Abstract: A method for discovering and presenting ordered groups of names of objects that are commonly used together by an individual user of a computer system. The invention tracks usages of computer objects and computes a measure of importance (a “weight”) based on attributes such as time of use and other application dependent data. The objects that are commonly used at the same time are called a cluster, and clusters with the highest cumulative weights are the ones a user is most likely to use again in conjunction with one another. A user can select an entire cluster or a subset. The objects with the highest weights in the cluster are presented first when the user, having selected a cluster, needs to select a subset of the objects in the cluster. The invention uses space saving techniques to represent clusters in computer memory.

Abstract: An indexing system for graph data. In particular implementations, the indexing system provides for denormalization and replica index functionality to improve query performance.

Abstract: A chronostratigraphic database comprising a plurality of discrete data points, wherein each data point comprises an x, y, z and T value, wherein x, y, and z are Cartesian coordinates describing a position and T is a geologic time event relative to said position; a method to produce a chronostratigraphic database and to utilize the database; and a modeling system wherein the database includes data formatted and arranged for use with a computer-implemented method or web-based method for controlling serving of an advertisement or public service message using its relevancy to a request.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus for information retrieval are provided. Embodiments of the present invention may generate data structures that may be used to process user queries. According to embodiments of the present invention, a processor component configured to perform the operations of an indexing module and a storage module, the indexing module configured to generate a term list and a term-file matrix from information stored on the storage module, the indexing module further configured to generate an adjacency matrix from the one or more files, wherein the adjacency matrix represents a relationship of the one or more terms in each of the one or more files; and the indexing module further configured to generate a probability matrix using the adjacency matrix and a one-step or two-step random walk.

Abstract: Apparatus to associate a table of contents (TOC) and headings. An input section inputs TOC data C and body data D. A search section seeks the maximum value of a score function S which indicates the likelihood of associations M between a TOC and headings. An output section outputs associations M which maximize the score function S. The score function S is the total of a first sum obtained by summing unigram scores u for all the TOC items, where the unigram score u evaluates the likelihood of association of TOC item with a heading candidate line independently, and a second sum obtained by summing bigram scores b for all pairs of TOC items, where the bigram score b evaluates the likelihood of associations of paired TOC items with heading candidate lines on the basis of a degree of commonality.

Abstract: There is provided an ecommerce method and system to generate a data dictionary for searching data items stored in a database. In one embodiment, the system comprises a candidate list generator module to generate a list of keywords from search query information and generate a set of token pairs including a keyword from the list of keywords and a token, the token being a synonym of the keyword. Demand information retrieved from query logs maintained for user-provided query entries is used to apply candidate selection rules to token pairs. The system also comprises a validation module and a data dictionary module to receive validated token pairs as entries in a vocabulary.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an integrated implementation framework and resulting medium for knowledge retrieval, management, delivery and presentation. The system includes a first server component that is responsible for adding and maintaining domain-specific semantic information and a second server component that hosts semantic and other knowledge for use by the first server component that work together to provide context and time-sensitive semantic information retrieval services to clients operating a presentation platform via a communication medium. Within the system, all objects or events in a given hierarchy are active Agents semantically related to each other and representing queries (comprised of underlying action code) that return data objects for presentation to the client according to a predetermined and customizable theme.

Abstract: There is provided a computer-implemented method of modifying a query executing in a database management system. The method comprises sending a no-wait message for the query to a control broker. The method also comprises receiving a reply to the no-wait message from the control broker. The reply to the no-wait message specifies a modification to the query. Additionally, the method comprises performing the modification.

Abstract: A method for processing a data object for a database, the database containing data representing a first data model and a set of one or more mapping rules, includes receiving a data object that conforms to a second data model. The method then selects one or more of the mapping rules. The mapping rules provide a mapping between a set of elements of the second data model and a corresponding set of elements of the first data model. The method applies the selected mapping rules to transform a set of elements of the received data object into a corresponding set of elements of a target data object conforming to the first data model. The method then searches the database for the set of elements of the target data object to identify instances of the target data object in the database. A corresponding computer program product and apparatus are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method of directing queries to human assistants who may be users of an information search system is described. An area of interest of a user is identified based on queries and/or other activities of the user. When a request is received analysis of available human assistants is performed to determine a suitable human assistant to aid in production of a response includes directing a task to a user associated with the type of request received.

Abstract: Systems and methods for processing media files are described. In one embodiment, one or more events are captured having associated event data and associated with a client device, wherein each event is associated with an article and at least one of the articles is a media file, wherein at least one of the events is captured in real time upon the occurrence of the event, at least some of the event data and articles associated with the events are indexed and stored, a search query is received, and the at least one media file is determined as relevant to the search query.

Abstract: A database access facility for accessing databases includes a monitoring function which monitors accesses by requestors of database data. The monitoring function tracks which database fields are requested to dynamically determine the fields which the application needs. Once sufficient tracking data is obtained, subsequent accesses to the database on behalf of an application are automatically modified by the application server to request only the fields which are likely to be needed. Preferably, the database access facility is an application server for one or middle tier applications which access the database on behalf of multiple clients in a three-tier client-server environment.

Abstract: A method, system and controller is provided for searching a database containing data items with a user via a user inter the method comprising the steps of specifying an initial search subset of some or all of the data items in the database (1201); identifying representatives of each of a number of data categories in the search subset (1203); displaying the representatives on the user interface (1204); selecting one or more of the representatives (1205); specifying a refined search subset of data items in the search subset within the data categories corresponding to the selected representatives (1207); and repeating the steps of identifying and displaying representatives for the refined search subset.

Abstract: Systems and methods for identifying candidate queries related to a trending topic based on a user query are described. A trending topic identification module identifies topics trending in one or more real-time content sources. The real-time content source(s) may include, for example, a source of microblog posts or other user-generated data, a news feed, or the like. A query recommendation module suggests at least one candidate query in response to receiving a user query. The query recommendation module obtains the at least one candidate query by comparing words and named entities of the user query with words and named entities associated with the trending topics identified by the trending topic identification module.

Abstract: A method comprises identifying a first user having stored in a database a set of first bookmarks associated with a topic of interest; determining a level of relatedness of a second user to the first user by comparing a first number of overlapping bookmarks that were stored in the database by the second user and that overlap the set of first bookmarks; determining a level of value of the second user to the first user by comparing a second number of related nonoverlapping bookmarks that were stored in the database by the second user that, relate to the topic of interest, and that do not overlap the set of first bookmarks; and presenting at least a portion of the related nonoverlapping bookmarks to the first user.

Abstract: Systems and methods for performing authority based content searching are disclosed. In some embodiments, a method comprises receiving user queries containing authority keywords and relevancy keywords and ranking a set of search results on the basis of the authority of the authors of entries within the search results. The authority of each author is expressed in an authority quotient which is calculated by determining an authority keyword score, a name score, a domain name score and a credential score based on the authority keyword provided by the user.

Abstract: The embodiments disclosed herein include new, more efficient ways to collect product reviews from the Internet, aggregate reviews for the same product, and provide an aggregated review to end users in a searchable format. One aspect of the invention is a graphical user interface on a computer that includes a plurality of portions of reviews for a product and a search input area for entering search terms to search for reviews of the product that contain the search terms.

Abstract: The present invention allows a user to subscribe to multiple concurrent channels of syndicated content published over the internet. The user receives notification of the content which is new since the previous time that the user accessed a channel. The user can select the frequency of checking for new content and the user can specify how far back in time to check. In addition, the user can specify a maximum number of changes to be presented.

Abstract: A pattern matching framework for log analysis is described. In one or more implementations, one or more inputs are received via a user interface of a computing device that describe a filter pattern that specifies data that is to be matched and extracted from a log and a projection pattern that specifies how at least a portion of the data extracted using the filter pattern is to be output. A query is formed from the filter pattern and the projection pattern by the computing device that is configured to analyze the log.

Abstract: Ranking product information is disclosed, including: determining, for each of a plurality of pieces of product information, a category grading value and a plurality of attribute grading values associated with that piece of product information; determining a plurality of user demand values corresponding to the plurality of pieces of product information based at least in part on the category grading value and at least one of the plurality of attribute grading values associated with each of the plurality of pieces of product information; and ranking the plurality of pieces of product information based at least in part on the corresponding plurality of user demand values.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for automatically detecting associations between particular sets of search criteria, such as particular search strings, and particular items. Actions of users of an interactive system, such as a web site, are monitored over time to generate event histories reflective of searches, item selection actions, and possibly other types of user actions. An analysis component collectively analyzes the event histories to automatically identify and quantify associations between specific search strings (or other types of search criteria) and specific items.

Abstract: Consistent with embodiments of the present invention, a method may be provided comprising receiving a search string corresponding to a desired node comprising a target parameter, a policy parameter, and a class parameter. The target parameter may be referenced with a target index table to determine which interfaces to search. The policy parameter may be referenced with a policy index table to determine a node-id of a policy node corresponding to the policy parameter. A level for the desired node may be determined based on the node-id. The class parameter may be referenced with the determined node-id with a class index table to access a bucket location. The desired node may then be searched for with the determined node-id at the determined level.

Abstract: One or more techniques and/or systems are disclosed for prioritizing one or more travel itineraries based on an itinerary query. Respective candidate itineraries from a set of candidate itineraries are ranked based on one or more ranking factors for the candidate itineraries, where the candidate itineraries were identified from a location-interest graph using the query. A desired number of the ranked candidate itineraries are re-ranked based on a one or more historical travel sequences, such that one or more prioritized travel itineraries can be identified in response to the itinerary query.

Abstract: Methods and system of searching for content in a target set of content based on a reference set of content, a reference semantic network representing knowledge associated with the reference set of content, and a target semantic network representing knowledge associated with the target set of content.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for, and method of, searching for and identifying an entity representation. Some embodiments utilize a reflexive, symmetric and transitive function to allow for non-identical matches between field values. The function may be used to generate field value codes, which are associated with a portion of a field value weight for the original field value. In such embodiments, the field value weight for the original field values may be distributed among the original field value and the associated field value code.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of presenting a search suggestion to a user. The method includes receiving a portion of a search query from the user. Responsive to receiving the portion of the search query, presenting to the user one or more search suggestions and at least one social comment icon corresponding to at least one of the one or more search suggestions. The method also includes selecting the at least one social comment icon to view comments from and websites recommended by at least one friend of the user, the comments and websites pertaining to the corresponding at least one of the one or more search suggestions Also disclosed are computer program products.

Abstract: A messaging information providing apparatus includes an input unit for receiving text from a user; and a messaging information extraction unit for extracting messaging information of each management item contained in the text by matching the text against messaging information keywords stored in a keyword database by management item, so that input and management of the messaging information can be easily performed.

Abstract: Search results are identified and returned in response to search queries by evaluating and pruning candidate documents in multiple stages. The process employs a search index that indexes atoms found in documents and pre-computed scores for document/atom pairs. When a search query is received, atoms are identified from the search query and a reformulated query is generated based on the identified atoms. The reformulated query is used to identify matching documents, and a preliminary score is generated for matching documents using a simplified scoring function and pre-computed scores in the search index. Documents are pruned based on preliminary scores, and the remaining documents are evaluated using a final ranking algorithm that provides a final set of ranked documents, which is used to generate search results to return in response to the search query.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for assembling a set of documents related to a triggering item. One embodiment of a method for assembling a set of electronic documents related to an electronic triggering item detected by a computing device being operated by a user includes automatically extracting by the computing device a set of features from the triggering item, without receiving a request by the user to assemble the set of electronic documents, and assembling as the set of electronic documents a plurality of documents that is relevant to the set of features, wherein the plurality of documents is retrieved from a plurality of different types of electronic sources.

Abstract: Techniques to transform regular expressions are described. An apparatus may comprise a processor circuit and a key terms identifying module operative on the processor circuit to generate a set of one or more regular expression key terms from enabled features of a regular expression based on a set of configuration parameters, and filter one or more electronic messages using the set of regular expression key terms. Other embodiments are described and claimed.

Abstract: A set of queries, such as a search log, is divided into commercial queries and non-commercial queries. A first set of query communities is determined from the non-commercial queries and a second set is determined from the commercial queries. The query communities are correlated based on the users who submitted the queries and instances where a query from the first set of query communities was followed by a query from the second set to generate a mapping between the first set of query communities and the second set. Later, a non-commercial query is received from a user, and the mapping is used to predict one or more commercial queries that the user is likely to submit in the future based on the non-commercial query. One or more of the commercial queries are presented to the user according to the mapping with search results responsive to the non-commercial query.

Abstract: A search term suggestion engine of a computing device receives characters of user data as the characters are input. The user data is at least part of a search term to be provided to one of multiple applications to search for the search term. An indication of multiple suggestion sources is received from the one application, and one or more suggested search terms are obtained, from the multiple suggestion sources, based on the received characters. One or more suggested search terms can also be obtained from the multiple suggestion sources based on one or more linguistic alternatives for the received characters. The one or more suggested search terms are combined into a combined set of suggested search terms, and the combined set of suggested search terms is returned to a search user interface for presentation to the user.

Abstract: A system and method of transferring information comprising an input module configured to receive an access parameter from an entity authorized to provide the access parameter, an access module configured to access a first database or a second database and communicate information from the first database to the second database wherein the information is configured to perform an authorized function. The function can be authorized bill payment. The information to be transferred can include financial information, and can include account information.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to facilitating tag assignment to data objects as data objects are added to a tag-associated data-object storage system by users of the tag-associated data-object storage system and to facilitate subsequent display, access, and further characterization of data objects that already reside in the a tag-associated data-object storage system. Methods and systems of the present invention provide for automated tag suggestion to users in order to both increase usability of the interface provided to the tag-associated data-object storage systems as well as decrease the likelihood of unnecessary and unproductive tag proliferation within the tag-associated data-object storage system.

Abstract: A method and a system for determining age of a user based on mass data are provided. The method includes: obtaining basic age data of the user, configuring an initial weight for the basic age data; obtaining an age weight of the user in different kinds of basic age data according to the initial weight and an age similarity of the user in the different kinds of basic age data; and searching the basic age data for an age with a largest age weight, determining the age with the largest age weight as an estimated age of the user. The method and system for determining age of the user based on mass data is able to improve accuracy of the determination of the age of the user.

Abstract: Comparing data items. The method includes accessing a query or command to retrieve data. The query or command includes an identification of a data item, a logical operator and a specialized token. A comparison as defined by the logical operator between the data item and the specialized token is performed. The following illustrates the results of the logical operation on any data item and the specialized token: an equal logical operation results in true, a greater than logical operation results in false; a less than logical operation results in false; a greater than or equal to logical operation results in true; a less than or equal to logical operation results in true; a not equal logical operation results in false; an IN logical operation results in true; and a NOT IN logical operation results in false. As a result of the comparison, the data item may be retrieved.

Abstract: Many software applications allow users to consume and interact with a variety of data, such as files, photos, web pages, emails, and/or other content. Because the amount of content may be cumbersome to sift through, software applications may provide filtering and searching capabilities to aid users in finding desired content. However, the trial and error involved in current searching techniques may be time consuming and/or diminish the user's experience. Accordingly, one or more systems and/or techniques for presenting visual previews of search results are disclosed herein. In particular, a user may reference an identifier (e.g., “Bill”) that may be used as search criteria to retrieve corresponding objects (e.g., photos of Bill). A visual preview of the retrieved objects may be presented to the user. The user may quickly view visual previews of search results by referencing various identifiers without committing to a particular search result set.

Abstract: A feature extraction device is provided with a searching means for searching a document tree, and sequentially detecting elements as search elements; a distance calculation means for calculating an inter-element distance between an extraction target element within a plurality of elements of the document tree and a search element; an exclusive element confirmation means for referring to an exclusive element name and generating exclusivity information indicating, for an exclusive target element, whether the search element is the exclusive element; an element feature vector calculation means for calculating, based on an inter-element distance and the exclusivity information, a weight for a word included in an element corresponding to the element, and for relating and calculating, for each search element, based on weights, an element feature vector having a plurality of dimensions and such that each dimension uniquely corresponds to a predetermined word; and a partial document feature vector calculation means for

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and article of manufacture for searching documents for ranges of numeric values. Document identifiers for documents are accessed, wherein the documents include at least one value that is a member of a set of values. A number of posting lists are generated. Each posting list is associated with a range of consecutive values within the set of values and includes document identifiers for documents including at least one value within the range of consecutive values associated with the posting list, and wherein each document identifier is associated with one value in the set of values included in the document identified by the document identifier. The generated posting lists are stored, wherein the posting lists are used to process a query on a range of values within the set of values.

Abstract: An information analysis device (30) comprises a relevant portion identification unit (31) that compares analyzed target text with topic-related text that is written about the same event as the analyzed target text and includes information related to a specific topic, and that specifies a portion of the analyzed target text related to the topic-related text; a potential topic word extraction unit (32) that extracts a word of the specific portion; and a statistical model generation unit (33) that generates a statistical model that estimates a degree of appearance of a word on a specific topic of the analyzed target text. The statistical model generation unit (33) generates a statistical model such that degrees of appearance in a specific topic of the topic-related text word and of the extracted word are higher than those of other words.

Abstract: One preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a method of automatically responding to a search query. The method of the preferred embodiment can include steps performed at or by a database, including electronically receiving a query digital media object from a first computer and electronically generating a query index identification of the query digital media object wherein the query index identification includes a query keyword relating to the query digital media object. The method of the preferred embodiment can also include searching the database for an index identification of a digital media object including a keyword relating to the digital media object; and in response to a predetermined level of similarity between the query keyword and the keyword, electronically returning the digital media object in response to the query.

Abstract: Information can be extracted from unstructured documents using embodiments described herein. An entity recognition may be performed on an unstructured document and found entities may be annotated. Annotating includes inserting tags around the found entities to generate marked entities. A rule is applied to each of the marked entities in the unstructured document to generate a confidence value for every marked entity, wherein the rule comprises a plurality of prefixes for a target entity and a plurality of suffixes for the target entity. A marked entity with the highest confidence value is selected as an extraction target.

Abstract: A system, program product, and methodology automatically scores candidate answers to questions in a question and answer system. In the candidate answer scoring method, a processor device performs one or more of receiving one or more candidate answers associated with a query string, the candidates obtained from a data source having semi-structured content; identifying one or more documents with semi-structured content from the data source having a candidate answer; and for each identified document: extracting one or more entity structures embedded in the identified document; determining a number of the entity structures in the identified document that appear in the received input query; and, computing a score for a candidate answer in the document as a function of the number Overall system efficiency is improved by giving the correct candidate answers higher scores through leveraging context-dependent structural information such as links to other documents and embedded tags.

Abstract: A system and method for processing partially unstructured data relating to a financial security. The system and method resolve first- and second-identifying data from the partially unstructured data and determine whether a security is defined by the first-identifying data and the second-identifying data. Additionally, the system and method resolve trade information relating to the security identifier from the partially unstructured data. If a security is defined by the resolved identifying data, a security identifier representing the defined security, along with the trade information relating to the defined security, are output.

Abstract: In the context of tracking systems, it is difficult to ensure that an organization has a complete, accurate database of contacts stored in its tracking system. When tracking systems users are required to manage exporting and importing of contacts from their desktop mail clients and handheld devices, it is almost certain that contact information will not be kept up-to-date and that confidence in the accuracy of the contact information will not be high. By enabling a remote directory access portal in the tracking system, all users can be assured that they have available the latest contact information for the organizations' contacts. In addition to providing directory access, the tracking system can authenticate users and, based on the users' entitlements, authorize users' access to specific contacts.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and methods may operate to receive user-specified input data from a user input device as a segment query that includes a plurality of criteria, and to store individual counts and at least one additional count in a storage medium. The individual counts are derived from processing the segment query as a corresponding plurality of queries associated with each of the criteria, and the at least one additional count comprises an intersection of at least two of the criteria, regardless of whether the user-specified input data includes an intersection operation. Other apparatus, systems, and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods which use an ID domain to improve searching are described. An embodiment describes an index phase in which an image of a document is converted into the ID domain. This is achieved by dividing the text in the image into elements and mapping each element to an identifier. Similar elements are mapped to the same identifier. Each element in the text is then replaced by the appropriate identifier to create a version of the document in the ID domain. This version may be indexed and searched. Another embodiment describes a query phase in which a query is converted into the ID domain and then used to search an index of identifiers which has been created from collections of documents which have been converted into the ID domain. The conversion of the query may use mappings which were created during the index phase or alternatively may use pre-existing mappings.

Abstract: A computer-readable, non-transitory medium storing a character string comparison program is provided. The program causes, when executed by a computer, the computer to perform a process including splitting a first character string and a second character string into words; acquiring information including a semantic attribute that represents a semantic nature of each of the words and a conceptual code that semantically identifies said each of the words, from a storage device; identifying a pair of the words having a common semantic attribute between the first character string and the second character string; comparing the conceptual codes of the specified pair of the words between the first character string and the second character string; and generating a comparison result between the first character string and the second character string based upon a comparison result of the conceptual codes.

Abstract: System and method for extracting, retrieving and managing data in a computer or network of computers through an enhancement of the power of the directory management system and email management system by enabling users to superimpose a hierarchy of descriptors on top of the system, to share, import and export the hierarchy of descriptors between computers with controlled access for data objects. The method and system is defined particularly for selecting individual references from search engine results and saving them along with descriptors. The method and system automatically generate reports of work done in the computer or network of computers, including creation, modification, copying, moving and deletion of files and folders. The method and system reduces the clutter of information while ensuring that the system is automatically backed up in different modes and with complete flexibility to back up.

Abstract: A search tool may search a text file for entries matching one or more search criterions. The search tool may parse the file into entries. Entries may be parsed into lines and fields. A search criterion may define possible content in two or more fields and relationship between the two or more fields. The search criterion may be defined based on an exemplary entry of the text file, such as for example based on a selection of fields of the exemplary entry by a user.