Abstract: Systems and methods for enabling querying of nested or repeated structures with simple, non-nested group by queries derived from a template. In particular, non-flat tables (e.g., tables with repeated or nested structures) can be queried from a frontend interface as though the tables flat, exposing data associated with the nested structures by way of the non-nest queries.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are systems, methods, and software for facilitating application licensing. In at least one implementation, license information for an application is identified based at least in part on a developer profile associated with the application and a state of a license for the application identified from at least a portion of the license information. Presentation of the application in accordance with the state of the license for the application can then be initiated.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed which facilitate dynamic generation of concatenated files. For example, one or more component images may be dynamically joined or merged to create a concatenated image file. In one aspect, a content file, such as an HTML file, may include a link or reference to a multiple component images to be included within a concatenated image. During rendering of the content file, a rendering device may transmit a request for the concatenated file to a concatenation server. The concatenation server may dynamically generate and return the concatenated image to the device. Thereafter, the concatenated image may be utilized within generated content, such as a web page. Illustratively, dynamic generation of concatenated content may facilitate use of concatenation techniques even where component content is dynamically determined or frequently changed.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, in response to a request received from an application by a launch module hosted by an operating system and executed by a processor to dynamically load a library, a library validation module hosted by the operating system extracts a first team identifier (ID) from the application, where the first team ID identifies an application provider that provides the application. The library validation module extracts a second team ID from the library, where the second team ID identifies a library provider that provides the library. The first team ID and the second team ID are compared to determine whether the first team ID matches the second team ID. In response to determining that the first team ID matches the second team ID, the launch module launches the library to allow the application communicate with the library; otherwise, the request is denied.

Abstract: The present application discloses methods, devices, and systems for information processing based on distributed buses. A server may receive processing request packets from one or more client terminals and enter the processing request packets into a single input information queue. After determining a number of idle information processing threads, the server may use the idle information processing threads to process the selected processing request packets to obtain response data packets. Each information processing thread is configured to use a respective output information queue to store response data packets generated by the information processing thread. The server may then transmit the response data packets within a respective output information queue to a corresponding client terminal. The current method, as well as the devices and systems associated with the method, may be used to facilitate information processing, improve efficiency, and prevent excessive burden and data loss.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and apparatus for delivering documents. A web based application server transmits a document to a distribution management system. The distribution management system then translates the document if necessary (e.g., from a spreadsheet to a PDF and a fax) and sends the translated document to one or more destinations such as email inboxes, printers, and fax machines. For fax deliveries, the distribution management system sends the document to a particular client device that is associated with the fax destination. For example, the client device that actually transmits the fax may reside at a company, and the fax machine may be at a customer of that company. In this manner, fax transmissions appear to come from the correct source (not the distribution management system), and transmission charges associated with the fax are incurred by the appropriate company (not the company associated with the distribution management system).

Abstract: A system and method for application aware de-duplication of data blocks in a virtualized storage array is disclosed. In one embodiment, in a method of de-duplication of data, a master list of metadata is created based on a number of occurrences of data blocks within a storage array. A first sublist of metadata is created from the master list of metadata. The first sublist of metadata is provided to a first component of a networked storage system. It is determined whether the data block being written has a corresponding entry in the master list of metadata based on a determination that a data block being written does not have any corresponding entry in the first sublist of metadata. The data block being written is replaced with a pointer based on a determination that the data block being written has a corresponding entry in the master list of metadata.

Abstract: An artifact tag includes rendering data and a protocol for applying the tag to an artifact of the virtual universe domain, the protocol including a compliance prerequisite for rendering the tag information to user of the virtual universe domain environment. A user requesting application of the tag to an artifact item within the virtual universe domain causes a setting or updating of a protocol compliance value. An avatar of a user engaging the artifact item causes a virtual universe client of the engaging user avatar to render the item to the engaging user in compliance with the tag rendering data if a set or updated compliance value meets a compliance prerequisite.

Abstract: System devices include network interfaces to communicate with user devices associated with a user, memories for storing instructions to be executed by processors, and the processors. The processors are configured to execute the instructions to receive, from a first user device, among the user devices, a request for content; initiate an upload of the requested content to the first user device in response to the request; receive a request for a license key from the first user device in response to the initiation of the upload; determine whether a number of concurrent sessions with the user devices exceeds a maximum number; and send the license key to the first user device when the processors determine that the number of concurrent sessions does not exceed the maximum number.

Abstract: Techniques for hosting data or connecting to hosted data are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a first computing device in a first region of control can receive a data set from a second computing device in a second region of control via a communication network. The first computing device can then analyze the received data set to determine structural information, such as one or more structural features associated with the received data set. The determined structural information can then be transmitted to the second computing device. In response to the transmission, the first computing device can receive input from the second computing device regarding a query capability to enforce over the received data set.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for controlling a mobile terminal having a first wireless interface for cellular communication in a mobile telecommunications network and a second wireless interface for non-cellular wireless communication, such as wireless local area network (WLAN) communication, in at least one frequency band. In the mobile terminal, the following steps are performed. Information is received from the mobile telecommunications network, and the information is processed. Then, based on an outcome of the processing of the information, the second wireless interface is disabled from wireless communication in at least one frequency band.

Abstract: Developing a population category hierarchy can include providing a candidate category hierarchy, including a number of candidate categories, and a mapping between a number of reference pages and the number of candidate categories, including a number of mapped reference pages (143). Population usage data of the number of mapped reference pages can be obtained and used to determine a population traffic metric for each of the number of candidate categories (147). A number of population categories can be generated by using the population traffic metric of each of the number of candidate categories (149); and, a population category hierarchy can be produced including the number of population categories (151).

Abstract: A pre-fetching request is received by a server from a client. The pre-fetching request is performed to pre-fetch data from a data source connected to the server according to an indication of the pre-fetching request. The pre-fetched data is sent from the server to the client upon receiving an actual request for the pre-fetched data. As such, an integrated capability of a server and a client can be employed to perform data pre-fetch, to improve overall performance of the server and the client.

Abstract: A system for package pre-fetching for a remote program installation includes a service node having a processor, a computing node type database, and a cache, the service node being configured to receive at least one package request for a package required for an installation of an operating system and at least one peripheral application thereof from a computing node, and determine a package request sequence by which the computing node issues the at least one package request according to a type of the computing node. In another embodiment, a method includes receiving a package request from a computing node, and determining a package request sequence by which the computing node issues at least one package request according to a type of the computing node, so as to pre-read a subsequent package into a cache before the computing node issues a request for the subsequent package.

Abstract: A stand-alone icon (i.e., an icon that is not part of an application interface) is provided to facilitate communications across a network between users of at least one communications program. The icon represents a contact or a set of contacts. Status information regarding the contact or set of contacts is received and displayed using the icon or in response to an operation performed on the icon. The icon additionally may provide an interface for performing actions related to the contact or set of contacts. The actions may generally include, for example, retrieving profile information about the contact, setting an alert to indicate that the contact's network/login status (e.g., login, logout, or idle) has changed, or performing communications with the contact.

Abstract: Systems and methods of managing and diagnosing enterprise telephonic devices are disclosed. A provisioning request can be received from an enterprise telephonic device. The provisioning request can include a domain name system lookup request. An enterprise network address of a device management server can be provided to the enterprise telephonic device. A voice data link can be established with the enterprise telephonic device so as to permit the enterprise telephonic device to communicate over a data network with endpoint telephonic devices. The device management server can periodically receive heartbeat data from the enterprise telephonic device. The heartbeat can be indicative of a status of at least one functionality of the enterprise telephonic device. The enterprise telephonic device can provide diagnostic logs when requested by the device management server. In addition, the enterprise telephonic device can be configured to periodically request software updates.

Abstract: An access server computing system scrapes a set of records maintained by a target computing system in a database which is only made accessible over the Internet with a limited protocol query and an access challenge. The access server accesses the target computing system through an Internet browser interface based on emulating a user query made through the limited protocol, including by automatically passing locator identifier fields to retrieve a corresponding set of record which are stored in the first database.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method for creating a methodology implementation that supplements a business application are described. In one embodiment, a comprehensive customer engagement methodology is maintained on a server and defines processes and disciplines related to the business application. A series of requests is received from a collaborative computing environment. The series of requests collectively represent a request for a collection of documents and related metadata included in the comprehensive customer engagement methodology. The series of requests are then responded to by providing a copy of the collection of documents and related metadata.

Abstract: A proxy server may receive from a user endpoint, a secure connection request to a second server. The secure connection request may comprise a globally unique identifier registered for the endpoint. The proxy server may intercept, from the user endpoint, a first secure handshake with the second server. The proxy server may initiate a second secure handshake with the second server based on the intercepted first secure handshake. The proxy server may intercept from the second server a second secure handshake response comprising a server certificate with metadata. The proxy server may generate a second certificate using the metadata and signed with a first certificate authority associated with the globally unique identifier registered for the endpoint. The proxy server may transmit to the user endpoint a modified response to the secure connection request secured with the second certificate to establish a proxied secure connection.

Abstract: Techniques for similarity searching are provided. Structural data in a database is searched against one or more structural queries. A desired minimum degree of similarity between the one or more queries and the structural data in the database is first specified. One or more indices are then used to exclude from consideration any structural data in the database that does not share the minimum degree of similarity with one or more of the queries.

Abstract: An information processing system and a service providing apparatus store an electronic file transmitted by an information processing apparatus, receive comments posted to the electronic file, manage the comments with arranged in a time order, and insert the comments into the electronic file. When downloading of the electronic file is instructed, the information processing system and service providing apparatus output the electronic file into which the comments have been inserted.

Abstract: A method and apparatus of a portable storage device that provides a specialized network fileserver is described. In an exemplary method, the portable storage device retrieves a list of applications on the portable storage device, where each of the applications has a private filesystem. For each of the applications, the portable storage device determines if that application will share the corresponding private filesystem and adds that private filesystem to a shared filesystem of the portable storage device is that is shareable. The portable storage device further advertises the shared filesystem to a host that is coupled to the portable storage device.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of the present invention provide methods and systems for supplying rich multimedia metadata usable to generate, e.g., sophisticated entertainment user interfaces in the home. These methods and systems can be implemented as a server-based software application that feeds multiple, diverse clients. The server functionality could be distributed, even co-located physically with one or more clients, or centralized. The server aggregates, filters, validates, augments and links metadata from disparate sources. The server transforms the metadata into a more manageable and extensible internal format. The server communicates with client devices using a schema-independent protocol, providing metadata in the appropriate format that suites the clients needs.

Abstract: A method and search engine for classifying a source publishing a document on a portion of a network, includes steps of electronically receiving a document, based on the document, determining a source which published the document, and assigning a code to the document based on whether data associated with the document published by the source matches with data contained in a database. An intelligent geographic- and business topic-specific resource discovery system facilitates local commerce on the World-Wide Web and also reduces search time by accurately isolating information for end-users. Distinguishing and classifying business pages on the Web by business categories using Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) codes is achieved through an automatic iterative process.

Abstract: A system ranks results. The system may receive a list of links. The system may identify a source with which each of the links is associated and rank the list of links based at least in part on a quality of the identified sources.

Abstract: A system and method for automated database management are provided. Statistics relating to operation of a database may be collected, wherein the database comprises one or more database objects. Characteristics of the database objects may be determined, either automatically or by user intervention, using the collected statistics, one or more policies, and/or one or more definitions. The policies and definitions may be defaults or may be customized by a user. Actions to be performed on the database objects may be determined, either automatically or by user intervention, based on the characteristics of the database objects. A schedule for performing the actions on the database objects may be automatically determined. The actions may be performed on the database objects based on the schedule.

Abstract: A system is provided for centrally managing core enterprise reference data associated with an enterprise. A centralized master repository contains the core enterprise reference data. The internal services framework also provides internal services for managing the core enterprise reference data within the centralized master repository, one or more of the internal services having direct access to the core enterprise reference data stored in the centralized master repository for management purposes. An infrastructure services layer coupled to the centralized master repository provides for bulk data transfers of core enterprise reference data between the centralized master repository and one or more external operational systems according to one or more enterprise-level business workflows, the external operational systems permitted indirect access to the core enterprise reference data stored in the centralized master repository for operational purposes.

Abstract: An electronic media distribution/play system includes a service facility that has a communications network interface and maintains a data file catalog. The catalog is sent over the network to requesting users, and the system processes payments from customers in establishing file access authorizations. Encrypted user-selected files and a player program are transmitted to each customer for metered access to received data files as limited by the authorization, and customers can make additional selections and play the encrypted files freely while the authorization remains established. The system can transmit the data files from local storage, and also provide links to encrypted files that are stored at remote vendor facilities. Authorizations can be for selected portions or class levels of the catalog, and for terms measured as calendar time, play time, and collective number of plays. Also disclosed is a method for facilitating the distribution and accessing of electronic files.

Abstract: An enhanced metadata structure and associated process is provided which captures and stores metadata gathered about the source and usage of a media asset or file. The source and usage metadata is integrated, such as by encoding within the enhanced media file, as the media asset is transferred and used. The integrated metadata accumulates, as a trail of source information and usage information in the enhanced media asset, and can be extracted upon arrival at a target computer system.

Abstract: Systems and methods for managing data, such as metadata. In one exemplary method, metadata from files created by several different software applications are captured, and the captured metadata is searched. The type of information in metadata for one type of file differs from the type of information in metadata for another type of file. Other methods are described and data processing systems and machine readable media are also described.

Abstract: The present invention provides a general solution to presenting media interface and navigation tools for content provided from a plurality of sources. The invention maintains a user at a single site regardless of the source of the media content. This permits a consistent interface to be presented to the user. Because the user remains at the same site, differences in tiered membership may be tracked so that the user is only presented with content that the user is permitted to view. The invention uses a metadata language to characterize content so that viewer type, membership level, and other information can be maintained and used for an enjoyable viewing experience.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods to provide or establish links, web addresses or web content with media (e.g., audio, videos or imagery). In one implementation, we provide a method comprising: upon receipt of a content identifier associated with media, initiating a time-limited auction for a right to associated a link or website with the content identifier; receiving additional bids for the right; and at a conclusion of a predetermined time associated with the time-limited auction, awarding the right to associate a link or website with the content identifier. In another implementation we provide a method including awarding a right to provide or host web content; and monitoring provided or hosted web content to ensure that non-advertising content is maintained at or above a predetermined level.

Abstract: A system and a method for communicating selected search results are described. The system identifies items based on a search that is automatically executed. The identifying includes utilizing a criterion to perform the search. The system further generates a first user interface that includes the items and selection functions that are respectively associated with the items. The system presents the first user interface over a communications network and receives two selections that identify at least two items that are deleted from the items. Next, the system generates a second user interface that includes the non-deleted items and selection functions, the non-deleted items are respectively associated with the selection functions. Finally, the system presents the second user interface over the communications network.

Abstract: A communication system includes a development sector for registering a plurality of wireless devices, a business sector for controlling utilization of an application program and for receiving application data, a service sector for deploying the application program and for providing the application data to the business sector in accordance with communication with at least one wireless device of the plurality; and a mobile sector comprising the plurality of wireless devices, each device for receiving the application program deployed by the service sector, executing the application program in response to the business sector, and communicating with the service sector to support provision of the application data to the business sector. The wireless device, such as a cell phone, personal digital assistant, or palm top computer may include an auxiliary device such as a bar code scanner, a magnetic stripe card reader, or a printer.

Abstract: This invention relates to an advertisement machine which provides advertisements to a user searching for desired information within a data network. The machine receives, from a user, a search request including a search argument corresponding to the desired information and searches, based upon the received search argument, a first database having data network related information to generate search results. It also correlates the received search argument to a particular advertisement in a second database having advertisement related information. The search results together with the particular advertisement are provided by the machine to the user.

Abstract: A method and system for utilizing metadata to search for media, such as multimedia and streaming media, includes searching for the media, receiving results, extracting metadata associated with the media, enhancing the extracted metadata, and grouping the search results in accordance with attributes of the enhanced metadata. Enhancing and grouping include adding related metadata to the database of metadata, iteratively using metadata to search for more media related data, removing duplicate URLs, collapsing URLs that are variants of each other, and masking out superfluous terms from URLs. The resultant metadata and media files are available to users and search engines.

Abstract: Machine-assisted methods and apparatus are disclosed for allowing individual users to develop and organize respective activity descriptions and supporting journal items according to their respective preferences. Cross-referencing mappings may be created between activity descriptions and journal items in order to find, filter and organize disparate data. Cross-referencing mappings may also be created between the developed activity descriptions of different users so they can better understand each others perspectives and possibly overlapping goals. Different users' activity descriptions can be presented to a user even while the user may be disconnected from communication networks. Hierarchical relationships between activity descriptions may be provided. Machine-assisted means may be provided for creating work-sharing, work-delegating and/or informational sharing agreements between different users.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for displaying help content corresponding to the occurrence of an event occurring within a computer. An alert help data file is periodically downloaded at a client computer. When a program alert occurs within a client computer, the alert help data file is searched to identify help content corresponding to the particular occurrence of the alert. An alert identifier may be uniquely assigned to each alert to assist in locating the corresponding help content. Moreover, an assert tag and a function result value may also be utilized to define and locate particular help content. Once located, the help content may be displayed to a user.

Abstract: A communication system includes a development sector for registering a plurality of wireless devices, a business sector for controlling utilization of an application program and for receiving application data, a service sector for deploying the application program and for providing the application data to the business sector in accordance with communication with at least one wireless device of the plurality; and a mobile sector comprising the plurality of wireless devices, each device for receiving the application program deployed by the service sector, executing the application program in response to the business sector, and communicating with the service sector to support provision of the application data to the business sector. The wireless device, such as a cell phone, personal digital assistant, or palm top computer may include an auxiliary device such as a bar code scanner, a magnetic stripe card reader, or a printer.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method, system, and program for providing access to spatial data. A request for data is received. Enterprise and third party data are integrated. The integrated data is processed. Spatially referenced results are generated using the processed data. The spatially referenced results are returned in response to the request.

Abstract: A browser-based tool is provided that loads a Webpage, accesses the document object model (DOM) of the page, collects information about the page structure and parses the page, determines through the use of heuristics such factors as how much text is found on the page and the like, produces statistical breakdown of the page, and calculates a score based on performance of the page. Key to the operation of the invention is the ability to observe operation of the Webpage as it actually loads in real time, scoring the page for several of various performance factors, and producing a combined score for the various factors.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing functionality within a network on behalf of first and second devices communicating with each other through the network. A front-end device is provided within the network that communicates data traffic with the first device. A back-end device is also implemented within the network and communicates data traffic with the second device. A communication channel couples the front-end device and the back-end device. Data traffic may be encoded into a different type or protocol for transport through the communication channel by the front-end device and back-end device. The front-end device and back-end device exchange quality of service information and may alter characteristics of the data traffic through the communication channel according to the quality of service information.

Abstract: A system and method for implementing functionality within a network on behalf of first and second devices communicating with each other through the network. A front-end device is provided within the network that communicates data traffic with the first device. A back-end device is also implemented within the network and communicates data traffic with the second device. A communication channel couples the front-end device and the back-end device. Data traffic may be encoded into a different type or protocol for transport through the communication channel by the front-end device and back-end device. The front-end device and back-end device exchange quality of service information and may alter characteristics of the data traffic through the communication channel according to the quality of service information.

Abstract: This invention relates to an advertisement machine which provides advertisements to a user searching for desired information within a data network. The machine receives, from a user, a search request including a search argument corresponding to the desired information and searches, based upon the received search argument, a first database having data network related information to generate search results. It also correlates the received search argument to a particular advertisement in a second database having advertisement related information. The search results together with the particular advertisement are provided by the machine to the user.

Abstract: A system facilitates collaborative communications and information sharing in a network defined by a model. The model and a portion of the system are stored on a storage component coupled to a terminal. The system captures context information and user-defined data, the user-defined data provided during user interaction of the user in a first domain of the network, and dynamically stores the context information as metadata associated with the user-defined data, the user-defined data and the metadata stored on the storage component; a tracking component for tracking a change of the user from the first domain to a second domain of the network and dynamically updating the stored metadata based on the change, where the user accesses the user-defined data from the second domain; and an interface to the system that permits the user to create and view the user-defined data according to the model of the network.

Abstract: A local search engine geographically indexes information for searching by identifying a geocoded web page of a web site and identifying at least one geocodable web page of the web site. The system identifies a geocode contained within content of the geocoded web page of the web site. The geocode indicates a physical location of an entity associated with the web site. The system indexes content of the geocoded web page and content of the geocodable web page. The indexing including associating the geocode contained within content of the geocoded web page to the indexed content of the geocoded web page and the geocodable web page to allow geographical searching of the content of the web pages.

Abstract: A computer displays a graphical user interface on its display. The graphical user interface includes a schema information region and a data visualization region. The schema information region includes multiple operand names, each operand corresponding to one or more fields of a multi-dimensional database that includes at least one data hierarchy. The data visualization region includes a columns shelf and a rows shelf. The computer detects user actions to associate one or more first operands with the columns shelf and to associate one or more second operands with the rows shelf. The computer generates a visual table in the data visualization region in accordance with the user actions. The visual table includes one or more panes. Each pane has an x-axis defined based on data for the one or more first operands, and each pane has a y-axis defined based on data for the one or more second operands.

Abstract: The invention includes structures and schema for organizing and inter-relating objects, data, or files, including relational, network, hierarchical, and entity-relationship models, among others, that are dynamic, that is changing with time. This includes manipulating structures by conversion, compression, compaction, and compilation, for various purposes. Also included is generating structures for storing, organizing, and managing dynamic objects for retrieval and presentation. A discussion group for collaborative participants is also provided. A time-based dynamic object within a plurality of stored dynamic objects is stored. Each dynamic objects comprises a plurality of predefined attribute fields. Requested dynamic objects are assembled in real time so that the requested dynamic objects are displayed on the basis of the start-time attribute field of each requested dynamic object.

Abstract: A system to facilitate management of surveillance devices, that are distributed over a monitored region, through a geographic information (GI) portal, having GI storage to store map data defining a geographic map of the monitored region. A GI manager unit (GIMU) to record, in the GI storage, asset position information with regarding locations for assets of interest within the monitored region. The GIMU obtains, from a remote surveillance device (SD) database, device-related records. The GIMU obtains, from a remote network (NW) database, network-related records. The SD and NW databases are maintained and managed separately from the GI database by one or more independent management units. A display presents a geographic map of the monitored region with device markers and network links illustrated thereon.

Abstract: Aspects of the present invention are directed to system and methods for optimizing identification of locations within a search area using hash values. A hash value represents location information in a single dimension format. Computing points around some location includes calculating an identification boundary that surrounds the location of interest based on the location's hash value. The identification boundary is expanded until it exceeds a search area defined by the location and a distance. Points around the location can be identified based on having associated hash values that fall within the identification boundary. Hashing operations let a system reduce the geometric work (i.e. searching inside boundaries) and processing required, by computing straightforward operations on hash quantities (e.g. searching a linear range of geohashes), instead of, for example, point to point comparisons.