content from a client, obtaining the content in text format, determining a content creation preference, and converting the content in text format to content in the image format according to the content creation preference. The method includes replying to the request, wherein the reply includes the content in the image format. The method applies a watermark to the content in the image format according to a watermarking preference. The method generates an image map in accordance with a mapping preference, wherein the image map relates selectable spatial display coordinates to external document identifiers.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention allow concurrent accesses to a cache. A request to update an object stored in a cache is received. A first data structure comprising a new value for the object is created in response to receiving the request. A cache pointer is atomically modified to point to the first data structure. A second data structure comprising an old value for the cached object is maintained until a process, which holds a pointer to the old value of the cached object, at least one of one of ends and indicates that the old value is no longer needed.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention manage concurrent accesses to a resource in a parallel computing environment. A plurality of locks is assigned to manage concurrent access to a plurality of parts of a resource. A usage of at least one of the plurality of parts of the resource is monitored. The assignment of the plurality of locks to the plurality of parts of the resource is modified based on the usage that has been monitored.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention manage concurrent accesses to a resource in a parallel computing environment. A plurality of locks is assigned to manage concurrent access to a plurality of parts of a resource. A usage of at least one of the plurality of parts of the resource is monitored. The assignment of the plurality of locks to the plurality of parts of the resource is modified based on the usage that has been monitored.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention manage multiple requests to allocate real world resources in a multi-user environment. A set of resource availability information is stored in a first durable data file for each resource in a plurality of resources provided by a database environment. The database environment is shared between a plurality of users. A decision context is associated with a second durable data file. The decision context is associated with a user interacting with the database environment. The decision context exists for a defined duration of time. A least one resource is determined to have been temporarily allocated to the decision context for the defined duration of time. The second durable data file is updated to indicate that the at least one resource has been temporarily allocated to the decision context. The first durable data file is updated to indicate that the at least one resource is currently unavailable.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention manage multiple requests to allocate real world resources in a multi-user environment. A request for interacting with a database environment comprising records of allocations of a plurality of resources is received from a user in a plurality of users. The database environment is shared between the plurality of users. A set of action choices available for the request is provided to the user via the user interface. A set of resources required by each action choice is identified. The set of resources is associated with a decision context. The decision context exists for a period of time. The set of resources are allocated to the user for a duration of the decision context. The allocating prevents the set of resources from being allocated to other users for the duration of the decision context irrespective of a set of actions performed by the other users.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present invention provide a system for caching information in a multi-process environment. The system includes a processor. A shared memory is communicatively coupled to the processor. The shared memory includes a set of data. A writer process is communicatively coupled to the shared memory. The write process reads and updates the set of data. A plurality of reader processes is communicatively coupled to the shared memory. Each reader process reads at least part of the set of data directly from the shared memory and sends a set of update information to the writer process. The writer process then updates the set of data stored in the shared memory based on the set of update information.

Abstract: Automated techniques are disclosed for minimizing communication between nodes in a system comprising multiple nodes for executing requests in which a request type is associated with a particular node. For example, a technique comprises the following steps. Information is maintained about frequencies of compound requests received and individual requests comprising the compound requests. For a plurality of request types which frequently occur in a compound request, the plurality of request types is associated to a same node. As another example, a technique for minimizing communication between nodes, in a system comprising multiple nodes for executing a plurality of applications, comprises the steps of maintaining information about an amount of communication between said applications, and using said information to place said applications on said nodes to minimize communication among said nodes.

Abstract: A reservation management system includes at least one processing node that includes a memory and a processor. The at least one processing node further includes a set of reservation processing and transaction modules that manage and process reservation requests and inquiries. At least one general purpose database is communicatively coupled to the at least one processing node. The at least one general purpose database includes a set of pre-allocated tables of fixed length records. At least one persistent storage device is communicatively coupled to the at least one processing node. The general purpose database persistently stores the set of pre-allocated tables of fixed length records on the at least one persistent storage device.

Abstract: A technique for delivering content in a client-server system based on a request received at a computing device from a client includes determining a current load on a next-level computing device of a hierarchy. When this current load is such that a response time for delivery of the request from the next-level computing device would increase above a given threshold, a client type associated with the request is checked and, when the client type indicates that the client is below a given priority level, content to be delivered to the client in response to the request is personalized at the receiving computing device. When the current load is such that the response time would not increase above a given threshold, the request is sent from the receiving computing device to the next-level computing device and the content to be delivered is personalized at the next-level computing device.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for improved serving of content in a distributed data network. In one aspect of the invention, a technique for delivering content in a client-server system based on a request from a client comprises the following steps/operations. The request is obtained. A performance characteristic of at least one server or at least one cache of the client-server system is determined. Then, a level of data accuracy to be delivered to the client in response to the request is determined. The data accuracy determination is based on: (i) the determined performance characteristic of the at least one server or the at least one cache; and (ii) at least one preference associated with the client. The performance characteristic may comprise a load of the at least one server or the at least one cache. The level of data accuracy may comprise a level of personalization to be delivered to the client in response to the request.

Abstract: Automated techniques are disclosed for coordinating request or transaction processing in a data processing system. For example, a technique for handling compound requests, in a system comprising multiple nodes for executing requests in which an individual request is associated with a particular node, comprises the following steps. A compound request comprising at least two individual requests associated with a same node is received. It is determined if both of the at least two individual requests are executable. The compound request is executed if it is determined that all individual requests of the compound request can execute.

Abstract: Automated techniques are disclosed for coordinating request or transaction processing in a data processing system. For example, a technique for handling requests in a data processing system comprises the following steps. A compound request comprising at least two individual requests of different types is received. An individual request r1 of the compound request is placed on a queue for requests of type t1, wherein t1 is the request type of r1. After r1 has reached the front of the queue, it is determined if at least one individual request of said compound request can execute. The compound request is executed if it is determined that all individual requests of the compound request can execute.

Abstract: Improved techniques are disclosed for processing transactions or requests in a data processing system. For example, a method for processing requests in a system including a plurality of nodes includes the following steps. At least two nodes of the plurality of nodes receive a plurality of requests. The two nodes exchange information to determine an order for processing requests. The two nodes process the requests in accordance with the order. The order may include a total order or a partial order.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for rendering modality-independent scripts (e.g., intent-based markup scripts) in a multi-modal environment, whereby a user can interact with an application using a plurality of modalities (e.g., speech and GUI) with I/O events being automatically synchronized over the plurality of modalities presented. In one aspect, immediate synchronized rendering of the modality-independent document in each of the supported modalities is provided. In another aspect, deferred rendering and presentation of intent-based scripts to an end user is provided, wherein a speech markup language script (such as a VoiceXML document) is generated from the modality-independent script and rendered (via, e.g., VoiceXML browser) at a later time.

Abstract: A method for providing customized information in a computer processing system includes the step of defining at least one rule for one of creating and retrieving at least one customized block of data. At least one customizable template is created which includes at least one reference to the at least one rule and at least one offset that specifies at least one position at which the at least one customized block is inserted into the at least one customizable template. The at least one customized block is inserted into the at least one customizable template at the at least one position specified by the at least one offset. The customized block, the customizable template, and/or the rule may be pre-stored in a cache of the computer processing system. The customized block may also be dynamically created.

Abstract: A system and method for caching objects using a cost-based publish and subscribe paradigm, wherein a server computing node determines whether a given cache node should receive a cache update based on, e.g., the cost of sending the update. In one aspect, a method for maintaining objects in a cache comprises the steps of issuing a subscription for an object, maintaining a metric for the object; and determining, based on the metric, whether a cache is to receive an update message associated with the object. The metric is preferably correlated with one or more factors such as an importance factor of maintaining the cached copy of the object current, the cost of the sending the update message, and/or the estimated lifetime of the object.