Abstract: An arrangement for adapting statistical parsers to new data using a mathematical transform, particularly a Markov transform. In particular, it is assumed that an initial statistical parser is available and a batch of new data is given. The initial model is mapped to a new model by a Markov matrix, each of whose rows sums to one. In the unsupervised setup, where “true” parses are missing, the transform matrix is obtained by maximizing the log likelihood of the parses of test data decoded using the model before adaptation. The proposed algorithm can be applied to supervised adaptation, as well.

Abstract: An encoding device (200) includes an MDCT unit (202) that transforms an input signal in a time domain into a frequency spectrum including a lower frequency spectrum, a BWE encoding unit (204) that generates extension data which specifies a higher frequency spectrum at a higher frequency than the lower frequency spectrum, and an encoded data stream generating unit (205) that encodes to output the lower frequency spectrum obtained by the MDCT unit (202) and the extension data obtained by the BWE encoding unit (204). The BWE encoding unit (204) generates as the extension data (i) a first parameter which specifies a lower subband which is to be copied as the higher frequency spectrum from among a plurality of the lower subbands which form the lower frequency spectrum obtained by the MDCT unit (202) and (ii) a second parameter which specifies a gain of the lower subband after being copied.

Abstract: A scalable audio codec processes, quantizes and encodes audio signals into an embedded audio bitstream of bit-planes each having a data unit. The data unit has a beginning refinement bits partition, a second significance bits partition, a third sign boundary mark bits partition, and a fourth sign bits partition. The second and fourth partitions form a boundary for the third partition. The quantizing uses a variable length coding algorithm. The third partition is an invalid codeword for a predetermined encoding method being used to encode. The codec uses a decoder to decode the embedded audio bitstream of bit-planes using Reversible exponential Golomb (Exp-Golomb) codes in a Reversible Variable Length Code (RVLC) algorithm to produce quantized data of weighted subbands. An inverse quantizer dequantizes the quantized data into audio signals.

Abstract: A method for objective speech quality assessment that accounts for phonetic contents, speaking styles or individual speaker differences by distorting speech signals under speech quality assessment. By using a distorted version of a speech signal, it is possible to compensate for different phonetic contents, different individual speakers and different speaking styles when assessing speech quality. The amount of degradation in the objective speech quality assessment by distorting the speech signal is maintained similarly for different speech signals, especially when the amount of distortion of the distorted version of speech signal is severe. Objective speech quality assessment for the distorted speech signal and the original undistorted speech signal are compared to obtain a speech quality assessment compensated for utterance dependent articulation.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for performing speech recognition using a dynamic vocabulary. Results from a preliminary speech recognition pass can be used to update or refine a language model in order to improve the accuracy of search results and to simplify subsequent recognition passes. This iterative process greatly reduces the number of alternative hypotheses produced during each speech recognition pass, as well as the time required to process subsequent passes, making the speech recognition process faster, more efficient and more accurate. The iterative process is characterized by the use of results from one or more data set queries, where the keys used to query the data set, as well as the queries themselves, are constructed in a manner that produces more effective language models for use in subsequent attempts at decoding a given speech signal.

Abstract: A system that includes a speech synthesizer and a computer system that includes a basic input output system (BIOS). The BIOS is configured to cause the computer system to translate pre-boot display information, in response to detecting the speech synthesizer, so as to provide one or more serial data signals associated with the information to the speech synthesizer. The speech synthesizer is configured to generate one or more audible outputs associated with the information in response to receiving the one or more signals.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for processing an extrapolated signal including a number of consecutive replacement frames. The method comprises attenuating a portion of the extrapolated signal when the extrapolated signal reaches a predetermined duration. The attenuating produces an output signal having an attenuated portion, wherein the output signal includes the number of consecutive replacement frames. Each of the consecutive frames within the attenuated portion is attenuated by applying an attenuation window with a starting magnitude value of approximately 1 and including a unique ending magnitude. The unique ending magnitudes decrease over time.

Abstract: A method for generating synthetic speech can include identifying a recording of conversational speech and creating a transcription of the conversational speech. Using the transcription, rather than a predefined script, the recording can be analyzed and acoustic units extracted. Each acoustic unit can include a phoneme and/or a sub-phoneme. The acoustic units can be stored so that a concatenative text-to-speech engine can later splice the acoustic units together to produce synthetic speech.

Abstract: A method and system for providing efficient menu services for an information processing system that uses a telephone or other form of audio user interface. In one embodiment, the menu services provide effective support for novice users by providing a full listing of available keywords and rotating house advertisements which inform novice users of potential features and information. For experienced users, cues are rendered so that at any time the user can say a desired keyword to invoke the corresponding application. The menu is flat to facilitate its usage. Full keyword listings are rendered after the user is given a brief cue to say a keyword. Service messages rotate words and word prosody. When listening to receive information from the user, after the user has been cued, soft background music or other audible signals are rendered to inform the user that a response may now be spoken to the service.

Abstract: According to a process for treating perfluorides in which a perfluoride treatment undertaker carries out decomposition treatment of perfluorides discharged from a manufacturing plant by using a perfluoride treating apparatus connected to said manufacturing plant, and the cost of treatment of perfluorides calculated according to the amount of perflorides treated by said perfluoride treating apparatus is communicated to the owner of said manufacturing plant, it is possible to reduce the cost required for the decomposition treatment of perfluorides which cost is to be defrayed by the product manufacturer.

Abstract: Techniques to facilitate the creation of contracts and to automatically instantiate entitlements into contracts. A number of entitlement templates may be created for various entitlements. Each entitlement template is typically defined to include certain specifically defined entitlements. The entitlement templates may further be associated with products. A contract may thereafter be formed having any number of line items for one or more products and/or assets. Upon execution of the contract, an agreement is formed and the entitlements (if any) for each product/asset included in the contract may be instantiated (e.g., via a button on a screen). Upon instantiation of the entitlements into the contract, the covered products/assets become entitled and can thereafter receive the entitlements defined in the templates associated with the products/assets.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for presenting leasing arrangements for a plurality of rental spaces. The method includes the steps of providing a graphical user interface that depicts the plurality of rental spaces within a two-dimensional layout on a display of the graphical user interface, where a relative size and relative location of each rental space on the display is proportional to a relative physical size and relative location of the actual rental spaces and associating a menu with at least some of the rental spaces on the display where the menu provides additional information regarding the rental space, building, rental space user prospects and associated documents.

Abstract: A method for establishing certifiable patient informed consent for a medical procedure, where, in one embodiment, the patient interacts with a video training system until mastery of all required information is successfully achieved. Training techniques which permit elicitation of measurable behaviors from a patient as a guide to discerning the level of knowledge of the patient are utilized. Certification is only granted when the measurable behavior approximately coincide with the legal and medical standards for establishing informed consent. The system is capable of adapting to various medical procedures, as well as various patient attitudes and knowledge bases, while still maintaining a level of consistency throughout. In one embodiment, a minimum probability of understanding may be preset, and the training procedure will continue until the actual statistical probability of understanding is at least equal to the preset minimum.

Abstract: In a process for creating media content, media submissions are requested and electronically received from end users and stored in a computer database. The submissions are searched for material to be included in the media content, and cross-checked against the other submissions for originality and timeliness. After the material is selected from one or more submissions, the content is developed and released to an audience for review. The end users whose submission material was included in the released content are rewarded. In one embodiment, third parties are permitted to access and search the submissions on an open exchange. The third parties can bid for rights in submissions on the open exchange. After receiving these bids, they are forwarded to the particular submission's end user for acceptance or rejection. Appropriate billing and payment processes are used to bill and pay the parties involved.

Abstract: A method for analyzing an operation of an organization, especially in the context of an outsourcing. The method includes decomposing the operation along a value chain containing a plurality of processes, associating a process of the value chain with an element that is subject to the process, and designating a characteristic of the associated process and element. As an example, the element is a device (e.g., PC workstation) that is subject to processes (e.g., customer relationship management). As an example, the characteristic is an actor (e.g., an organization or an outsourcer) responsible for performing at the intersection of the associated process and element.

Abstract: A method for server allocation in a Web server “farm” is based on limited information regarding future loads to achieve close to the greatest possible revenue based on the assumption that revenue is proportional to the utilization of servers and differentiated by customer class. The method of server allocation uses an approach of “discounting the future”. Specifically, when the policy faces the choice between a guaranteed benefit immediately and a potential benefit in the future, the decision is made by comparing the guaranteed benefit value with a discounted value of the potential future benefit. This discount factor is exponential in the number of time units that it would take a potential benefit to be materialized. The future benefits are discounted because by the time a benefit will be materialized, things might change and the algorithm might decide to make another choice for a potential (even greater) benefit.

Abstract: A computer implemented Availability Checking Tool wherein tool users work within a common work environment, from common enterprise data, and considering assets and demands across multiple order management systems and manufacturing facilities within boundaries established by manufacturing specifications, process flows and business policies. Tool users can easily maintain a synergistic relationship between orders from multiple demand sources or ordering systems. A demand configurator receives demand information from each demand source and coordinates product requests in accordance with customer request rules and priorities. A supply configurator receives manufacturing and planning data from a planning source and manipulates the received manufacturing and planning data to create new supply data. A material resource engine provides material supply information from the new supply data, the received demand information following product supply rules and priorities.

Abstract: A systemic logic method is used to convert objective and subjective data into meaningful business information. A graphical representation is created to allow the rapid and efficient comparison of the data generated, enabling the business analyst or decision maker to make and/or support decisions. The invention may used to identify strengths, vulnerabilities or opportunities for a business.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods and apparatus for conducting market research and developing product designs. The methods involve generating and presenting, typically electronically, generations of design alternatives to persons participating in the design, selection, or market research exercise. The participants transmit data indicative of their preferences among or between the presented design alternatives. Some of the data is used to conduct a conjoint analysis or non-convergent exercise to investigate the drivers of the preferences of the group or its members, and at least a portion are used to derive follow-on generations of design alternatives or proposals. The follow-on designs are preferably generated through the use of an evolutionary or genetic computer program, influenced by the participants' preferences.

Abstract: A method and system allowing the assessment of the strength of at least one mark relative to at least one other mark. In one embodiment, a method includes but is not limited to displaying at least two marks as activation mechanisms for a print-shopping-list command, and determining relative consumer awareness of the at least two marks by maintaining an accounting of the number of times each of the at least two marks is activated. In one embodiment, a system includes but is not limited to hardware and/or software effecting the method.

Abstract: A system and method for a retailer to sell merchandise over the Internet in affiliation with an Internet service provider. The co-branded Internet site is accessible through the Internet service site of the Internet service provider. The co-branded Internet site includes designations of both the retailer and the Internet service provider. The co-branded Internet site including one or more links to the Internet shopping site of the retailer. Client software for accessing the co-branded Internet site is distributed at retailer locations. Members of the co-branded Internet site are provided with incentives to access and shop on the Internet shopping site of the retailer through the co-branded Internet site.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for preparing a price quote for a product. The product is selected from among a plurality of products. A determination is made as to whether the product is a member of a particular product collection. This determination includes evaluating a dynamic selection rule set associated with the particular product collection. When the product is determined to be a member of the particular product collection, the method includes the additional steps of (i) identifying one or more price rules associated with the particular product collection and (ii) applying these price rules to the product in order to determine the price quote for the product.

Abstract: A system for recording and distributing information is described. The system includes a controller computer capable of establishing a communications connection via a communications interface with information providers and users. The controller computer also maintains a web site through which information providers can list and describe the information services to be distributed through the web site and through which users can browse to find information services to purchase. Information providers record information over the communications connection, which is stored in a database maintained on the controller computer. Users select to receive recorded information, which is delivered over the communications connection by the controller computer. The controller computer further has the capability of automatically billing users and crediting information providers for the information.

Abstract: A technique is disclosed for implementing electronic commerce transactions via a data network. A regulated item selected by a customer is identified. The regulated item may correspond to an item which satisfies predetermined criteria, indicating that the regulated item is prohibited from being purchased by the customer. Action is then taken to prohibit the purchase of the selected item, via the data network, by the customer. According to one embodiment, the action taken to prohibit the purchase of the regulated item is automatically implemented at a server system configured to implement electronic commerce transactions between an on-line merchant and the customer. According to a specific implementation, the predetermined criteria correspond to regulations which restrict sales of the regulated items to persons in a particular jurisdiction based upon certain criteria such as, for example, time of day, day of week, age of the customer, type of product being sold, etc.

Abstract: A message, including ordering data regarding a price of a product that a purchaser wants to purchase and personal information including a credit card number of the purchaser, is given to a settlement agency computer from a purchaser computer used by the purchaser. The settlement agency computer determines whether to pay for the product for the purchaser, based on the ordering data and the personal information. In a case where it is determined to pay for the product for the purchaser, the settlement agency computer sends settlement permission information representing that payment can be made for the purchaser, to a seller computer used by a seller, while keeping the credit card number to be confidential. Hence, before delivering the product to the purchaser, the settlement is completed, and the credit card number of the purchaser is kept secret from the seller.

Abstract: Various computer-implemented services are disclosed for assisting users in selecting items from an electronic catalog, and for selecting merchants with which to conduct transactions. One such service detects when a first user accesses a web page associated with a particular merchant, and then attempts to identify, from a set of users who are affiliated with the first user, a second user who has engaged in business with this merchant. If such a second user is identified, the service notifies the first user, and provides an option or information for the first user to contact the second user regarding the merchant.

Abstract: A service transaction provider for administering a accounts for a client includes a computer having a processor, a data storage medium, and a network port. The storage medium is configured to store the clients' personal information, account information, and transactional information. The processor configured to create a database of client information; designate as confidential a predetermined first portion of the database client information; designate as non-confidential a predetermined second portion of the database of client information non-confidential; and provide the client with access to the first and second portions of the database of client information via the network port. Access to the second portion is provided to a plurality of vendors, while access for the first portion is denied to the vendors.

Abstract: A financial processing system that accesses account, event and organization attributes from a relational database management database, wherein: (1) the account attributes comprise data about accounts being measured, (2) the event attributes comprise data about account-related transactions, and (3) the organization attributes comprise data about the organization's financial status. Profitability calculations are performed in the computer using the account, event and organization attributes accessed from the relational database management system, as well as one or more profit factors and one or more rules. The profitability calculations comprise the following: Profit (ai) = Net Interest Revenue (NIR) (ai) + Other Revenue (OR) (ai) ? Direct Expense (DE) (ai) ? Indirect Expense (IE) (ai) ? Risk Provision (RP) (ai) for an account ai.

Abstract: The subject invention overcomes the limitations of known market data displays by producing a graphical market display that integrates analysis of both 1) intra-day trading activity by classes of market participant, and 2) projected market impact as a function of trade size give the present set of executable orders in an electronic securities trade execution network. In a preferred embodiment, the display is used as the graphic user interface (GUI) of an ECN. In alternate preferred embodiments, the display is offered by a market data analysis service that accesses information form one or more ECNs, exchanges, or stock market. In another alternate embodiment, the display is created by software on a user computer form liquidity information already on that user computer.

Abstract: A system for collecting, storing and forwarding account approval information to hosts and terminals performing transactions between each other, enabling an accountholder to authorize withdrawals and charges to his account by someone other than the accountholder which comprises an input terminal in which a source accountholder provides data indicating a source account at an institution from which funds will be paid, a cap value on the amount of the funds to be made available, authorization, and a secret code, all of which are transmitted to a trigger server which stores account information, authorization and secret code; and a requesting terminal at which the first person to enter the secret code is provided the source account approval information for a request for funds up to the cap limit to the institution in which the previously provided source account is maintained.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating many uniquely identifiable media copies from a few uniquely marked masters to reduce the expense of subjecting each media copy to a marking process while maintaining the ability to trace unauthorized copies back to an authorized source. A number of masters of a film or media presentation are digitally or optically marked with identifiers to distinguish each master from each other master. The identifiers provide the ability to distinguish corresponding partitions or segments among masters. The masters with their identifiers are then duplicated. Final media prints are then assembled by combining segments with the duplicated identifiers from various masters in a manner to form segments with unique identifier sequences. Thus, each final print may be distinguished from each other final print by their identifier sequences.

Abstract: A system, method and computer program for authorizing a mobile station to use a product, service, access or other rights provided by a service provider through the use of digital signatures. These digital signatures are based on a shared signing key, and can be verified using a signature verification service. This system, method and computer program will validate the identity of the mobile station being used utilizing long term keys stored in the mobile station and an authentication center. The system, method and computer program will then utilize the signing key and the signature verification service to verify digital signatures that enable the authorization to access products, services, access or other rights using a mobile station. When this system, method and computer program is used for authorizing payment transactions, the gateway will verify the authenticity of any charges made based on the signatures received.

Abstract: There are equipped a first recurrent neural network formed by connecting plural nodes so as to have a loop in which the output from one node is input to another node in accordance with a predetermined coupling weight coefficient. Meanwhile, the output of at least one node is fed back to the node concerned or another node, and an optimizing unit for determining the optimum solution of the coupling weight coefficient in the first recurrent neural network based on a learning rule using a hereditary algorithm. In this case, the first recurrent neural network outputs a first parameter indicating a motion state of a vehicle based on predetermined input information, thereby functioning as a vehicle motion model.

Abstract: A directory structure corresponding to a plurality of applications is formed. Items of identification information are given to predetermined directories of the directory structure, respectively, the items of identification information being used for identifying the plurality of applications, respectively, the plurality of applications corresponding to the predetermined directories, respectively. Management is performed so that an application of the plurality of applications corresponding to a directory of the predetermined directories is selected in accordance with an item of the items of identification information given to the directory of the predetermined directories, when the directory of the predetermined directories is selected.

Abstract: An account management methodology and system for sales representatives of an enterprise employing an e-billing system including a computer system accessible for on-line interactive communication of product and service invoices to users. The account management tool includes a database for storing customer account information including customer invoices, the customer information including information for associating a customer account with a particular sales representative; a mechanism for retrieving from the database a list of all customer accounts associated with the sales representative; and, a device for transmitting a list of customer accounts associated with the sales representative to a sales representative browser device for that sales representative's review. The account management methodology and system includes an e-mail notification feature enabling receipt of email notifying a sales representative that a customer has signed up for (or) has been deleted from e-billing.

Abstract: A computer system is provided for modeling the structure of an enterprise comprising a first class of objects. An object of the class may represent an organizational unit of the enterprise. The class may comprise a method for assigning and/or deassigning to an object of the class at least one attribute from at least five types of attributes comprising: a first type describing a work to be performed by the unit; a second type describing a legal entity, which the unit represents; a third type describing a disciplinary or line management properties of the unit; a fourth type describing a financial responsibility of the unit; and a fifth type describing a location, which the unit represents. The system may further include means for assigning and/or deassigning to an object of said class at least one property depending on the assigned attribute.

Abstract: A distributed data mining method and system includes a mediator and a plurality of agents, each of said plurality of agents having a local database. The mediator invokes the agents and each agent performs an attribute/value selection process. The agents pass their respective best attribute/value pair to the mediator and the mediator determines a winning agent from the submissions. The agents are notified of the winning selection and the winner then begins data splitting based on the willing attribute/value pair. The winning agent forwards a split information index to the mediator. The mediator provides the split information index to other, non-winning agents and the agents generate rules for the data mining.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method utilize the retrieval status of a resource to generate an access plan for a database query that uses the resource. The retrieval status, which indicates, for example, what percentage of a given resource is already stored in working memory, and thus need not be separately retrieved during query execution, may be used to generate more accurate input/output cost estimates for access plans, and thus enable a query optimizer to better select an access plan that is optimal under given runtime conditions.

Abstract: A self-adaptive resource management method and a corresponding system are proposed. In the solution of the invention, an authority (105) publishes multiple rules into a corresponding repository (115). Each rule defines a desired target configuration for a category of subjects (110). Some of the rules can be conditioned to an authorization for their application on the subjects (by means of an optional enabling code). Whenever a generic subject tries to apply a conditioned rule, a test is made to verify whether the application of the rule has been authorized for the subject; if not, the subject is considered not compliant with the rule for a lack of authorization.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for automating a search over a network such as the Internet. A user selects data such as text from within an application. The selected data is activated and a search is performed without the user having to leave the application. The search is performed while the user is continuing within the application. When the search is complete, the search results are made available to the user within the application from which the search was initiated. In one embodiment, the data is pre-searched and the results are cached such that the results are already available should the user desire. The present invention is particularly suited to integration with an operating system such that the methods of the present invention are thereby available to all applications. Alternatively, the present invention can be specific to a particular application.

Abstract: A method and system for representing an object in a network environment. The system uses web technology, preferably XML-technology, to receive and store information related to back-end resources and the objects managed by the resources. Initially a first schema document conforming to a property sheet definition, such as an XML document type definition, is used to define a property sheet, the property sheet having object-type information. Next, the two or more schema documents that conform to a property page definition, such as an XML document type definition, to thereby define a plurality of property pages are incorporated into the property sheet and the different property pages may originate from different resources. Using the property sheet and its associated property pages, a representation of the object may then be displayed.

Abstract: An apparatus for providing real time information includes a data receiver for receiving status information data and an information user's data request message on the status information data in real time, the status information data consisting of either video data or data obtained by combining video data with at least one of audio data and text data and being indicative of temporal status information on an arbitrary area and theme; a data base management system (DBMS) for sorting the status information data received through the data receiver in accordance with a corresponding area and theme and managing them in a temporal order; a data base (DB) retrieval unit for retrieving the DBMS to extract status information data corresponding to a theme and area selected by the information user, if the data request message is received through the data receiver; a data transmitter for transmitting the status information data extracted from the DB retrieval unit to the information user; and a controller for controlling the

Abstract: In order to acquire answer information to be searched from a large amount of question information, there is provided an FAQ search engine which can acquire an appropriate term and acquire appropriate information by using the term as a search keyword. It comprises a document of describing a search keyword, a terminal unit for acquiring the search keyword from the document and inputting the search keyword, a database which has a keyword group consisting of search keywords obtained by adding numbers to the keywords described in the document, and an FAQ data group for managing FAQ data relevant to the numbers, a number acquisition portion for acquiring the number corresponding to the provided search keyword out of the keyword group, a data extract portion for acquiring FAQ data corresponding to the number acquired from the number acquisition portion out of the FAQ data group, and an FAQ display portion for displaying the FAQ data on the terminal unit.

Abstract: A query is received. The query may be an object containing temporal information. A query model including static and temporal components is then determined for the object. A weighting for static and temporal components is also determined. The query model is then compared with one or more search models. The search models also include static and temporal components. Search results are then determined based on the comparison. In one embodiment, the comparison may compare the static and temporal components of the query model and the search model. A weighting of the differences between the static and temporal components may be used to determine the ranking for the search results.

Abstract: Conventional electronic information retrieval systems using specialist databases assume that the database being searched is appropriate to the search being conducted. The invention solves the problem that the above assumption may be incorrect. It does this by providing mechanisms (4, 4A and 4B) for identifying concepts respectively in: the search input question, a specialist database and a non-specialist database. A comparator 8 and associated mechanisms are able to analyze how the specialist database differs from the non-specialist database and to use this information to derive an indication of the ability of the specialist database to answer the input question. This indication can be fed to the user via interface 1 or in an alternative arrangement could be used to block inappropriate information.

Abstract: A computerized method is used to estimate the relative coverage of Web search engines. Each search engine maintains an index of words of pages located at specific URL addresses in a network. The method generates a random query. The random query is a logical combination of words found in a subset of the pages. The random query is submitted to a first search engine. In response a set of URLs of pages matching the query are received. Each URL identifies a page indexed by the first search engine that satisfies the random query. A particular URL identifying a sample page is randomly selected. A strong query corresponding to the sample page is generated, and the strong query is submitted to a second search engine. Result information received in response to the strong query is compared to determine if the second search engine has indexed the sample page, or a page substantially similar to the sample page.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are disclosed for regular expression matching, especially for, but not limited to high-speed applications such as in a packet switching system (e.g., a router). One implementation includes a matching mechanism for processing each character of a plurality of input characters to progressively generate keyword indications of matched keywords as matched keywords are identified, and for generating one or more matching indications of matched base expressions and non-keyword expressions. These indications are received by a matched regular expression detection mechanism which generates one or more matched regular expression indications based on said one or more keyword indications and said one or more matching indications. In one implementation, the matched regular expression detection mechanism maintains a keyword data structure, which is updated as matched keyword indications are received to ensure they are matched in a proper order.

Abstract: Random samples without replacement are extracted from a distributed set of items by leveraging techniques for aggregating sampled subsets of the distributed set. This provides a uniform random sample without replacement representative of the distributed set, allowing statistical information to be gleaned from extremely large sets of distributed information. Subset random samples without replacement are extracted from independent subsets of the distributed set of items. The subset random samples are then aggregated to provide a uniform random sample without replacement of a fixed size that is representative of a distributed set of items of unknown size. In one instance, a multivariate hyper-geometric distribution is sampled by breaking up the multivariate hyper-geometric distribution into a set of univariate hyper-geometric distributions.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that supports concurrent accesses to a skip list that is lock-free, which means that the skip list can be simultaneously accessed by multiple processes without requiring the processes to perform locking operations. During a node deletion operation, the system receives reference to a target node to be deleted from the skip list. The system marks a next pointer in the target node to indicate that the target node is deleted, wherein next pointer contains the address of an immediately following node in the skip list. This marking operation does not destroy the address of the immediately following node, and furthermore, the marking operation is performed atomically and thereby without interference from other processes.

Abstract: The present invention enables the creation, management, retrieval, distribution and massively large collections of information that can be shared across a distributed network without building absolute references or even pre-existing knowledge of the data and data structures being stored in such an environment.