Patents Issued in June 21, 2016
  • Patent number: 9372860
    Abstract: A method for content recommendation for a user, wherein a song or a video is recommended to the user and a confidence measure is determined for the recommended song. The confidence measure is displayed to the user, so the user may get more confidence into the recommendation of the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Sony Deutschland GmbH
    Inventors: Jana Eggink, Thomas Kemp, Wilhelm Hagg, Taufan Zimmer, Tomasz Feduszczak
  • Patent number: 9372861
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to element identification for elements in a collaborative computing environment and provide a method, system and computer program product for identifying unstructured elements of a collaborative place in a hierarchically structured manner. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for locating an unstructured element in a collaborative computing environment can be provided. The method can include receiving a request for an unstructured element in the collaborative environment, extracting a hierarchy of unique identifiers from the request, locating a last folder referenced by the hierarchy of unique identifiers, and returning a reference to the folder as a location of the unstructured element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Andreas P. Goelzer
  • Patent number: 9372862
    Abstract: A method for automatic folder ownership assignment, including ascertaining which first folders, among a first multiplicity of folders, have at least one of modify and write permissions to non-IT administration entities, adding the first folders to a list of candidates for ownership assignment, defining a second multiplicity of folders which is a subset of the first multiplicity of folders and not including the first folders and descendents and ancestors thereof, ascertaining which second folders among the second multiplicity of folders, have permissions to non-IT administration entities, adding the second folders to the candidates, defining a third multiplicity of folders, which is a subset of the second multiplicity of folders and not including the second folders and descendents and ancestors thereof, ascertaining which third folders among the third multiplicity of folders are topmost folders, adding the third folders to the candidates, and recommending possible assignment of ownership of the candidates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 26, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: VARONIS SYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Yakov Faitelson, Ohad Korkus, Ophir Kretzer-Katzir
  • Patent number: 9372863
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method, an apparatus, and a system for updating a metadata file. The method include: sending a message to a server on a network side to request a metadata file corresponding to media presentation; receiving a metadata file returned by the server according to the message that requests the metadata file corresponding to the media presentation, where the metadata file includes information about duration of a part of described media presentation; determining update time of the metadata file according to the information about the duration of the part of described media presentation; and sending a request for updating the metadata file to the server according to the update time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Shaobo Zhang
  • Patent number: 9372864
    Abstract: Technology is disclosed for organizing, managing and sharing data files as pages of an online binder (“the technology”). In various embodiments, the technology stores multiple data files received in multiple formats from multiple sources as pages of the online binder. The pages of the online binder are of a common format. The common format allows the pages, that is, the data files corresponding to the pages, to be accessed using a variety of devices regardless of a platform of the devices. The online binder is platform agnostic. The technology provides tools to create notes for the pages of the online binder. The notes can include text annotations, drawings, or audio visual annotations, including a recording of the user actions as presented on the device of the user. The technology provides a collaboration service for sharing the online binder with multiple users asynchronously or in real-time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: MOXTRA, INC.
    Inventors: He Huang, Subrah S. Iyar
  • Patent number: 9372865
    Abstract: Techniques associated with deduplication metadata access in a deduplication file system are described, including determining a state of a file system, reading a table associated with the file system, including reading block numbers associated with files in the file system, the table being stored in a storage, wherein the block numbers include a block number and logical block number, determining whether each of the block numbers exists in a reconstruction map, modifying the reconstruction map, obtaining a hash value associated with each of the block numbers, reading data blocks from a disk using the plurality of block numbers, and constructing deduplication metadata in system memory (i.e., RAM) using a read of the data blocks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Atlantis Computing, Inc.
    Inventors: Chetan C Venkatesh, Abhijit P Hoskeri
  • Patent number: 9372866
    Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for using a first deduplicating store to update a second deduplicating store with information representing how data objects change over time, said method including: at a first and a second deduplicating store, for each data object, maintaining an organized arrangement of temporal structures to represent a corresponding data object over time, wherein each structure is associated with a temporal state of the data object and wherein the logical arrangement of structures is indicative of the changing temporal states of the data object; finding a temporal state that is common to and in temporal proximity to the current state of the first and second deduplicating stores; and compiling and sending a set of hash signatures for the content that has changed from the common state to the current temporal state of the first deduplicating store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: ACTIFIO, INC.
    Inventor: Christopher A. Provenzano
  • Patent number: 9372867
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a similarity analysis method, an apparatus, and a system. The method includes: acquiring file fingerprint information of a file to be analyzed; sending an analysis request that carries the file fingerprint information to at least two MDSs; selecting at least one group according to an analysis result returned by each MDS, where the analysis result includes a group number and a similarity of at least one group that has the highest similarity with the file fingerprint information and is found by the MDS; and the MDS locally queries a duplicate data block in the selected group. In this way, each MDS needs to query only a file fingerprint information set of a group that the MDS itself is responsible for, which reduces the amount of data retrieval and waiting time of reading, writing, and locking a database file.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES CO., LTD.
    Inventor: Yan Huang
  • Patent number: 9372868
    Abstract: A mechanism is provided for improved file synchronization of a magnetic tape. A destination device determines whether one or more file checksums exist in an extended file attribute associated with an identified file. Responsive to one or more file checksums existing in the extended file attribute associated with the identified file, the destination device reads the one or more file checksums out of the extended file attribute without accessing the magnetic tape. The destination device transmits the one or more file checksums to a source device. The source device segments the data of the new file into fixed-length blocks that do not overlap one another. The source device calculates one or more new file checksums for each of the fixed-length blocks. The source device transmits the one or more new file checksums to the destination device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Takashi Ashida, Tohru Hasegawa, Hiroshi Itagaki, Shinsuke Mitsuma, Terue Watanabe
  • Patent number: 9372869
    Abstract: A method assigns stored documents within a distributed storage system (DSS) to various document categories to enable a target number of documents to be deleted. An intelligent storage management (ISM) utility identifies a data storage threshold value used to control data storage within the DSS. If a current storage usage exceeds the data storage threshold value, the ISM utility calculates, based on the current storage usage, a target number of documents that can be deleted from the DSS. The ISM utility utilizes a recursive process which includes assigning stored documents to groups including a set of document categories based on data characteristics of the stored documents. The ISM utility further utilizes the recursive process to delete, based on an established ordering of the groups, all of the stored documents assigned to a subset of the groups in order to remove the target number of stored documents.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Dinakaran Joseph, Devaprasad Khandurao Nadgir, Ramkumar Ramalingam, David Elliot Shepard
  • Patent number: 9372870
    Abstract: A highly resilient, scalable, high-performance data storage system that stripes its content across a cluster of peer computers. Multiple peers can fail (up to the FEC level configured in the cluster) without disrupting the clients. Peer failures are detected by the cluster and all missing data is seamlessly generated so all I/O operations complete successfully.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Peer Fusion, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard S. Levy
  • Patent number: 9372871
    Abstract: Implementations relate to presenting search results to a user. In particular, disclosed techniques include presenting both image search results and 3D model search results to a user. The user can manipulate the 3D model depicted in the 3D model search results by rotating, translating or zooming. Implementations thus provide a rich synergistic exploration experience to the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventors: Maks Ovsjanikovs, Ehud Rivlin
  • Patent number: 9372872
    Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, a display control apparatus is capable of displaying on a display apparatus a content of a plurality of files classified into a plurality of groups. If a number of files from a first file, which is a display target to the display apparatus, to a second file, which is included in a group newly determined as a display target, in the predetermined order is equal to or greater than a predetermined number, the display control unit causes the display apparatus to display a content of at least one file between the first file and the second file in the predetermined order before a display target file is changed from the first file to the second file and a content of the second file is displayed. Accordingly, display of many files can be prevented from being skipped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Takemasa Murata
  • Patent number: 9372873
    Abstract: Methods are provided for displaying image results responsive to a search query. In addition to displaying responsive results for a query, responsive results are also provided for related queries. The results are ordered along a plurality of display axes, including at least one axis corresponding to the ordering of the various search queries. The results can be displayed in an aligned or non-aligned manner. The results can then be translated along one or more of the display axes to allow a user to browse the various results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Gonzalo A. Ramos, Steven M. Drucker, Amir Akbarzadeh
  • Patent number: 9372874
    Abstract: A content processing apparatus according to the present disclosure includes: a content input unit that acquires target content that is content to be processed; a content analysis unit that extracts at least one object included in the target content and feature information indicating a feature of the object, and specifies context information based on analytical information and the extracted feature information, the context information indicating contexts of the objects and including attribute information for supplementing the features of the objects, and the analytical information being information for specifying the contexts of the objects; an output control unit that calculates processing priority of each of the objects based on the context information; and a candidate process extracting unit that extracts a candidate process that is executable on the target content based on the context information and the processing priority.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY CORPORATION OF AMERICA
    Inventor: Yasuhiro Yuki
  • Patent number: 9372875
    Abstract: An image data display system classifies image data into a cluster based on a predetermined condition regardless of whether or not the image data conforms to DCF standard and displays information specific to the image data when displayed as a slide show. A CPU creates a cluster, including a plurality of the image data, and a slide show table having first and second cluster name candidates based on a FAT data or an Exif data and a third cluster name candidate input by a user. The image display screen combines any two of the above first, second, and third cluster name candidates and displays a list of the combined candidates as cluster names indicating contents of the image data. The user can select the cluster name in high visibility and can easily display the desired image data as the slide show.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Visionarist Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Sukeichi Miki, Shinichi Miki, Manabu Miki, Hikaru Miki
  • Patent number: 9372876
    Abstract: Embodiments described herein are directed to providing enhanced database editing and reporting capabilities. In one scenario, a computer system receives a data item request that identifies which data items are to be reported. The computer system accesses a relational data store to determine which information sets are to be used for reporting the requested data items. Based on the determination, the computer system accesses those information sets that are to be used in the reporting the requested data items. The computer system then determines that metadata has been provided for at least one of the accessed information sets. The metadata includes instructions at least partially indicating how the data items are to be reported. The computer system also reports the data items according to the instructions in the provided metadata, regardless of how the data items are to be reported using the existing information sets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Anthony Christopher Bloesch, Siddharth Jayadevan, James R. Flynn, Antony Scott Williams
  • Patent number: 9372877
    Abstract: A sparse dataset structure is created by creating column vectors for one or more columns in a dataset that have at least one significant value. Each column vector includes data values for columns of the dataset. Each column vector that is a sparse column vector includes a look-up index array and a value array. Entries in the look-up index array represent columns. The value array includes values for a row in a column. Each entry in the value array points to a row entry in the look-up index array. A side structure includes a row index and a column index. The row index includes a location for an entry for each row where entries point to a location in the column index that identifies a column that has a first significant entry for a row. Alternatively a sparse dataset could be constructed with sparse rows.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Sudarshan Raghunathan, Samuel I. Weiss
  • Patent number: 9372878
    Abstract: Connections between an online system user and one or more social networking system users maintained by various social networking systems are analyzed to determine social proximity between the online system user and social networking system users connected to the online system user via a social networking system. Social networking system users connected to the online system user via each of a plurality of social networking systems are identified. Based on a number of social networking system users connected to both the online system user and to a social networking system user connected to the online system user, a social proximity score indicating relative social “closeness” of the digital magazine server user and the social networking system user connected to the digital magazine server user is generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Flipboard, Inc.
    Inventors: Arthur Anthonie van Hoff, Markus Manfred Breunig
  • Patent number: 9372879
    Abstract: Techniques are described for employing a substantially self-balanced append tree data structure to store and access information. The append tree data structure is a hierarchical data structure in which a leaf node or a parent node may be added to expand the append tree data structure. The determination to add a leaf node or a parent node may be based on a counter for leaf nodes present in the append tree data structure. Nodes in the append tree data structure may be blocks in memory, with each block corresponding to a plurality of positions that may be employed to tracking message identifiers in a messaging service.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventor: Andrew Ross Evenson
  • Patent number: 9372880
    Abstract: Provided are techniques for reclamation of empty pages in database tables. In response to receiving a plurality of records for insertion into a database table, the plurality of records are inserted into one or more contiguous pages. In response to at least some of the plurality of records being deleted from the database table, the one or more contiguous pages are reclaimed by: relocating any records from the plurality of records remaining in the one or more contiguous pages and releasing the one or more contiguous pages.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Frank-Martin Haas, Nelson Hop Hing, Matthew A. Huras, Catherine S. McArthur, Sean W. McKeough, Keriley K. Romanufa, Torsten W. E. Ziegler
  • Patent number: 9372881
    Abstract: A computer system for matching format defining data structures with at least one data-containing structure of a group of potentially corresponding data-containing structures is disclosed. The system is made up of at least one processor, non-volatile storage, multiple data-containing structures and multiple format defining data structures. The processor will analyze attributes of at least some of the data-containing structures according to a set of validation rules to identify a set of potential candidate format defining data structures for potentially corresponding to the data-containing structures, analyze at least some of the multiple format defining data structures according to at least one of the validation rules to identify a set of candidate data-containing structures containing data elements having formats substantially corresponding to at least one of the format defining data structures, and rank the set based upon correspondence between one or more of data types or values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventor: Gregg A. Upton
  • Patent number: 9372882
    Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for partitioning online databases. Online database operations, such as, for example, SPLIT, MERGE, and DROP, are used to alter the arrangement of partitions in a federated database. A SPLIT operation splits rows at one partition across a plurality of other partitions. A MERGE operation merges rows at a plurality of partitions in to one partition. A DROP operation shifts responsibility for rows of data from one partition to another partition and then drops the rows from the one partition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Lev Novik, Andrew Kimball, Tony Petrossian, Cihangir Biyikoglu, Santeri Olavi Voutilainen, Tomas Talius, Istvan Cseri, Joachim Hammer, Jason D. Clark, Marc T. Friedman, Ajay Kalhan
  • Patent number: 9372883
    Abstract: Embodiments relate to manipulating a multi-tenant database, wherein the multi-tenant database comprises one or more source databases for storing tenant data. An aspect includes receiving a database operation request for one or more tenant-specific logic views, wherein the tenant-specific logic views are created for respective tenants based on mapping information pointing to the one or more source databases included in the multi-tenant database and multi-tenant metadata. Another aspect includes acquiring the mapping information related to the database operation request and pointing to the one or more source databases included in the multi-tenant database. Yet another aspect includes performing a database operation corresponding to the database operation requested for the one or more source databases based on the acquired mapping information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Wen Hao An, Bo Gao, Chang Jie Guo, Ning Wang, Qi Rong Wang, Xiao Feng Wang, Zhi Hu Wang, Lei Zhi
  • Patent number: 9372884
    Abstract: Content providers define a set of scenarios that are addressed by their datasets. The scenarios include user-friendly, human-readable attributes such as a title, description, and visualization. The scenarios may also include a technical description that can be used to generate sample queries that can then be executed against the dataset. The technical description may be machine translated to arbitrary data querying protocols while maintaining the semantic meaning of the query. A user interface may be provided to allow users to intuitively generate the scenarios. In one embodiment, an extensible framework provides for the creation of protocol-specific translation plug-ins that are used to generate implementations of the scenario suitable for selected protocols. Known market-relevant translator plug-ins may also be implemented.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Piotr Milosz Puszkiewicz, Roger Mall, Ziv Kasperski, Zachary Schellhardt
  • Patent number: 9372885
    Abstract: A method and system for dynamically updating contents of a folder on a mobile device. The system comprises identifying at least a folder on the mobile device as a dynamic folder; determining at least a context parameter respective of the dynamic folder; searching for applications that can be added to the dynamic folder respective of the at least context parameter; generating an icon respective of each application found by the search; and displaying each icon respective of each application in the dynamic folder.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Doat Media Ltd.
    Inventors: Rami Kasterstein, Amihay Ben-David, Joey Joseph Simhon
  • Patent number: 9372886
    Abstract: This invention relates to the Internet of Things (IOT), and discloses a method and apparatus of data filtering in the IOT, where the IOT includes a plurality of sensor devices. The method includes: inputting an application deployed rule; converting the rule into at least one sub-predicate expression having static predicates and dynamic predicates; inputting data collected by the sensor devices; matching the collected data with the static predicates and the dynamic predicates of the sub-predicate expression in sequence; and distributing matched data to the application. In this invention, a rule is divided into static and dynamic predicates, and a match is performed on static predicates before dynamic predicates, so that the speed of predicate match can be improved and fast and efficient data filtering in the IOT can be achieved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Zhen Tan Feng, Yi Ge, Chi Liu, Wei Lu, Bo Yang, Qi Yu
  • Patent number: 9372887
    Abstract: A plurality of stored data sequences that match one or more search data sequences are determined. Each of the stored data sequences of the plurality of stored data sequences comprise a plurality of data elements and the stored data sequences are stored in a content addressable memory array. A longest stored data sequence of the plurality of stored data sequences is determined using a plurality of tracing circuits. An address associated with the longest stored data sequence of the plurality of stored data sequences is determined. A count of data elements of the longest stored data sequence of the plurality of stored data sequences is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshi Doji, Nishino Kiyoshi, Nobuyoshi Tanaka
  • Patent number: 9372888
    Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide systems and methods for searching a repository of information such as a database using a keyword search and/or an attribute search in near real time. According to one embodiment, a method of searching a repository of information can comprise receiving a set of search criteria for performing the search and selectively performing one or more of an attribute search and a keyword search of the information in the repository based on the received search criteria.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: ORACLE INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Yu Cong Lam, Paolo Juvara
  • Patent number: 9372889
    Abstract: A data warehousing system maintains large tables comprising a significant quantity of historical data. In general, the addition of small quantities of additional data is not likely to significantly alter the accuracy of statistics relied upon by a query optimizer. However, certain statistics may have an influence on optimizer behavior, even though the size of the additional data is small. Certain statistics relied on by the optimizer may be incrementally updated based at least in part on characteristics of the additional data without requiring a scan of the preexisting data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Amazon Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hakan Jakobsson, Zelaine Fong
  • Patent number: 9372890
    Abstract: A method, non-transitory computer readable medium, and apparatus for receiving data from a cloud database. One or more queries requesting data from the cloud database are received. The one or more queries are converted from a row-store database query into a column-store database query. An optimal join plan is identified for the one or more queries using a cost based optimizer based on metadata for one or more relations in the cloud database. The optimal join plan is executed using a cloud application programming interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Infosys Technologies, Ltd.
    Inventors: S/shri. V. Bharath, Satyanarayana R. Valluri, Kamalakar Karlapalem, Radha Krishna Pisipati
  • Patent number: 9372891
    Abstract: A system and method of querying hybrid multi data sources includes receiving a query at a hybrid multi data source running on a computer server, creating a list of data sources, filtering the list of data sources based on data source hints included in the query, filtering the list of data sources based on data source rules, forming one or more query plans for processing the query, evaluating each of the query plans, selecting a first query plan from the query plans based on results of the evaluating, and performing the first query plan. Each query plan corresponds to a data source in the filtered list of data sources. In some examples, the first query plan has a lowest cost of each of the query plans. In some examples, the first query plan is based on probabilities associated with the cost of each of the query plans.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: RED HAT, INC.
    Inventors: Filip Eliá{hacek over (s)}, Filip Nguyen
  • Patent number: 9372892
    Abstract: A method for use in processing database queries performed on a database, having tables made up of outer table data and corresponding inner table data, distributed among storage associated with multiple nodes of a multi-threaded cluster of computers is described. The method involves constructing a Bloom filter at nodes by merging Bloom filter components on each node using different startingOffset positions for each thread and then, once the Bloom filter is complete at a node and using the complete Bloom filter as a join filter in a table join operation, without regard to Bloom filter construction occurring at others of the multiple nodes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Naresh K. Chainani, Kiran K. Chinta, Yuan Su, Liping Zhang
  • Patent number: 9372893
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides techniques to rank search results. The techniques may include acquiring a set of primitive characteristics and extracting effective characteristics from the set of primitive characteristics based on historical transaction data. The effective characteristics include characteristics that can have an influence on ranking of search results. The techniques may also include determining an initial weight of each of the effective characteristics based on the historical transaction data, and training the initial weight using the historical transaction data and a predetermined training model to obtain a final weight. Based on the final weight, the search results may be ranked. In some aspects, the techniques may also optimize the ranking to ensure the objectivity and accuracy of ranking results.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Limited
    Inventors: Feng Lin, Jiayu Tang
  • Patent number: 9372894
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for determining a relationship score between a first entity and a second entity. A first computer-readable representation of a first spatial region containing the first entity is generated. A second computer-readable representation of a second spatial region containing the second entity is generated. The first computer-readable representation and the second computer-readable representation are compared at decreasing resolutions until a matching condition is reached. A relationship score is assigned to one or more of the first entity and the second entity based on the resolution at which the matching condition is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Kirk J. Krauss
  • Patent number: 9372895
    Abstract: A method of forming a keyword based search query that uses a plurality of keywords, in which the keywords of the query are arranged into groups of purpose-related keywords, in which each keyword is associated with a designation of its relative importance. The keywords of a group may be identified manually by the searcher, or existing keywords in a group may be used to suggest or automatically add additional related keywords to the group. The keywords of a group need not be semantically related, but only related to a common purpose of the keyword group. Additional keywords can be suggested to the searcher, or automatically added to the groups. Suitable additional keywords may be identified by reference to previous searches in which the existing keywords were grouped with those additional keywords. Keywords may also be derived from text designated by the searcher, using all or portions of one or more documents or text blocks that the user identifies as describing a concept of interest to the searcher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: RINA SYSTEMS LLC
    Inventors: Leo Zamansky, Yan Dai
  • Patent number: 9372896
    Abstract: A spam score is assigned to a business listing when the listing is received at a search entity. A noise function is added to the spam score such that the spam score is varied. In the event that the spam score is greater than a first threshold, the listing is identified as fraudulent and the listing is not included in (or is removed from) the group of searchable business listings. In the event that the spam score is greater than a second threshold that is less than the first threshold, the listing may be flagged for inspection. The addition of the noise to the spam scores prevents potential spammers from reverse engineering the spam detecting algorithm such that more listings that are submitted to the search entity may be identified as fraudulent and not included in the group of searchable listings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Douglas Richard Grundman
  • Patent number: 9372897
    Abstract: Methods for determining a relationship score between a first entity and a second entity. A first computer-readable representation of a first spatial region containing the first entity is generated. A second computer-readable representation of a second spatial region containing the second entity is generated. The first computer-readable representation and the second computer-readable representation are compared at decreasing resolutions until a matching condition is reached. A relationship score is assigned to one or more of the first entity and the second entity based on the resolution at which the matching condition is reached.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventor: Kirk J. Krauss
  • Patent number: 9372898
    Abstract: By knowing which upcoming actions a user might perform, a mobile application can optimize a user interface or reduce the amount of user input needed for accomplishing a task. A herein-described prediction module can answer queries from a mobile application regarding which actions in the application the user is likely to perform at a given time. Any application can register and communicate with the prediction module via a straightforward application programming interface (API). The prediction module continuously learns a prediction model for each application based on the application's evolving event history. The prediction module generates predictions by combining multiple predictors with an online learning method, and capturing event patterns not only within but also across registered applications. The prediction module is evaluated using events collected from multiple types of mobile devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Google Inc.
    Inventor: Yang Li
  • Patent number: 9372899
    Abstract: Ordering search results may include obtaining an exposed log file from a log system, computing a Bayesian posterior probability for relevancy between the log file and a search request, computing an expected value of the relevancy between the log file and the search request based on the Bayesian posterior probability, storing the search request and an identifier of the log file as a key and the expected value of the relevancy between the log file and the search request as a value into a search data structure, in response to receiving a search request submitted by a user, finding expected values of relevancy between the submitted search request and log files that are relevant to the submitted search request from the search data structure, and ordering the found log files in a descending order of the expected values.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Alibaba Group Holding Limited
    Inventors: Huaxing Jin, Wei Zheng, Peng Huang, Xu Yang, Feng Lin, Jiong Feng, Qin Zhang
  • Patent number: 9372900
    Abstract: Methods and systems for storing web-site visitor data in a specific bucket among a plurality of buckets based on a unique visitor identifier. The methods and systems may dynamically change the number of buckets based on certain conditions, such as when one of the buckets reaches a predetermined size. Several processors may be used in parallel to process the visitor data from two or more of the buckets simultaneously, for example to generate or obtain report data. The systems and methods may aggregate the report data into a result table.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 10, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: João Manuel Pinto Filipe, Pleun Christiaan Bel, Tiago Cipriano Pires, Zoltán Papp
  • Patent number: 9372901
    Abstract: An application search system provides search results for applications based on one or more attributes of the applications. A search query is received by the application search system from a partner. The application search system retrieves a set of applications in response to the search query. In addition, the application search system receives, from one or more sources, restrictive information regarding one or more security attributes for one or more applications in the set of applications. A security value is generated for each of the one or more applications in the set of applications. The security value includes a security attribute value for each of the one or more security attributes. The application search system provides the retrieved set of applications for display at a user interface to the partner. Furthermore, each generated security value is also displayed in conjunction with the corresponding application.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Quixey, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason Prosnitz, Steve Orrin
  • Patent number: 9372902
    Abstract: At least one message flow file that stores a message flow is read by a processor. The message flow stored within the at least one message flow file is parsed. The message flow is organized within a memory as a message flow database structure. Entries within the message flow database structure represent nodes, connections, and properties used by the message flow. The message flow database structure is edited in response to receipt of a structured query language (SQL) statement that specifies a change to the message flow database structure.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: John Hosie, Philip Jones, Gregory Lubel, Anthony H. Phillips, Brian Stewart, Dominic J. Storey
  • Patent number: 9372903
    Abstract: A computer-executed method includes storing in a data store data attributes, data objects, and a data analysis tool (DAT). Each data object has an attribute set and an identifier set. The method includes identifying each data object that has an attribute set comprising a data attribute matching each reference data attribute associated with the DAT, and selecting an identified data object as an input data object for the DAT. The DAT generates a new data object as a function of the input data object, which includes analyzing the input data object with reference to an auxiliary data object and creating an identifier set for the new data object that includes an identifier of the new data object for distinguishing the new data object from each other data object in the data store, and the identifier of the auxiliary data object. The new data object is stored in the data store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Monsanto Technology LLC
    Inventors: Ryan Jerry Richt, Christopher Allen Taylor
  • Patent number: 9372904
    Abstract: A system contains at least one load server that receives subscriber files including encrypted and unencrypted data from a vendor server connected to a subscriber network. The load server includes a load server processor that sorts the encrypted files to a decryption route and the unencrypted files to a direct loading route. The decryption route includes a decryption module that decrypts the encrypted files. The data warehouse includes at least one data warehouse processor having a job tasking module that assigns dedicated load jobs to each file. The data warehouse processor includes a staging module that loads data to a staging table. The data warehouse processor loads data from the staging table to a target table and aggregates the data into a report.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Cellco Partnership
    Inventor: Srinivasa Rao Venkata Dola
  • Patent number: 9372905
    Abstract: A system may determine metadata information associated with data included in a data structure. The system may identify a category, associated with the data, based on the metadata information. The system may present, for display, a user interface that allows a user to build a graphical query based on the category. The graphical query may include a user-defined visual representation of a data structure query associated with the data. The system may receive information associated with the graphical query based on presenting the user interface. The information associated with the graphical query may be received based on input provided via the user interface, and may include information associated with the category. The system may provide the information associated with the graphical query.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Inc.
    Inventors: Surya Rebbapragada, Arockia R. Jeyaraj, Thuy X. Nguyen, Srinivas S. Halembar, Yogesh Sawant, Ibrahim Itani
  • Patent number: 9372906
    Abstract: Restarting transmission and application of changed data. A method includes receiving from the second location a first checkpoint. The first checkpoint points to a last record applied to replication data at the second location to replicate data from the first location. The method further includes receiving from the second location a second checkpoint. The second checkpoint is received by the second location from the first location. The second checkpoint identifies a last record in the set of transmitted records. The method further includes transmitting the received first checkpoint back to the second location with a command to restart applying records from the last record applied pointed to in the first checkpoint. The method further includes transmitting the received second checkpoint to the first location with a command for the first location to restart transmission of records from the last record in the set of records.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC
    Inventors: Giedrius Zizys, Kestutis Patiejunas
  • Patent number: 9372907
    Abstract: A node type of a plurality of distributed nodes to which a table to be added to a distributed database should be assigned can be identified by applying a set of placement rules defined for the table. The set of placement rules can also be applied to determine whether the table should be partitioned into more than one partition. A table group name associated with the table can be obtained and used in conjunction with the node type and determination of whether to partition the table to store the table in the distributed database on at least one node of the plurality of nodes as one or more partitions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: SAP SE
    Inventors: Hans-Joerg Leu, Christian Bensberg, Johannes Beigel, Jochen Becker, Carsten Mueller
  • Patent number: 9372908
    Abstract: A first data structure stores indications of storage locations that need to be copied for forming a consistency group. A second data structure stores indications of new host writes subsequent to starting a point in time copy operation to form the consistency group. Read access is secured to a metadata storage area and a determination is made as to whether the second data structure indicates that there are any new host writes. In response to determining that the second data structure indicates that there are new host writes, write access is secured to the metadata storage area, the first data structure is updated with contents of the second data structure to determine which additional storage locations need to be copied for formation of a next consistency group, and the second data structure is updated to indicate that that the second data structure is in an initialized state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Michael T. Benhase, Theresa M. Brown, Mark L. Lipets
  • Patent number: 9372909
    Abstract: A method for defining grouping of data, across multiple data sources using variables and functions, may include defining grouping of data corresponding to one or more entities across multiple data sources, using a generic language that relates to multiple entities. The method may include providing access to the data based on Data-Dependent Routing (DDR), using variables and functions defined by the generic language. According to example embodiments, the system may include a user interface to receive one or more statements belonging to the generic language and present data accessed via the one or more statements. The system may also include a processor to execute statements and to provide access to the data. The system may further include a server to host the multiple data sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 21, 2016
    Assignee: PayPal, Inc.
    Inventor: Francis Smith