Abstract: In a method of authenticating a package, an origin noise level of the package is determined based upon one or more identifying characteristics, where the origin noise level is a deviation from a normal condition caused by the one or more identifying characteristics. In addition, the package is authenticated based upon the origin noise level of the package.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a source point, or security management entity, within a supply chain labels a shipment to be shipped through the supply chain with numbers, text strings, or other type of label information. Different label information may be placed at each of multiple levels of packaging as well as on objects within the packaging. The source point devises an encryption-key chain via a one-way function, and encrypts combinations of the label information incorporated within the packaging and objects using encryption keys from the encryption-key chain to produce one or more encrypted label tags. The one or more encrypted label tags are affixed to the shipment by the source point, and the shipment is sent into the supply chain for eventual delivery to a destination point. At pre-selected intervals of time, the source point reveals encryption keys within the encryption-key chain.

Abstract: A method of identifying a product includes generating a code unique to the product, said code being provided by a multitude of individual identifiers, applying the multitude of the identifiers of the code to the packaging of the product as a pattern to identify the product. The method also involves applying a sub-set of two or more of the multitude of the identifiers of said code to the product, said sub-set of the multitude of the identifiers of the code being applied so they will be presented in the same pattern order as they appear in the pattern order of the multitude of the identifiers of the code applied to the packaging. The product can be identified with a reasonable likelihood of being a genuine product by determining that a presented pattern order of the sub-set of the multitude of the identifiers applied to the product corresponds to a presented pattern order within the multitude of the identifiers applied to the packaging.

Abstract: In a method for generating a query plan for estimating a number of unique entry counts of an attribute in a database, a sample of entries in the database is identified, at least one of a sampling percent and a coefficient of variance of the entries in the sample is identified, and a skewness of the entries in the sample is calculated. In addition, at least one of a plurality of estimators is selected based upon the skewness of the entries and at least one of the sampling percent and the coefficient of variance of the entries in the sample. Moreover, a query plan is generated from the selected at least one of the plurality of estimators. A query optimizer for performing the method is provided.

Abstract: An integrity checking system includes a tag programming device that generates a plurality of identifiers. Each identifier is associated with either a storage item or an item to be stored by the storage item. The programming device stores each of the identifiers in a plurality of readable tags, each readable tag being adapted to be attached to a corresponding item. A tag reading device reads the identifiers stored in the readable tags and, using only information from the read tags, provides information indicating whether any item supposed to be stored on the storage item is missing from the storage item. Also, methods for storing and reading the identifiers are disclosed along with storing additional information about the items in the tags, such as physical information like weight and/or volume of the items, and then using this information to determine whether any items have been altered.

Abstract: To manage storing of data in a data structure, a particular data value is represented as a group of segments stored in corresponding entries of the data structure. Additional data values represented by corresponding groups of segments are written into the data structure. A probability of overwriting segments representing the particular data value increases as a number of the additional data values increase. A correct version of the particular data value is retrieved even though one or more segments representing the particular data value has been overwritten.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for and a method of data cache management. In accordance with an embodiment, of the present invention, a method of cache management is provided. A request for access to data is received. A sample value is assigned to the request, the sample value being randomly selected according to a probability distribution. The sample value is compared to another value. The data is selectively stored in the cache based on results of the comparison.

Abstract: Data processing apparatus comprising: a chunk store containing specimen data chunks, a manifest store containing a plurality of manifests, each of which represents at least a part of a data set and each of which comprises at least one reference to at least one of said specimen data chunks, a sparse chunk index containing information on only some specimen data chunks, the processor being operable to: process input data into input data chunks; identify manifests having at least one reference to one of said specimen data chunks that corresponds to one of said input data chunks and on which there is information contained in the sparse chunk index; and prioritize the identified manifests for subsequent operation.

Abstract: Data processing apparatus comprising: a chunk store containing specimen data chunks, a manifest store containing at least one manifest that represents at least a part of a data set and that comprises at least one reference to at least one of said specimen data chunks, a sparse chunk index containing information on only those specimen data chunks having a predetermined characteristic, the processing apparatus being operable to process input data into input data chunks and to use the sparse chunk index to identify at least one of said at least one manifest that includes at least one reference to one of said specimen data chunks that corresponds to one of said input data chunks having the predetermined characteristic.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to determining an approximate number of instances of an item for an organization. According to one embodiment, instances of items that reside on computer systems associated with the organization are determined. Instances of the same item can reside on different computers and an identification uniquely identifies an item. Random numbers are associated with identifications of the items. An approximate number of instances of the item is determined based on a highest random number associated with the item. The highest random number is the highest of the random numbers that were generated for the instances of the item.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention pertain to determining a subset of documents from which a particular document was derived. According to one embodiment, similarity measurements indicating similarities between contents of documents are received. A subset of the documents that the particular document was derived from is determined based on dates the documents were created and the similarity measurements without requiring document tracking information to be associated with the documents to determine the subset.

Abstract: A system for distinguishing a package includes a plurality of identifiers, where at least one of the identifiers is intentionally non-functional. The system also includes an identifier indicator that indicates the identity of the at least one of the identifiers that is intentionally non-functional. In addition, the identifier indicator is stored on at least one of the package and a database and is accessible by a user to authenticate the package.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating an error correction code used in communicating over a channel, includes generating a set of candidate circulant blocks corresponding to a parity check matrix and a Hamming code wherein the Hamming code is initially unable to detect a predetermined error pattern without ambiguity due to one or more redundancies and eliminating columns of the parity check matrix and related redundancies in the detection of a predetermined error pattern as used by the resulting Hamming code.

Abstract: An integrity checking system includes a tag programming device that generates a plurality of identifiers. Each identifier is associated with either a storage item or an item to be stored by the storage item. The programming device stores each of the identifiers in a plurality of readable tags, each readable tag being adapted to be attached to a corresponding item. A tag reading device reads the identifiers stored in the readable tags and, using only information from the read tags, provides information indicating whether any item supposed to be stored on the storage item is missing from the storage item. Also, methods for storing and reading the identifiers are disclosed along with storing additional information about the items in the tags, such as physical information like weight and/or volume of the items, and then using this information to determine whether any items have been altered.

Abstract: A system for distinguishing a package includes a plurality of identifiers, where at least one of the identifiers is intentionally non-functional. The system also includes an identifier indicator that indicates the identity of the at least one of the identifiers that is intentionally non-functional. In addition, the identifier indicator is stored on at least one of the package and a database and is accessible by a user to authenticate the package.

Abstract: A path-based identifier is provided. An entity identifier is generated at an entity of a supply chain and the entity identifier is based on a reliability of the entity of the supply chain at which the entity identifier is generated. In addition, an updated path-based identifier is stored based on a predetermined function, where the entity identifier is an input to the predetermined function.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of identifying a product involving generating a code unique to the product, said code being provided by a multitude of individual identifiers, applying the multitude of the identifiers of the code to the packaging of the product as a pattern to identify the product. The method also involves applying a sub-set of two or more of the multitude of the identifiers of said code to the product, said sub-set of the multitude of the identifiers of the code being applied so they will be presented in the same pattern order as they appear in the pattern order of the multitude of the identifiers of the code applied to the packaging. The product can be identified with a reasonable likelihood of being a genuine product by determining that a presented pattern order of the sub-set of the multitude of the identifiers applied to the product corresponds to a presented pattern order within the multitude of the identifiers applied to the packaging.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a source point in a supply chain generates a secret and devises a secret sharing scheme that parcels the secret into a number of secret shares. The source point retains at least one secret share, and distributes the remaining secret shares to trusted, intermediate points in the supply chain. The source point then ships a shipment comprising are least one object, and frequently including at least one level of packaging, to a destination point in the supply chain, labeling the object or objects and/or packaging enclosing the object or objects with the retained secret share. Each intermediate point incorporates the secret share obtained by the intermediate point from the source point into the object, packaging enclosing the object, or a label on the object or packaging.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a source point, or security management entity, within a supply chain labels a shipment to be shipped through the supply chain with numbers, text strings, or other type of label information. Different label information may be placed at each of multiple levels of packaging as well as on objects within the packaging. The source point devises an encryption-key chain via a one-way function, and encrypts combinations of the label information incorporated within the packaging and objects using encryption keys from the encryption-key chain to produce one or more encrypted label tags. The one or more encrypted label tags are affixed to the shipment by the source point, and the shipment is sent into the supply chain for eventual delivery to a destination point. At pre-selected intervals of time, the source point reveals encryption keys within the encryption-key chain.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention, a source point of a supply chain secures shipment of an object by devising an encryption key and encrypting a message using the encryption key to produce an encrypted message. A portion or portions of the encryption key and the encrypted message are included or incorporated within the object to be shipped, packaging surrounding the object, and/or labels affixed to the object or packaging, prior to shipping the object to a destination point within the supply chain. Upon receipt of the object from the supply chain, the destination point can extract the portion or portions of the encryption key and the encrypted message from the object, packaging surrounding the object, and/or labels affixed to the object or packaging, obtain the remaining portion of the encryption key directly from the source point, reassemble the encryption key, and decrypt the encrypted message to produce a computed message.