Abstract: System, methods and articles of manufacture for optimizing a query plan reuse in a database server system accessible by a plurality of client connections. An embodiment comprises providing at least one global cache storage and a private cache storage to a plurality of client connections, and coordinating utilization of the at least one global cache storage and the private cache storage to share light weight stored procedures and query plans for prepared SQL statements across the plurality of client connections via the at least one global cache storage while avoiding a spinlock access for executing the prepared SQL statements.

Abstract: A query plan predictor receives a query instance according to a query template having a set of parameters. The query plan predictor determines a plan space point for the query instance which is based upon the set of parameters. The query plan predictor predicts a predicted query plan for the plan space point, which is selected from a map of query plans according to a confidence threshold from a plan cache that includes at least one histogram. Each histogram is representative of a cached query plan in the plan cache combined with a previously-selected locality-sensitive hashing function. The histogram stores a frequency distribution of a mapping of sample plan points for the cached query plan by the locality-sensitive hashing function.

Abstract: Data movement driven placement of data in a distributed database is disclosed. A set of one or more queries anticipated to be performed with respect to a data set is received. A set of statistics associated with the data set is received. The set of queries and the statistics are used to explore algorithmically a search space of distribution policy alternatives, to determine an optimal distribution policy to distribute data comprising the data set across a plurality of database servers.

Abstract: A method and system for providing up-to-date monitoring results in a virtual machine environment are described. In one embodiment, a host controller receives a new query pertaining to at least one object in a virtual machine system from a client, and determines whether the new query is similar to any queries previously received from other clients. If the new query is similar to any of the previously received queries, the host controller provides data pertaining to a result of a last execution of the similar query to the client. If the new query is not similar to any of the previously received queries, the host controller executes the new query and provides a result of an execution of the new query to the client.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method includes receiving a search query from a remote device, determining if the search query includes location-related information, and if the search query includes location-related information, generating a first result set based on the search query and the location-related information, and if the search query does not include location-related information, determining whether a location indicator is associated with the remote device, and if a location indicator is associated with the remote device, generating a second result set based on the search query and the location indicator.

Abstract: Advertising is directed to a select list of customers. A request comprising arguments defining a customer interest group is used to perform a blind search of a database. The database comprises public and private information about a customer wherein only the public information is viewable by the search requester. An advertisement is sent on behalf of the requester to the customer address(es) of customer(s) found in the blind search such that private information is not provided to the requester.

Abstract: An agent interaction request received from a user of a client device is sent to one or more identified agents based on agent selection criteria. Agent selection criteria can include an agent bid amount. One or more responses to the agent interaction request can be received from the identified agents and sent to the user.

Abstract: In one exemplary embodiment, eye-tracking data may be collected from a user while the user is viewing a visual sensory stimulus. If the eye-tracking data includes an eye motion pattern exceeding a predetermined threshold, then the eye-tracking data may be used to identify a visual element within the user's field of view. In addition to the visual element, attributes and context information related to the sensory experience may be determined. Information related to the sensory experience may be stored in a repository for purposes of aiding the user's recollection of the visual element at a future time.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a system and method for providing search results using an interactive graphical user interface may be described. A system may be configured to receive a search query, transmit the query to a search interface, receive a data set of search results and related search categories, and cause a visual representation of the search results and related search categories to be displayed on a connected device. A search system may further be configured to perform multiple, related searches and determine and recommend related, narrower searches to a user. Search results and recommended, related searches may be delivered to a user's device such that a user can, using an input device, interact with the search results and recommended searches.

Abstract: Provided are a computer implemented method, computer program product, and system for ranking search results. It is determined that a find operation with a find keyword has been issued for a page. In response to determining that the find keyword has been located on the page, the find keyword is stored in an index as relevant text for the page. In response to receiving a subsequent search request for which the page is retrieved, the page is ranked based on the find keyword.

Abstract: Providing an interface to request actions of a website includes various elements. For example, website instructions of the website are provided to a search engine, the website instructions describing the website tool. The website instructions may be indexed by the search engine to be referenced when servicing a search query. When the website is deemed relevant to the search query, a search-result snippet may be built to include the interface to the website tool. As such, the interface may be provided in the search-results webpage. The interface may be used in the search-results webpage or may be stored locally. The interface may be used to access the website tool without a browser navigating to a landing page of the website.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of determining the relevance, to a user, of documents accessible over a computer network involves analyzing information relating to a first document, identifying a second document corresponding to the first document using a computer, obtaining information that indicates the relevance of a second document, determining the relevance of the first document using the information indicating relevance of the second document. The first document may be a mobile document, while the second may be a non-mobile document.

Abstract: Two methods for measuring keyword-document relevance are described. The methods receive a keyword and a document as input and output a probability value for the keyword. The first method is a similarity-based approach which uses techniques for measuring similarity between two short-text segments to measure relevance between the keyword and the document. The second method is a regression-based approach based on an assumption that if an out-of-document phrase (the keyword) is semantically similar to an in-document phrase, then relevance scores of the in and out-of document phrases should be close to each other.

Abstract: The specification relates to the creation of an image space by receiving an initial image query. A plurality of search queries related to the initial search query are determined. Image results for the initial search query and the plurality of related search queries are obtained. A panel of images representing a number of images from the initial search query and panels of images representing a number of images from the plurality of related search queries are generated. These panels are used to provide an image space. The image space can be centered on the panel representing the resultant images related to the initial search query and can be surrounded by panels representing the resultant images related to the plurality of related search queries.

Abstract: A system may present information regarding a document and provide an option for removing the document. The system may also receive selection of the option and remove the document when the option is selected. The system may aggregate information regarding documents that have been removed by a group of users and assign scores to a set of documents based on the aggregated information.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for a data processing system having multiple executable threads that is configured to generate a cross-product matrix in a single pass through data to be analyzed. An example system comprises memory for receiving the data to be analyzed, a processor having a plurality of executable threads for executing code to analyze data, and software code for generating a cross-product matrix in a single pass through data to be analyzed. The software code includes threaded variable levelization code for generating a plurality of thread specific binary trees for a plurality of classification variables, variable tree merge code for combining a plurality of the thread-specific trees into a plurality of overall trees for the plurality of classification variables, effect levelization code for generating sub-matrices using the plurality of the overall trees for the plurality of classification variables, and cross-product matrix generation code for generating the cross-product matrix.

Abstract: A system for adaptively delivering digital information to a user retrieves the digital information, which is comprised of a plurality of segments arranged in sequential order, each segment comprising one or more options, and each option presenting content of the segment in a different way from other options of the segment. The system selects from each segment an option likely to be the most suitable for the user, and delivers the selected option for each segment to the user in the sequential order. The system receives feedback on at least one of the options delivered to the user.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium for normalizing native application scores. In an aspect, a system ranks web resources and native applications based on web resource scores and normalized native application scores that are normalized to the web resource scores. The ranking is indicative of the relevance of each web resource and native application for a search operation relative to each other web resource and native application.

Abstract: A method for storing data caveats for databases is described. The method includes storing at least one record in at least one content table in a database. The method includes storing at least one data caveat having a relationship to the content table in at least one record in a caveat table. A data caveat has a relationship to the content table when the data caveat applies to: a record in the content table or the content table in entirety. The method also includes storing, in a memory device, an indication of the relationship. Articles of manufacture are also described.

Abstract: Systems and methods allow a user of a text or graphics editor to quickly create multiple robust internet search queries by selecting and ranking groups or individual key words from a document. A user who is composing or reading a document can identify and link multiple sets of key words into separate search queries by highlighting and assigning either unique search numbers, colors or other readily ascertained indicators of their logical relation. Each individual search query is routed to selected internet search engines, and the results are returned to the user in the same viewed document. The user may select the form in which the results are displayed. For example, results may be listed within the document by way footnotes, endnotes, or separate hover or pull-down windows accessible from the search terms. In addition, the user can browse, sort, rank, edit or eliminate portions of the results.

Abstract: Feature information, such as street address data, is provided by multiple sources of varying levels of trust. The street address data provided by these sources may include various representations of an address for a map feature. Thus, overlapping street address data for the map feature exists. In one embodiment, a feature selection server merges the street address data for the map feature to create a representative street address for the address data provided from multiple sources.

Abstract: Methods, computer program products and systems are provided for mining for sub-patterns within a text data set. The embodiments facilitate finding a set of N frequently occurring sub-patterns within the data set, extracting the N sub-patterns from the data set, and clustering the extracted sub-patterns into K groups, where each extracted sub-pattern is placed within the same group with other extracted sub-patterns based upon a distance value D that determines a degree of similarity between the sub-pattern and every other sub-pattern within the same group.

Abstract: An on-line system utilizing a social graph allows users to establish an account with the system and establish connections to nodes in the system. The social graph uses system-provided nodes that are created and maintained by the system, so that users cannot edit the system-provided nodes. The system aggregates and analyzes the social graph to present information in ways useful to its users. For example, the system generates a listing of persons and information about persons related to an organization.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for generating a content item metric or a performer metric. The metric can assess a lasting value of a content item or performer by identifying a distribution of a population of users expressing an interest in the content item or performer according to a demographic attribute, such as age.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on computer storage media, for clustering images. In one aspect a system includes one or more computers configured to, for each of a plurality of digital images, associate extrinsic image-related information with each individual image, the extrinsic image-related information including text information and co-click data for the individual image, assign images from the plurality of images to one or more of the clusters of images based on the extrinsic information associated with each of the plurality of images, receive in the search system a user query from a user device, identify by operation of the search system one or more clusters of images that match the query, and provide one or more cluster results, where each cluster result provides information about an identified cluster.

Abstract: Relational clustering has attracted more and more attention due to its phenomenal impact in various important applications which involve multi-type interrelated data objects, such as Web mining, search marketing, bioinformatics, citation analysis, and epidemiology. A probabilistic model is presented for relational clustering, which also provides a principal framework to unify various important clustering tasks including traditional attributes-based clustering, semi-supervised clustering, co-clustering and graph clustering. The model seeks to identify cluster structures for each type of data objects and interaction patterns between different types of objects. Under this model, parametric hard and soft relational clustering algorithms are provided under a large number of exponential family distributions.

Abstract: A networked computer system identifies, optimizes and recommends content sources for users. The content sources can be used for providing news feeds, search results, etc. based on taking into net useful content contributed by such sources over other sources.

Abstract: Users receive content recommendations from a personalized, generalized recommendation service that aggregates and selects content of high personal relevance to each individual user from a large pool of both personal and public content. The received content is filtered and the content determined to be relevant is cached. When a user request for content is received, the cached content is rescored and the content determined to be most relevant based on satisfaction of a relevance threshold is selected and forwarded to the user. Feedback methodologies are also implemented so that a user's actions are taken into consideration in real time and can affect subsequent recommendations to the user.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the computer management of inverted lists and inverted indices, in which the standard representation and processing of inverted lists is changed in order to achieve a simpler, more compact and more efficient architecture.

Abstract: According to one embodiment of the present invention, a system analyzes one or more change records based on text analytics using dictionaries and rules for the analysis in order to generate an index of analyzed data that represents the one or more change records. The change records each include a change and corresponding time frame for occurrence of the change. Information from a request is applied to the index of analyzed data to determine one or more candidate causes for the incident and the corresponding time frame for occurrence of the change. A time associated with the request is correlated with the corresponding time frame for occurrence of the change to identify the one or more candidate causes in the one or more change records as causes for the incident. Embodiments of the present invention further include a method and computer program product for determining causes of an incident.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of storing data for fast lookup comprises forming a first and a second array of pointers, forming a record to store, the record comprising fields for, a first list pointer, a second list pointer, which is not the first field in the record, a first key, and a second key. The method further comprises determining a first index based at least in part the first key, setting the value of the pointer at the first index in the first array to the location of the first pointer field of the record, determining a second index based at least in part the second key, and setting the value of the pointer at the second index in the second array to the location of the second pointer field of the record.

Abstract: Methods and systems are presented for custom caching. Application threads define caches. The caches may be accessed through multiple index keys, which are mapped to multiple application thread-defined keys. Methods provide for the each index key and each application thread-defined key to be symmetrical. The index keys are used for loading data from one or more data sources into the cache stores on behalf of the application threads. Application threads access the data from the cache store by providing references to the caches and the application-supplied keys. Some data associated with some caches may be shared from the cache store by multiple application threads. Additionally, some caches are exclusively accessed by specific application threads.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an extent hashing technique is used to efficiently distribute data and associated metadata substantially evenly among nodes of a cluster. The data may be write data associated with a write request issued by a host and received at a node of the cluster. The write data may be organized into one or more extents. A hash function may be applied to the extent to generate a result which may be truncated or trimmed to generate a hash value. A hash space of the hash value may be divided into a plurality of buckets representative of the write data, i.e., the extents, and the associated metadata, i.e., extent metadata. A number of buckets may be assigned to each extent store instance of the nodes to distribute ownership of the buckets, along with their extents and extent metadata, across all of the extent store instances of the nodes.

Abstract: A network update interface is presented to a user on a network to display network updates from other users of a mutual social-networking site. The network updates shared by the other users are gathered in a stream and supplied to a facet-filtering system including a network update interface. The user controls the display of certain network update items according to facet-filter characteristics enabled in facet-filter selection panels in the network update interface. The facet-filter characteristics are used by a facet filter to select certain network updates for display to the user in the network update interface. Trending links to further articles with content corresponding to the facet-filter characteristics are displayed to the user according to greatest popularity among the other users. Links to the profiles of the users sharing the articles are also provided in the network update interface.

Abstract: A system and associated methods for providing electronically noted items are disclosed. The noting application includes a communication module, a determination module, a ranking module and a presentation module. The communication module receives a request for electronically noted items from a first user and user identification data identifying the first user. The determination module determines one or more second users related to the first user based at least in part on the user identification data. The determination module retrieves a first set of two or more electronically noted items marked by the one or more second users. The ranking module ranks the first set of two or more electronically noted items to generate a second set of two or more electronically noted items. The presentation module provides for display the second set of two or more electronically noted items to the first user.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method and apparatus for generating a presentation is provided. The method considers characteristics of audio works and visual works when constructing the presentation. In some embodiments, the presentation may be automatically constructed.

Abstract: A framework is provided for composing texts about objects with structured information about these objects, and thus disclosed are methodologies for linking information from at least two data sources—one comprising a plurality of documents comprising text pertaining to at least one object, and one comprising a plurality of structured records comprising at least one characteristic of the at least one object, each characteristic comprising one property name and an associated property value corresponding to the property name for the at least one object—by determining one or more instance-based traits for each object in both data sources and associating at least one record with at least one document that refers to each object, each trait comprising one or more characteristics that identifiably distinguish each object from all other objects.

Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of systems and methods for recommending relevant users to other users in a user community. In one implementation of such a method, two different sets of data are considered: a) music (or other items) that users have been listening to (or otherwise engaging), and b) music (or other items) recommendations that users have been given. In some embodiments, pre-computation methods allow the system to efficiently compare item sets and recommended item sets among the users in the community. Such comparisons may also comprise metrics that the system can use to figure out which users should be recommended for a given target user.

Abstract: A mediation method and system utilizes a subsystem (300) for processing event records that at least potentially have a mutual relation. The subsystem comprises an in-memory database (410) capable of storing data, database interface layer (310) providing an interface to the database, a basic functionality layer (320) comprising at least one module capable of performing basic functions, and a mediation functionality layer (330, 340) comprising at least two modules each capable of performing at least one mediation function on the data in the in-memory database via the modules at the database interface layer and/or basic functionality layer.

Abstract: Briefly, in accordance with one or more embodiments, a hierarchical data set may be displayed in a database view in a content window of a program or graphical user interface. A filter panel may display one or more categories of information about the hierarchical data set including one or more filterable items that may be selected by a user. In response to a user selection, filtered contents of the hierarchical data set may be displayed in the database view according to the selection to allow a user to navigate the hierarchical dataset via the database view. In one or more embodiments, the hierarchical data set may comprise a file system.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and subsystems for identifying and accessing multimedia content are provided. One external library access module includes instructions, stored on computer readable media, that, when executed by a processor, perform steps for: accessing personal profile settings stored in computer readable media, the profile settings including personal settings relating to filtering content; accessing an external search engine used to identify content on a network, the engine having an adjustable content filter; and selecting a setting of the filter based on the personal settings. In another embodiment, a method for identifying and accessing multimedia content from a network includes: filtering content described in a first compilation of data in strict adherence to personal settings relating to filtering content; and using an external filter to filter content accessible from the network through an external search engine.

Abstract: Techniques are provided for generating a “dimensional zonemap” that allows a database server to avoid scanning disk blocks of a fact table based on filter predicates in a query that qualify one or more dimension tables. The zonemap divides the fact table into sets of contiguous disk blocks referred to as “zones”. For each zone, a minimum value and a maximum value for each of one or more “zoned” columns of the dimension tables is determined and maintained in the zonemap. For a query that contains a filter predicate on a zoned column, the predicate value can be compared to the minimum value and maximum value maintained for a zone for that zoned column to determine whether a scan of the disk blocks of the zone can be skipped.

Abstract: The embodiments provide an in-memory database system having an extraction module configured to extract data (e.g., business data and address data) from one or more external data sources and transform the data into a standard format, a geocoder configured to geocode the address data including obtaining spatial data based on the address data using an internal reference table, and an internal database configured to store the internal reference table, the business data, the address data, and the spatial data.

Abstract: A resource retrieval system comprises a server having a searchable database wherein users can readily access region-based publications similar to, but not necessarily limited to, printed telephone directories. The resource retrieval system communicates with at least one user system, preferably via the Internet. In one embodiment, the server is accessed by the user system via an icon, which initiates an interactive interface wherein the user can “point and click” to a geographic area so as to further narrow the searchable field until arriving at a “virtual phone book,” or an electronic replica of an actual or physical telephone directory for a desired geographic region. Preferably, the replicated telephone directory is displayed in a manner so as to digitally or electronically replicate the traditional format of the physical telephone directory.

Abstract: Media fragmentation may be provided. First, a request for a manifest may be received from a client. Then, in response to the received request for the manifest, the manifest may be sent to the client. Next, a request may be received from the client for a file fragment. The request may indicate a start time and an end time corresponding to the file fragment. The request may be in a format defined by the manifest. Then a lookup table may be queried for a first byte location in a media file corresponding to the start time and a second byte location in the media file corresponding to the end time. Next, a portion of the media file between the first byte location and the second byte location may be extracted from the media file. The portion may comprise the file fragment. The file fragment may be sent to the client.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to identifying consuming entity behavior across domains. Identity records are stored in a memory accessible to a computing system. Each of the identity records comprises at least one attribute, and the identity records originate from a plurality of domains. A determination is made as to whether a first one of the identity records identifies a consumption entity that is identified by a second one of the identity records. The first and the second identity records originate from separate ones of the domains, and the second one of the identity records is associated with a persistent key. The persistent key is associated with the consumption entity. The first identity record is associated with the persistent key if the first identity record is determined to identify the consumption entity.

Abstract: The present invention extends to methods, systems, and computer program products for recommending data based on user and data attributes. User information and accessed data sets are periodically (and possibly automatically) accessed and updated. Source attributes are derived from user information and accessed data sets. Target attributes are derived from data directories and data services. Source attributes for an accessed data set are used along target attributes for a data directory or data service to determine the desirability of data directory or data service as a source of data relevant to the accessed data set. The data directory and/or data service can be recommended as able to provide relevant data. Accordingly, recommend relevant data can be recommended to a user without the user having to expressly search for the relevant data or even know that the relevant data exists.

Abstract: A server system receives, respectively, a first character string from a first user and a second character string from a second user. There are one or more differences between the first and second character strings. The server system obtains from a plurality of previously submitted complete queries, respectively, a first set of predicted complete queries corresponding to the first character string and a second set of predicted complete queries corresponding to the second character string. There are one or more identical queries in both the first and second sets. The server system conveys at least a first subset of the first set to the first user and at least a second subset of the second set to the second user. Both the first subset and the second subset include a respective identical query.

Abstract: In an implementation, geographic region information is managed through storage, in a database, of respective sets of coordinates of elements and region identifiers of a plurality of geographic regions that are mapped onto the respective sets of coordinates of elements, in which the plurality of geographic regions are expanded to extend into additional elements prior to the storage of the respective sets of coordinates and the region identifiers.

Abstract: Certain example embodiments relate to techniques for creating queries on model data of at least one data source (DS1, . . . , DS3) in accordance with at least one data source specific format. A graphical query builder (QB) is configured to enable a user to graphically define a query including multiple building blocks in accordance with a data source independent format (MM). At least one adapter (A1, . . . , A3) for the at least one data source (DS1, . . . , DS3) is configured to translate the query in the data source independent format (MM) into at least one corresponding query in the data source specific format.