Abstract: A method for caching data in a hybrid peer-to-peer system comprising a plurality of interconnected peer computers is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of establishing (1702) a performance criterion, arranging (1703) the hybrid peer-to-peer system as a plurality of interconnected hierarchical groups of peers by assigning each of the plurality of peers to at least one group as a first function of the performance criterion, and processing (1704) the data into a plurality of hierarchical data partitions. The method thereafter allocates (1705), as a second function of the performance criterion, each said data partition to at least one of the groups, and caches (1706) each said data partition in at least one peer in the corresponding group.

Abstract: A computer implemented method determines an output path for use in rendering one or more graphical objects, the output path being determined from two or more input paths, based on a predetermined set operation, with each of the input paths having at least one edge, and each of the edges including one or more original segments. The method includes the steps of converting each of the two or more input paths into corresponding simple outline path representations, each of the simple output path representations having one or more of the original segments or parts thereof, and intersecting at least one original segment from one of the simple outline path representations with at least one original segment from at least another one of the simple outline path representations, depending on the predetermined set operation, to select one or more of the original segments or parts thereof to be used in the output path. The selected original segments or parts thereof are combined to determine the output path.

Abstract: A method for caching data in a hybrid peer-to-peer system comprising a plurality of interconnected peer computers is disclosed. The method comprising the steps of establishing (1702) a performance criterion, arranging (1703) the hybrid peer-to-peer system as a plurality of interconnected hierarchical groups of peers by assigning each of the plurality of peers to at least one group as a first function of the performance criterion, and processing (1704) the data into a plurality of hierarchical data partitions. The method thereafter allocates (1705), as a second function of the performance criterion, each said data partition to at least one of the groups, and caches (1706) each said data partition in at least one peer in the corresponding group.

Abstract: A method (400) of determining an output path from two or more input paths, based on a predetermined set operation, is disclosed. Each of the input paths comprises at least one edge, each of the edges comprises one or more original segments. The method (400) converts each of the two or more input paths into corresponding input path representations, each of the input path representations comprising one or more of the original segments or parts thereof. The corresponding input path representations are intersected, depending on the predetermined set operation, to select one or more of the original segments or parts thereof to be used in the output path. The selected original segments or parts thereof are combined to determine the output path.