Abstract: A mechanism is provided for balancing I/O among available paths connected to a device. The mechanism partitions paths so a device can use all or only a subset of available paths to a device, depending on the load of I/O for other devices that are sharing the paths. The partitioning of paths is dynamic, readjusting as I/O loads change for the devices.

Abstract: A handheld bird identification tool is provided that assists users in identifying birds based on field observations. A user desiring assistance in classifying a bird uses interactive on-screen options to create a set of bird identification filter attributes. An interactive graphical view of a bird may be used to assign appearance characteristics such as color, pattern, and shape attributes to selected anatomical regions. The appearance characteristics and other filter attributes may be used as query terms in searching a bird identification database. A user may review audio clips of bird songs and images of birds matching the filter attributes. The bird identification tool may be used to manage a user's life list. Images, audio clips, and field notes may be gathered using the bird identification tool.

Abstract: A method for managing buildings comprises providing a computer database 10 operative to store information relating to at least one building 30, said information comprising building characteristics; Each said building having associated therewith a facility; Each said facility having associated therewith an account; Providing an operational link between a user and said computer database 20, receiving a user request to interact with said computer database 100, providing means for a user to establish a selected account 101, 102, providing means for a user to establish a selected facility 103, providing means for a user to establish a selected building 104, and presenting a user with information relating to said selected building 105.

Abstract: Systems and methods for reducing file sizes for files delivered over a network are disclosed. A method comprises receiving a first file comprising sequences of data; creating a hash table having entries corresponding to overlapping sequences of data; receiving a second file comprising sequences of data; comparing each of the sequences of data in the second file to the sequences of data in the hash table to determine sequences of data present in both the first and second files; and creating a third file comprising sequences of data from the second file and representations of locations and lengths of said sequences of data present in both the first and second files.

Abstract: An information processing apparatus which, when a user searches through a plurality of contents for a desired content, causes a display device to display a plurality of indexes corresponding to the plurality of contents is provided. The apparatus includes: a content selection device that selects one of the plurality of contents; an approximation degree calculation device that calculates degrees of approximation between the selected content on the one hand and each of the other contents on the other hand; and a layout determination device that determines a layout of the index of the selected content and determines layouts of the indexes of the other contents relative to the index of the selected content in accordance with the degrees of approximation. The index of the selected content and the indexes of the other contents are displayed on the display device as laid out by the layout determination device.

Abstract: A method and system for importing and exporting selected directory and calendar information of a first format found in various electronic media to and from personal information management computer applications of a second format is described. Specifically, the present invention discloses a method and system for importing directory and calendar information that is structured in standardized vCard and vCalendar formats from a first application to corresponding electronic address book and calendar applications via clipboard and automatic translator applications. The invention includes an automatic translator that takes the standardized information from the clipboard application and translates the vCard and vCalendar information into a format that is native to the corresponding target application, e.g., electronic address book and calendar applications.

Abstract: A database system providing SQL extensions for automated encryption and decryption of column data is described. In one embodiment, for example, in a database system, a method is described for providing automated encryption support for column data, the method comprises steps of: defining Structured Query Language (SQL) extensions for creating and managing column encryption keys, and for creating and managing database tables with encrypted column data; receiving an SQL statement specifying creation of a particular column encryption key; receiving an SQL statement specifying creation of a database table having particular column data encrypted with the particular column encryption key; and in response to a subsequent database operation that requires the particular column data that has been encrypted, automatically decrypting the particular column data for use by the database operation.

Abstract: A request logging component formulates an index that could have been utilized by a query to a database, if the index had existed. The request logging component stores the formulated query as an unsatisfied request. The index creation component creates the index of the database from the unsatisfied request.

Abstract: A system for classifying a genre of an electronic document may include a network processor configured to receive an electronic document and convert the electronic document to rich text format (RTF). The processor may be configured to parse the RTF document into lines of text ordered from top to bottom and left to right and assign tokens to each line of text based on content of the line and to line separators based on space between blocks of lines. The network processor may be configured to sequence the tokens, parse the tokenized document with a number of pre-defined document grammars, determine a probability for each genre corresponding to the electronic document, and classify the electronic document as the genre with the highest probability.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for locating, collecting, collating, analyzing, and reporting on summarized data that is generated from regulatory compliance matter data. Data is collected and compiled from multiple sources, including government databases, web pages, and regulatory documents; These collected data are consolidated and reconciled. A single topic record is created for a person, company, or product. Duplication and redundancy within the information are reduced. Corrections in data format are made for inconsistencies that exist between different information sources. Broad and/or narrow searches are enabled with the retrieval of information and/or relevant documents. The integrated data and associated analyses can be presented in reports that can be made accessible through a LAN, a WAN, a desktop, and/or a web interface.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for providing real-time context-based content items to a user client system. Methods include dynamically monitoring a user client system to determine a real-time context of the user client system based on one or more of identifying one or more content keywords of an application operating on the user client system and/or one or more system capabilities of the user client system. One or more content items can be presented and changed based on changes detected in the real-time context of the user client system.

Abstract: A determination is made as to whether a data type associated with a received logical table definition associated with a database query within a distributed database system differs from a data type associated with a local logical table definition. A data conversion is performed on data retrieved from a locally-stored physical table referenced by the local logical table definition in response to determining that the data types differ. Local data conversion information is created identifying the data conversion performed on the retrieved data in response to performing the data conversion. At least one of the retrieved data and the converted data with the created local data conversion information is forwarded to at least one of a distributed database node and an application-level module. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: The claimed subject matter relates to an architecture that can facilitate creation and management of an event-oriented transient network and can further manage decommission of the transient network. In particular, the architecture can construct temporary communities based upon a particular event, project, or activity; manage (e.g., filter, prioritize, or control) communications and content associated with the community; and disband the community by deconstructing the transient network according to an aging function that controls how the network decays. In addition, the architecture can leverage existing information (e.g. profile data) and content feeds associated with disparate social networking services or communities for the benefit of the temporary community.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for a detection server in communication with each of multiple web pages of multiple websites on multiple web servers, the detection server in communication with an ad indexing server, includes automatically accessing from the detection server a file for rendering the web page from a web server, automatically building an object model of the web page at the detection server using the accessed file, automatically scanning the object model at the detection server for one or more elements that are advertisements, automatically analyzing each scanned advertisement at the detection server to determine one or more attributes of the scanned advertisement, and automatically storing data at the ad indexing server on the determined attributes of the scanned advertisements found at the detection server to facilitate an indexing of advertisements on the web pages of the websites.