Abstract: A computer-implemented method for processing a transaction may include, upon receiving a transaction change request, operating a coordinator to generate a unique transaction identifier for the transaction request, send a data change request along with the unique transaction identifier to sources, and store the unique transaction identifier along with a respective first change count in a transaction status table. The method may also include, upon receiving a query, operating a given source to determine from the transaction status table, a second change count of sources associated with the unique transaction identifier, determine whether the second change count matches the first change count for each source, and when the first and second change counts match in each of the other sources, read data associated with the query from the given source and each source.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for processing a transaction may include, upon receiving a transaction change request, operating a coordinator to generate a unique transaction identifier for the transaction request, send a data change request along with the unique transaction identifier to sources having respective source identifiers, and store the unique transaction identifier along with the respective source identifiers in a transaction status table. The computer-implemented method may further include, upon receiving a query, operating a given source to determine from the transaction status table, any other sources associated with the unique transaction identifier, determine whether the unique transaction identifier is in each of the other sources, and when the unique transaction identifier is in each of the other sources, read data associated with the query from the given source and each of the other sources.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for processing a transaction may include, upon receiving a transaction change request, operating a coordinator to generate a unique transaction identifier for the transaction request, send a data change request along with the unique transaction identifier to sources, and store the unique transaction identifier along with a respective first change count in a transaction status table. The method may also include, upon receiving a query, operating a given source to determine from the transaction status table, a second change count of sources associated with the unique transaction identifier, determine whether the second change count matches the first change count for each source, and when the first and second change counts match in each of the other sources, read data associated with the query from the given source and each source.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for processing a transaction may include, upon receiving a transaction change request, operating a coordinator to generate a unique transaction identifier for the transaction request, send a data change request along with the unique transaction identifier to sources having respective source identifiers, and store the unique transaction identifier along with the respective source identifiers in a transaction status table. The computer-implemented method may further include, upon receiving a query, operating a given source to determine from the transaction status table, any other sources associated with the unique transaction identifier, determine whether the unique transaction identifier is in each of the other sources, and when the unique transaction identifier is in each of the other sources, read data associated with the query from the given source and each of the other sources.

Abstract: Provided are techniques for partitioning a physical index into one or more physical partitions; assigning each of the one or more physical partitions to a node in a cluster of nodes; for each received document, assigning an assigned-doc-ID comprising an integer document identifier; and, in response to assigning the assigned-doc-ID to a document, determining a cut-off of assignment of new documents to a current virtual-index-epoch comprising a first set of physical partitions and placing the new documents into a new virtual-index-epoch comprising a second set of physical partitions by inserting each new document to a specific one of the physical partitions in the second set using one or more functions that direct the placement based on one of the assigned-doc-id, a field value derived from a set of fields obtained from the document, and a combination of the assigned-doc-id and the field value.

Abstract: Described herein are methods, systems, apparatuses and products for multithreaded data merging for multi-core central and graphical processing units. An aspect provides for executing a plurality of threads on at least one central processing unit comprising a plurality of cores, each thread comprising an input data set (IDS) and being executed on one of the plurality of cores; initializing at least one local data set (LDS) comprising a size and a threshold; inserting IDS data elements into the at least one LDS such that each inserted IDS data element increases the size of the at least one LDS; and merging the at least one LDS into a global data set (GDS) responsive to the size of the at least one LDS being greater than the threshold. Other aspects are disclosed herein.

Abstract: An information processing system includes at least two processors sharing a common instruction set and address space. One processor at a time is active and executes program instructions. The active processor is placed into a sleep mode in which a current machine state is saved in the shared address space and instruction execution is suspended. A different processor becomes active and resumes instruction execution using the previously saved current machine state. The sleep mode is used to effectively pass control from one processor to another. In a specific embodiment, the currently active processor will resume operation after a sleep mode unless the user overrides that default selection. In another specific embodiment, the currently active processor selects which processor will become active following a sleep mode transition.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for providing transaction control for a computer-implemented database management system. The database management system manages one or more databases, wherein each of the databases contains one or more documents and each document contains one or more objects. The database management system also supports a file cache for those databases. A transaction control system provides transaction control for the databases, documents, and objects managed by the database management system, wherein the transaction control system monitors and controls the file cache to ensure that modified objects are stored on a data storage device in manner that reflects an accurate status for a log file maintained by the transaction control system.

Abstract: Dynamically transforming transfer parameters for a media object to allow efficient transmission of the object from a first system to a second system. The transformer may receive transfer feedback and is configured such that it dynamically modifies system constraints or object formatting to overcome system limitations which may slow the transfer. The invention may be integrated into an internet service provider's (ISP) system structure and used to dynamically determine the transfer parameters between the ISP and the end-user. After the ISP accesses a requested internet site and its web site server, a media object from the web site is transferred to the ISP. The ISP transfers the information to the end-user and, during the transfer, receives system feedback regarding bandwidth availability, performance, information latency, and other items of interest. Using this feedback, transfer parameters are automatically selected to increase efficiency of system resources for subsequent media transfers.

Abstract: A cursor on a graphics display is controlled by a cursor control device including a tactile generator. The tactile generator is activated when the cursor is located at a graphics object that has been determined to be interesting, and that has a size which bears a predetermined relationship to the speed of the cursor, provided an update time has elapsed since the time of the last tactile activation of the cursor control device.

Abstract: A system and method are provided, for use with a computer graphical user interface (GUI) system, for giving the user help information associated with displayed symbols, such as icons representing data objects, applications, etc. For a given icon or other symbol, a plurality of different images are provided. When help is invoked, such as in response to a user moving the display cursor onto the icon, the plurality of help images are displayed. The images may represent a sequence of actions the user is to take, in order to make use of the object represented by the icon. The images are then displayed in time sequence. The images may then include reminder images of what had taken place prior to the image currently being displayed. Alternatively, the images may represent a set of alternative uses to which the user may put the object.

Abstract: A pointer system provides multiple display pointers that can be created and identified by a computer user such that each pointer is associated with a particular application and location within an application. A user can recall respective pointers and pointer locations by selecting a pointer identifier. One or more of the pointers can be defined as anchored pointers, which are associated with one or more user actions. The user actions can comprise a variety of functions, including mouse button clicks. In this way, a user can define anchored pointers and carry out a string of user actions by selecting the identifying character of an anchored pointer.

Abstract: Images in an image database are searched in response to queries which include the visual characteristics of the images such as colors, textures, shapes, and sizes, as well as by textual tags appended to the images. Queries are constructed in an image query construction area in response to values of representations of the visual characteristics and to locations of the representations in the image query construction area.

Abstract: A pointer system provides multiple display pointers that can be created and identified by a computer user such that each pointer is associated with a particular application and location within an application. A user can recall respective pointers and pointer locations by selecting a pointer identifier. One or more of the pointers can be defined as anchored pointers, which are associated with one or more user actions. The user actions can comprise a variety of functions, including mouse button clicks. In this way, a user can define anchored pointers and carry out a string of user actions by selecting the identifying character of an anchored pointer.