Abstract: A method and system provides collaborative caching of transformed Web objects in a proxy network. The proxies collaboratively provide a set of object transformations by partitioning the different types of object transformations, and caching the transformed Web objects among proxies in order to reduce duplicate object transformation and caching effort. The transformations may include language translations, currency conversions, units of measure conversions, shipping cost calculations and sales taxes calculations. Other transformations are also possible.

Abstract: In a system including a collection of cooperating cache servers, such as proxy cache servers, a request can be forwarded to a cooperating cache server if the requested object cannot be found locally. An overload condition is detected if for example, due to reference skew, some objects are in high demand by all the clients and the cache servers that contain those hot objects become overloaded due to forwarded requests. In response, the load is balanced by shifting some or all of the forwarded requests from an overloaded cache server to a less loaded one. Both centralized and distributed load balancing environments are described.

Abstract: A dynamic routing of object requests among a collection or cluster of servers factors the caching efficiency of the servers and the load balance or just the load balance. The routing information on server location can be dynamically updated by piggybacking meta information with the request response. To improve the cache hit at the server, the server selection factors the identifier (e.g. URL) of the object requested. A partitioning method can map object identifiers into classes; and requester nodes maintain a server assignment table to map each class into a server selection. The class-to-server assignment table can change dynamically as the workload varies and also factors the server capacity. The requester node need only be informed on an “on-demand” basis on the dynamic change of the class-to-server assignment (and thus reduce communication traffic). In the Internet, the collection of servers can be either a proxy or Web server cluster and can include a DNS and/or TCP-router.

Abstract: A method of analyzing information in the form of a plurality of data values. The plurality of data values represent a plurality of objects. The plurality of data values are distributed in a data space. A set of features which characterize each of the plurality of objects is identified. The plurality of data values are stored in a database. Each of the plurality of data values corresponds to at least one of the plurality of objects based on the set of features. Ones of the plurality of data values stored in the database are partitioned into a plurality of clusters. A respective orientation associated with a position in data space of data values which are contained in each respective cluster of the plurality of clusters is calculated based on the set of features. If desired, information may be analyzed for finding peer groups in e-commerce applications.

Abstract: A computing device has a database replica comprised of a plurality of records. A synchronization request is provided to a further computing device having a further database replica which is comprised of a further plurality of records. A version table maintains version numbers for each of the plurality of records. The version numbers each have a maximum size. The maximum size is selectable. The plurality of records may be synchronized with the further plurality of records based upon the version numbers.

Abstract: A system for the distribution of services, includes a computer device within a vehicle, a vehicle monitoring system coupled to the computer device, a communication system coupled to the computer device for outputting a signal with vehicle monitoring system data, and a remote service center computer device for receiving a signal with vehicle monitoring system data. The method of distributing vehicle maintenance services includes monitoring, by a sensor, a maintenance parameter of the vehicle, communicating the service parameter to a controller, the controller triggering a communications device, sending, by the communications device, a message to a service center, and dispatching, by the service center, a service vehicle based on receiving the signal.

Abstract: An interactive and dynamically customizable guided tour of some portion of the World Wide Web monitors and dynamically adapts in response to like-minded users as well as provides recommendations during the traversal. The invention includes features for: electronic commerce; side trips; true visiting of Web sites; maps; pre-fetching of Web objects; insertion of interactive decision points; customized insertion of advertisements; simultaneous traversal of multiple hyperpaths; collection of and dynamic modification of a tour based on collected route information and/or touring statistics.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus, system, and method for providing reservations for restroom use. In one embodiment, a passenger on an airplane may submit a reservation request to the system for restroom use. The reservation system determines when the request can be accommodated and notifies the passenger when a restroom becomes available. The system improves airline safety by minimizing the time passengers spent standing while an airplane is in flight.

Abstract: A method and system for manipulating or modifying identifiable objects in a standard broadcast or Internet-based multimedia stream according to a control specification and a content specification. Viewers and/or organizations can independently specify acceptable levels of content on multiple dimensions to satisfy the content specification while minimizing the filtering or blocking to the viewers. A “fuzz ball” control specification is provided for masking some portion of a video frame. Several fuzz ball specifications can be overlaid to address multidimensional content specifications or rating systems. The manipulation of the multimedia stream can take place at the client (set-top box or computer), intermediate node, the content server or a combination thereof. Proxy servers can modify content specifications for outgoing requests, enabling organizations to specify intranet-wide policies.

Abstract: A method and a computer program device for pushing data from at least one source entity to at least one client entity over a network, a client entity being characterized as having a particular operating state. The method and computer program device comprise the steps of: transferring data from the at least one source entity to a push proxy entity for subsequent transmission of the data to the client entity; requesting a notification regarding the particular state of the client entity; monitoring a state of the client entity until the client entity is in the particular operating state and sending a notification communicating the state to the push proxy entity; and transferring data to the client entity in response to receiving the notification. The state notification may specify push information, which may be used to determine a least expensive device to which to transfer given data. The state notification also reduces the network-polling load by initiating each poll.

Abstract: A system and method are provided to analyze information stored in a computer data base by detecting clusters of related or correlated data values. Data values stored in the data base represent a set of objects. A data value is stored in the data base as an instance of a set of features that characterize the objects. The features are the dimensions of the feature space of the data base. Each cluster includes not only a subset of related data values stored in the data base but also a subset of features. The data values in a cluster are data values that are a short distance apart, in the sense of a metric, when projected onto a subspace that corresponds to the subset of features of the cluster. A set of k clusters may be detected such that the average number of features of the subsets of features of the clusters is l.

Abstract: A proxy strategy not only caches objects but actively sets update schedules for channel information disseminated from different servers. Based on available bandwidth, this proxy strategy formulates a mathematical function that can be solved to establish the proxy update schedules by maximizing the overall currency of information received by the clients. Clients whose update requests do not result in receiving the most upto-date information for a given channel may also be recorded. After the next scheduled proxy update for a given channel, the proxy actively sends the most up-to-date information for this channel to the recorded clients. The client interest for a given channel is measured based on the client updates the proxy received since last scheduled update for this channel, and the currency of information received by these clients. A dynamic update can be performed by the proxy for channels with high client interest before their respective scheduled updates based on the available bandwidth.

Abstract: Information is analyzed in the form of a plurality of data values that represent a plurality of objects. A set of features that characterize each object of the plurality of objects is identified. The plurality of data values are stored in a database. Each data value corresponds to at least one of the plurality of objects based on the set of features. Ones of the plurality of data values stored in the database are partitioned into a plurality of clusters. Each cluster of the plurality of clusters is assigned to one respective node of a plurality of nodes arranged in a tree hierarchy. Ones of the plurality of nodes of the tree hierarchy are traversed. If desired, information may be analyzed for finding peer groups in e-commerce applications.

Abstract: Method, system and computer program product for collaboratively processing a data object in a client-server hierarchy based on meta-information associated with the object. Processing results are indicated by the server that performed the processing as updates to the meta-information associated with the data object. The PICS protocol may be used to communicate the meta-information. Digital signing and authentication of the object and associated meta-information are also described. Further, servers can determine processing by considering various factors, e.g., their current load condition; if the object is to be multicast; if the object can be cached; and/or if the specified cost and time constraints can be met. The overall processing applied to data objects can be divided between servers based on object types, steps, functions, software packages or versions/releases. Other aspects of the invention are also described.

Abstract: A computerized method of online mining of inference rules in a large database. The method is comprised of two stages, a preprocessing stage followed by an online rule generation stage. The pro-processing stage is further defined to be a two step process that involves the generation of large itemsets. The present method defines large itemsets by how the items in the itemsets relate to each other rather than their level of presence. The measure by which itemsets are said to relate to each other is defined by a computed figure of merit, K1. The first substep of the preprocessing stage involves finding those itemsets that possess a minimum computer collective strength of K1. From those found itemsets, a second user supplied input, K2 is used to prune those itemsets with inference strength below K2.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for identifying and creating persistent object fragments from a named object. For example, a digital content description of a named digital object can be dynamically parsed, and persistent fragment identities created and maintained to facilitate caching. Named digital objects include but are not limited to: Web pages described in XML, SGML, and HTML. The object description is revised by replacing each object fragment with its newly created persistent identity. The revised object description is then sent to the requesting node. Depending upon the properties of a fragment, this can either enable the fragment or the revised object description to be cacheable at the server and/or client device. For example, the object description can include a dynamic part which would otherwise prevent the object from being cached. The dynamic part can be recognized and treated as a separate fragment from the object description.

Abstract: The rate staggering technique for efficient storage and retrieval of video data is embodied in a data processing system including a disk array based video server, which includes a disk array for storing video data, a processor for processing data, a memory buffer for storing video data and a rate staggering controller. Data is transferred to a network from video server through a network interface and from the network to client stations employing devices having differing resolution capabilities. The processor executes tasks under control of the rate staggering controller. These tasks include a retrieval task which retrieves scalable video from the array of disks, a storage task which stores videos temporarily in the memory buffer, and a transmission task which transmits video to client stations through the network.

Abstract: A method of analyzing information in the form of a plurality of data records. Each data record includes one or more data values. The data values are partitioned into a plurality of data signatures. Data values of data signatures are compared to data values of data records. Based on the result of the comparison an index is associated with each data record. A bound corresponding to the index is calculated based on a user defined target value and an objective function. If desired, information may be analyzed for finding peer groups in e-commerce applications.

Abstract: A method and system for improving load balancing in a file server is disclosed. The method includes determining the existence of an overload condition on a storage device, the storage device having a plurality of retrieval streams accessing at least one file thereon; selecting a first retrieval stream reading a file; replicating a portion of said file being read by said first retrieval stream onto a second storage device; and reading the replicated portion of said file on said second storage device with a retrieval stream capable of accessing the replicated portion of said file. The method and system enables the dynamic replication of data objects to respond to fluctuating user demand. The method and system is particularly useful in file servers such as multimedia servers delivering continuously in real time large multimedia files such as movies.

Abstract: A communications system and method include an efficient cache invalidation technique which allows a computer to relocate and to disconnect without informing the server. The server partitions the entire database into a number of groups. The server also dynamically identifies recently updated objects in a group and excludes them from the group when checking the validity of the group. If these objects have already been included in the most recent invalidation broadcast, the remote computer can invalidate them in its cache before checking the group validity with the server. With the recently updated objects excluded from a group, the server can conclude that the cold objects in the group can be retained in the cache, and validate the rest of the group.