Abstract: A framework for a question and answering (Q&A) system defines a mapping of recognized semantics of user questions, to a well structured query model that can be executed on arbitrary data warehouses. Embodiments may utilize a plugin-based architecture, with various elements responsible for: extracting information from a user's question, formulating and executing a structured query, and post-processing a result by rendering a chart. Plugins within a certain processing step may be executed independently of one another, imparting a significant degree of parallelism. The framework may build on top of natural language processing technologies, and in particular embodiments may be based upon established standards (e.g. RDF and SparQL) thereby allowing adaptation to a variety of domains and use cases.

Abstract: Systems and methods for photograph mapping are disclosed herein. In one embodiment a first digital image and at least one user-generated datum is received from at least one user. The first image is geographically organized according to the at least one datum. The first image is associated with at least one location and at least one direction. The first image is provided from a first person perspective to a user in response to a request.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system allowing to query data warehouses using SPARQL. An aspect of the system may support the representation of multidimensional data as virtual graphs. Another aspect of the system may provide mapping of SPARQL queries directed against multidimensional data vis-à-vis the graphs to native queries directed against the multidimensional data. Responses from the native queries may then be translated to a SPARQL response format.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a system and method is illustrated including receiving a feedback request identifying a particular user, retrieving a feedback entry in response to the feedback request, the feedback entry containing a first term, building a scoring model based, in part, upon a term frequency count denoting a frequency with which the first term appears in a searchable data structure, mapping the first term to a graphical illustration based upon a second term associated with the graphical illustration such that the graphical illustration may be used to represent the second term, and generating a feedback page containing the first term and the graphical illustration. The method may include assigning a value to the first term so as to identify the first term, assigning the first term to the searchable data structure, and extracting the first term from the searchable data structure based, in part, upon an extraction rule.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards managing and tracking item identification of a plurality of items to determine if an item is a new or existing item, where an existing item has been previously processed. In some embodiments, two or more item identifiers may be generated. In one embodiment, generating the two or more item identifiers may include analyzing the item using a small item size characteristic, a compressed item, or for an identifier collision. The two or more item identifiers may be employed to determine if the item is a new or existing item. In one embodiment, the two or more item identifiers may be compared to a record about an existing item to determine if the item is a new or existing item. If the item is an existing item, then the item may be further processed to determine if the existing item has actually changed.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a particular number of best entities are found in a database with a spatial index that satisfy both spatial criteria and entity filtering criteria. For each of a set of targets in the spatial index whose bounding box meets the spatial criteria, a spatial score is calculated. If the spatial score is less than a minimum spatial score in a current map of best entities and the current map is full, the target is excluded from further consideration. If the spatial score is not less than the minimum spatial score, when the target is an entity that meets the entity filtering criteria, the current map is updated to store the entity and the spatial score for the entity. When each of the targets in the spatial index has been subject to test or excluded from consideration, the current map is returned as a final result.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for processing a database query between one or more clients and one or more databases. The database query, which is formatted using a first protocol, is received from one of the clients. One of the databases is selected to process the database query and the database query is translated from the first protocol to a second protocol. The translated database query is then sent to the selected database for processing. A response to the database query, which is formatted using the second protocol, is received from the selected database and the response is translated from the second protocol to the first protocol. The present invention determines which of the clients sent the database query and sends the translated response to the client that sent the database query. This method can be implemented as a computer program embodied on a computer readable medium.

Abstract: Method, system and computer usable medium are provided for processing information items from first and second databases, wherein information items in the first database are related in first way, and information items in the second database are related in a second way. The method comprises providing a semantic relationship between the information items in the first database and the information items in the second database, the semantic relationship providing a single point of entry to the first and second databases. That single point of entry is used to enter a query to the databases, and the semantic relationship is used to navigate between the first and second databases to provide a response to the query.

Abstract: Techniques for external application-directed data partitioning in data exported from a parallel database management system (DBMS) are provided. An external application sends a query, a total number of requested access module processors (AMPs), and an application-defined data partitioning expression to the DBMS. The DBMS executes the query with the results vertical partitioned on the identified number of AMPs. Individual external mappers access their assigned AMPs asking for specific partitions that they are assigned to process the query results.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a search query for a search of samples of sensor data is received. The search query indicates one or more requested values of one or more data parameters. The samples are represented by a characteristic function indicating whether a given binary representation represents a sample. A query function representing the one or more requested values is formulated. The query function and the characteristic function are used to identify one or more samples that have the one or more requested values.

Abstract: Texts may be classified by mapping the texts to concept space, and by dividing the concept space based on substantive classes. A concept space containing a diverse set of concepts is defined. One example of a concept space is the set of on-line encyclopedia articles, each of which is an example of a concept. A text is scored for relevance against each concept, and a vector is created containing each of the scores. The vector represents the text's position in concept space. For any given substantive class of texts, the concept space may be divided into regions containing texts that are members/non-members of the class. The dividing boundary may be determined by training a classifier on a set of labeled examples of texts that fall inside and outside the class.

Abstract: A system and method for providing a digital map database wherein multiple instances of geocoded objects pertaining to points of interest (POI) and/or three-dimensional (3D) objects contained within one or more building blocks are compared to find undesirable duplicate geocoded objects. Cross-referencing information is stored and preference information about which geocoded object or object property/attribute should be used is assessed to determine priority for selection or presentation on the display screen (12) of a navigation device (10) or other suitable computing device. Cross-references can be pre-calculated at compile time or calculated on-the-fly by the navigation application at run time and may be persistently stored in dedicated data structures. When duplicate geocoded objects are found, only the most accurate information or a super set of (attribute) information is used by applications or presented to a user thereby preventing confusion.

Abstract: There are provided an information providing device, an information providing processing program, and an information providing method which can efficiently recommend information related to a shooting spot matching a user's preference. The information providing device is configured to search for image data based on object information specified by a user with respect to a frame, and an arrangement of the object information.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, computer-implemented system, and a computer program product for answering a database-based query of a computerized database system. The method includes: generating a canonical individual ind' with respect to a role and a concept, for an existential restriction in an ontology used in the computerized database system; converting implicit data in original data into explicit data using the canonical individual ind' and the ontology; and retrieving an answer meeting all query conditions in a query from the original data and the converted explicit data. The computer-implemented system includes: a canonical individual generation unit; a data conversion engine; and a query unit.

Abstract: Systems, methods and computer program products are provided for a distributed associative memory base. Such methods may include providing a distributed memory base that includes a network of networks of associative memory networks. The memory base may include a network of associative memory networks, a respective associative memory network comprising associations among a respective observer entity and a plurality of observed entities that are observed by the respective observer entity. Ones of the associative memory networks are physically and/or logically independent from other ones of the associative memory networks. Methods include imagining associations from the associative memory base using a plurality of streaming queues that correspond to ones of a plurality of rows of ones of the associative memory networks.

Abstract: Today information Peer-to-Peer networks sometimes share improper information. Embodiments of the invention solve this problem by creating a list of shared information for analysis. In particular, a method or corresponding apparatus of an example embodiment includes a network node to obtain one or more searches from a Peer-to-Peer network. Next, the network node compares the one or more searches to one or more criteria. After comparing, the network node updates the one or more criteria to include variations of the one or more searches. Further, the network node issues the one or more searches based on the updated criteria. Next, the network node determines resultant information associated with the one or more searches. After determining, the network node creates a list of the resultant information for analysis. Using the list, an operator or software logic can analyze the resultant information to identify patterns and, in turn, identify improper information sharing.

Abstract: An Internet infrastructure supports searching of images by correlating a category selection with that of plurality of images hosted in Internet based servers in selected categories. An image search server supports delivery of search result pages to a client device based upon a search image or category selection, and contains images from a plurality of Internet based web hosting servers. The image search server delivers characteristic analysis of an image to the client device upon request. The selection of images is based upon: (i) word match, that is, by selecting images, titles of which correspond to the search image; and (ii) image correlation, that is, by selecting images, image characteristics of which correlates to that of category selection. The selection of images in the search result page also occurs on the basis of popularity. The category selection server also selects category based upon user's choice.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method, article of manufacture, and apparatus of importing authorities for backup systems. In some embodiments, this includes having a directory service engine retrieve authorities from an external directory service, obtain users and groups from the authorities, map the users and the groups to roles of internal authorities, and distribute the mapping to the internal authorities. The directory service engine may also export authorities to the external directory service and may be used for communication with the external directory service for authentication and access control.

Abstract: According to certain embodiments, a set of samples of sensor data is accessed. The set of samples records measurements taken by one or more sensors. Each sample is represented as a minterm to yield a set of minterms. A characteristic function is generated from the set of minterms. The characteristic function indicates whether a given minterm is a member of the set of minterms.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention provide data management solutions that go beyond the traditional warehousing system to support advanced analytics. Furthermore, embodiments of the invention relate to systems and methods for extracting data from an existing data warehouse, storing the extracted data in a reusable (intermediate) form using data parallel and compute parallel techniques over cloud, query processing over the data with/without compute parallel techniques, and providing querying using high level querying languages.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to computing, and in particular, to a systems and methods for a querying a database. Certain embodiments implement a model-driven database query (“the SADL query”) facilitating a design-time tool that allows a developer to create the query based upon existing Business Objects (BOs) and their associations. This SADL query leverages mapping between business-layer entities and database-layer entities, such mapping being derived from association metadata already extant in the business model used to create the Business Objects. In certain embodiments, query views may be based upon associations present within the business layer, rather than upon database-level entities (such as joins or restriction rules) that are typically relied upon in conventional query creation. Embodiments of the present invention may thus align query creation more closely with the structure of the business layer, and may also render query design agnostic relative to the identity of the underlying database.

Abstract: An approach is provided for generating a compilation of media items. A plurality of media items is received. Respective context vectors for the media items are determined. The context vectors include, at least in part, orientation information, tilt information, altitude information, geo-location information, timing information, or a combination thereof associated with the creation of the respective media items. A compilation of at least a portion of the media items is generated based, at least in part, on the context vectors.

Abstract: Described herein is a technology to facilitate dynamic bridging of an application server and a data server. In accordance with one aspect, a query script based on source code of an application is generated at the application server. The query script may include at least one placeholder that represents a dynamic term in the source code of the application. The query script may be processed by replacing the placeholder with a static term generated based on one or more values received during execution of the application. The query script is then executed to manage data at a data server.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer programs encoded on a computer storage medium, for analyzing data. In one aspect, a mixer server receives a request for a visualization of television reporting data, translates the request for the visualization of the television reporting data into sharded requests, and provides each sharded request to a respective shard server. Each shard server processes a respective proper subset of the television reporting data to generate data representing the visualization, and provides the data representing the visualization to the mixer server. The mixer server aggregates the data representing the visualizations received from each of the shard servers, and provides the aggregated data representing the visualization as a response to the request for the visualization of the television reporting data.

Abstract: Disclosed are various embodiments for distributing data items within a plurality of nodes. A data item update request is replicated from a master node in a plurality of nodes to a plurality of slave nodes within the plurality of nodes. The replicated data item update request is determined to be locality-based durable. Responsive to the determination that the replicated data item update request is locality-based durable, the data item update request is confirmed to a client, wherein the client had originated the data item update request. Upon failover of the master node to another node within the plurality of nodes, a fault-tolerant failover quorum ensures that all previously confirmed updates are found and recognized by the new master node.

Abstract: Searching of images by correlating a search image with a plurality of images hosted in Internet based servers by an image search server. The image search server supports delivery of search result pages to a client device based upon a search string or search image, and contains images from a plurality of Internet based web hosting servers. The image search server delivers a search result page containing images upon receiving a search string and/or search image from the web browser. The selection of images in the search result page is based upon: (i) word match, that is, by selecting images, titles of which correspond to the search string; and (ii) image correlation, that is, by selecting images, image characteristics of which correlates to that of search image. The selection of images in the search result page also occurs on the basis of popularity.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product are described for state maintenance of a large object. In one approach, the method, system and computer program product perform by associating one or more buffers with a transaction involving a large object, the large object data may be accessed using the one or more buffers during the transaction, and storing data for the large object from the one or more buffers in one or more sets of contiguous blocks. In one approach, a system performs state maintenance of a large object with a cache that associates one or more buffers with a transaction involving a large object, the large object data may be accessed using the one or more buffers during the transaction, and the cache stores large object data from the one or more buffers in one or more sets of contiguous blocks in storage.

Abstract: A database server receives a data request from a client. In response to the data request, the database server selects, from a database, actual data that satisfies criteria specified by the data request. The database server retrieves the selected actual data from the database. Also in response to the data request, the database server redacts the retrieved data in real time without modifying the actual data contained within the database. This may be accomplished by the prior insertion of masking operators into a top SELECT clause of a query representation generated during semantic analysis. The database server returns the redacted data to the client as a reply to the data request.

Abstract: A method for distributed tokenization of sensitive strings of characters, such as social security numbers, credit card numbers and the like, in a local server is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of receiving from a central server at least one, and preferably at least two, static token lookup tables, and receiving a sensitive string of characters. In a first tokenization step, a first substring of characters is substituted with a corresponding first token from the token lookup table(s) to form a first tokenized string of characters, wherein the first substring of characters is a substring of the sensitive string of characters. Thereafter, in a second step of tokenization, a second substring of characters is substituted with a corresponding second token from the token lookup table(s) to form a second tokenized string of characters, wherein the second substring of characters is a substring of the first tokenized string of characters. Optionally, one or more additional tokenization steps is/are used.

Abstract: A framework for a question and answering (Q&A) system defines a mapping of recognized semantics of user questions, to a well structured query model that can be executed on arbitrary data warehouses. Embodiments may utilize a plugin-based architecture, with various elements responsible for: extracting information from a user's question, formulating and executing a structured query, and post-processing a result by rendering a chart. Plugins within a certain processing step may be executed independently of one another, imparting a significant degree of parallelism. The framework may build on top of natural language processing technologies, and in particular embodiments may be based upon established standards (e.g. RDF and SparQL) thereby allowing adaptation to a variety of domains and use cases.

Abstract: The subject disclosure is directed towards enriching database query responses using data from external data sources. When processing a database query seeking enriched data from an external data source, a request is communicated to the external data source based on the database query. An enriched database query response is generated based on data provided by the external data source. The enriched database query response may be combined with data returned via an internal database query operation, and/or inserted into a local database table.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to methods and systems for providing personal connection alerts. The user desires to have a personal connection with a target person. An indicator for a target is provided by the user. The indicator is often the name of the target, but can also be a picture of the target, or other information. A record for the target is created based on the received indicator. The target record is stored. A variety of additional information regarding the target may be obtained from external or internal sources and also stored in the target record. Then the target record is periodically compared with the user's social sphere of influence, which comprises the user's primary and secondary connections. The comparison includes at least comparing the target with the user's secondary connections. When the target record matches at least one of the user's secondary connections, an alert is provided.

Abstract: Queries targeting various data sources are processed in a query processing pipeline that parses the query into a set of operations (e.g., an expression tree or a translated SQL query) using a set of query operators, each handling a particular type of operation. The query operators are often designed in an unspecialized manner, such that each query operator handles one query operation in an atomic, generic manner (e.g., sorting generic data items for an ORDER BY clause.) More efficient queries may be devised by including specialized queries that operate in common but special cases, such as a sorting of a particular data type (e.g., a floating-point number sort) or a sequence of two or more operations that are often performed together (e.g., a WHERE test of an attribute followed by a SELECT of the same attribute.) The use of specialized operators may result in the formulation of more efficient queries.

Abstract: Computer-readable media, computer systems, and computing methods are provided for implicitly discovering applications that have a corresponding location. Initially, an application manifest is constructed that maintains a mapping between apps and their respective geographic boundaries. In operation, upon detecting a location signal being transmitted from a mobile device, the location signal is employed to identify a set of valid applications. Generally, the location signal represents location-based information entered to or received from the mobile device. Identifying the set of valid applications involves comparing the location signal against the application manifest and, based on the comparison, designating those apps that are mapped to geographic boundaries that meet the location signal as the set of valid applications.

Abstract: A method for determining access to a data table store includes determining static properties of data sources during query design, loading the static properties into an unavailability table, at query execution evaluating dynamic properties of the data sources and updating the unavailability table, evaluating a preference expression by a table dispatcher component using session context information from the availability table, determining if a preferred table is available at query execution, and if available indicating to access the preferred table, else applying unavailability rules to obtain repair actions. The preference expression including a user-defined preference between an original table and its replica and user-defined repair actions, where a selection is made at query execution between an original data table and a replicated data table based on the unavailability rules. A non-transitory computer readable medium and a system for implementing the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: Techniques for incorportating query results into an abstract database are described. Embodiments receive a first set of query results produced by executing a first abstract query using a first data abstraction model against a first database. One or more mappings between the first set of query results and one or more logical fields in a second data abstraction model are then determined, where the second data abstraction model models underlying physical data in a manner making a schema of the physical data transparent to a user of the second data abstraction model. Embodiments modify one or more logical field definitions to reference the first set of query results using the determined one or more mappings, such that abstract queries can be executed against both the second database and the first set of query results using the modified second data abstraction model.

Abstract: A computer implemented system and method that combines data from multiple sources to provide a unified view of data using multi-layered conceptual modeling framework. The invention provides means to model conceptual data models at multiple levels of abstraction and a means to map them with each other and with physical models. A query rewriting approach adopted in the present invention is capable of translating queries down multiple levels of conceptual models into physical models and Conceptual modeling framework provide a means to capture and process semantic intent of data more accurately thereby reducing data integration errors significantly.

Abstract: A data-driven information navigation system and method enable search and analysis of a set of objects or other materials by certain common attributes that characterize the materials, as well as by relationships among the materials. The invention includes several aspects of a data-driven information navigation system that employs this navigation mode. The navigation system of the present invention includes features of a knowledge base, a navigation model that defines and enables computation of a collection of navigation states, a process for computing navigation states that represent incremental refinements relative to a given navigation state, and methods of implementing the preceding features.

Abstract: Described herein are systems and methods for providing data policy management over application objects in a storage system environment. An application object may comprise non-virtual or virtual objects (e.g., non-virtual-based applications, virtual-based applications, or virtual storage components). An application object manager may represent application objects by producing mapping graphs and/or application object data that represent application objects in a standardized manner. A mapping graph for an application object may describe a mapping between the application object and its underlying storage objects on a storage system. Application object data may describe a mapping graph in a standardized format. Application object data representing application objects may be received by an application policy manager that manages data policies on the application objects (including virtual applications and virtual storage components) based on the received application object data.

Abstract: A database, system and related method for storing, retrieving, manipulating and presenting nutritional information about food items includes functions and data tables arranged to enable nutritional value scoring and rating. The database, system and method are arranged to enable users to input nutritional information deemed pertinent to assessing the nutritional value of food items. The tables of the database include entities representing food item designations, and arrangements of nutritional information. The nutritional information may be acquired from external sources or generated internally, including for prepared foods. The system is arranged to enable users to generate customized reports based on all product and/or company information of interest or any selectable portions of such information.

Abstract: During a data-access technique, a query that is associated with an organizational accounting code is used to generate a set of queries for business databases. In particular, when generating the set of queries, the organizational accounting code is mapped to a set of database-specific accounting codes using a reclassification list. After receiving answers to the set of queries (which are associated with the set of database-specific accounting codes) from the business databases, the answers are presented to the user. In this way, the user can access the business databases, which may have incompatible database-specific accounting codes, from a single environment with little or no additional effort or expense.

Abstract: As method is disclosed for retrieving data from a relational database management system (RDBMS). An object-oriented environment submits a query to an object relational layer to access data contained in the RDBMS. The object query can result in at least one logical object description that is defined using one or more predetermined expressions. The logical object descriptions are translated to corresponding relational descriptions, and a relational query is subsequently generated. The relational query is applied to the RDBMS in order to retrieve data satisfying the object query. Various error checks can be performed to detect correctness of the query. Additionally, the relational queries can be optimized to improve processing by the RDBMS.

Abstract: System and method for storing a dataset of image tiles.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system, and article of manufacture for querying and integrating structured and unstructured data. The method includes: receiving entity information that is extracted from a first set of unstructured data using an open domain information extraction system, wherein the entity information comprises relationship information between a first entity and a second entity of the first set of unstructured data; recognizing a pattern based on the relationship information and creating a schema for the first set of unstructured data based on the pattern; and associating an element of the created schema with (i) an entity of a second set of unstructured data or (ii) a schema element of an existing set of structured data if there is sufficient overall similarity between the created schema element and either the second unstructured data entity or the schema element of the existing structured data.

Abstract: A system and method for providing information corresponding to a set of geotagged content is provided. A location of a user operated mobile device is determined and mapping information of a target area associated with the location of the user operated mobile device is retrieved. Information corresponding to a several geotagged content in the target area is further retrieved. A visibility of each of the several geotagged content from the location of the user operated mobile device is determined based on the location of the user operated mobile device, the mapping information of the target area, and the retrieved information corresponding to several geotagged content in the target area. Information corresponding to a set of the several geotagged content determined to be visible from the location of the user is provided.

Abstract: A textual search index is used to identify data objects that have numerical properties that satisfy search queries. As described herein, a search index contains search index entries, each of which specifies a reference string and a set of data object identifiers. When an original search query is received, the search query is transformed into a transformed search query such that numerical comparison query elements in the original search query are transformed into equivalent textual comparison query elements. The search index is then used to identify ones of the data objects that satisfy the transformed search query. A list of the identified data objects may then be provided in response to the original search query.

Abstract: Embodiments are directed towards managing and tracking item identification of a plurality of items to determine if an item is a new or existing item, where an existing item has been previously processed. In some embodiments, two or more item identifiers may be generated. In one embodiment, generating the two or more item identifiers may include analyzing the item using a small item size characteristic, a compressed item, or for an identifier collision. The two or more item identifiers may be employed to determine if the item is a new or existing item. In one embodiment, the two or more item identifiers may be compared to a record about an existing item to determine if the item is a new or existing item. If the item is an existing item, then the item may be further processed to determine if the existing item has actually changed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for optimizing an abstract query are disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention allow an abstract database to optimize an abstract query composed from a set of logical fields. Each logical field includes a field name and an access method used to map the logical field to an underlying physical representation of the data. After a user composes an abstract query and submits it for execution, a runtime component and optimization component may be configured to resolve the abstract query to a physical query of the underlying physical data source using an access method associated with each logical field. In addition, as the runtime component builds a query consistent with the schema of the underlying database, an optimizing component may modify the query using any suitable optimization techniques.

Abstract: Graphical user interfaces and method for building Boolean queries and viewing search results using search cells, combination cells, toolbar, and menu bar. Search cells are movable within a workspace and contain a text field, facet type designation, advanced button, and hit count. Categories are chosen using a category walker. Combination cells, a Boolean combination of two or more selected search cells, are also movable and contain a combine icon, hit count, and an expression field. The Boolean query is depicted in a folder tree hierarchy, where search folders are shown within combination folders, which are represented as logical AND, OR, or MINUS folder icons. An applet in a browser accesses a server through the Internet.

Abstract: An approach is provided for providing a user with a ranked list of possible physical addresses in response to an address submitted by the user. An address submitted by a user is parsed and a number of possible candidate addresses are generated from the user provided address. The quality of the candidate addresses is ranked according to the quality of their individual address elements and factors applied to these elements. An overall quality score for each candidate address is thereby derived. The list of candidate address is displayed to the user according to overall quality score ranking.