Abstract: A virtual LAN system forms a virtual group which is based on elements having physical attribute or logical attribute and constituting a virtual LAN, sets a client address and priority of the virtual group in a virtual group registration table, and allocates unicast and broadcast traffic bands in group units.

Abstract: A Client/Server Database System with improved methods for performing database queries, particularly DSS-type queries, is described. The system includes one or more Clients (e.g., Terminals or PCs) connected via a Network to a Server. In general operation, Clients store data in and retrieve data from one or more database tables resident on the Server by submitting SQL commands, some of which specify "queries"--criteria for selecting particular records of a table. The system implements methods for storing data vertically (i.e., by column), instead of horizontally (i.e., by row) as is traditionally done. Each column comprises a plurality of "cells" (i.e., column value for a record), which are arranged on a data page in a contiguous fashion. The system builds the value lookup table for tracking unique values in the cells. As additional unique values are inserted into the column of the user's table (i.e., maintained as the row-ordered cell array), the system assigns a small unique integer value to each unique user value. Instead of storing the original (wide) data value into the row-ordered array, the system instead stores the new (narrow) integer number into the row-ordered array. In response to a user request to retrieve a value for a given row number, the system fetches the appropriate chunk of the row-ordered array and retrieves the small integer value. This small integer value is then used to index into the value lookup table, for reconstituting the actual user data.

Abstract: An electronic rights management and authorization system to account for the dynamic, multi-dimensional, and granular nature of rights. A database structure divides works and rights into two related tables. A works table includes information sufficient to identify works managed by the system, while a rights table identifies a right associated with a work and includes one or more date fields delimiting the right. The rights table may also include type of use information. Additional tables, such as a work relation table, a party table, or an order table, may be provided. Software is used to manage and to query the database structure. The system has broad applicability to intellectual, real, and personal property; contract management; and similar items. The system may be implemented in stand-alone mode, through the client/server model of computing, or over the Internet.

Abstract: A Data Management System has a plurality of data managers and is provided with a plurality of data managers in one or more layers of a layered architecture The system performs with a data manager and with a user input via an API a plurality of processs on data residing in heterogeneous data repositories of the computer system including promotion, check-in, check-out, locking, library searching, setting and viewing process results, tracking aggregations, and managing parts, releases and problem fix data under management control of a virtual control reposisitory having one or more physical heterogeneous repositories. The system provides for storing, accessing, tracking data residing in the one or more data repositories managed by the virtual control repository. User Interfaces provide a combination of command line, scripts, GUI, Menu, WebBrowser maps of the user's view to a PFVL paradigm. Configurable Managers include a query control repository for existence of peer managers and provide logic switches to dynamically interact with peers. A control repository layer provides a common process interface across all managers data view maps to a relational table paradigm and maps control repository layer (CRL) calls to sequences of SQL queries. A command translator for a relations data base provides pass through of SQL queries. Table files map SQL Queries into a set of FILE I/O's with appropriate inter I/O processing, and meta data maps SQL Queries into Meta data API calls with appropriate inter I/O processing. PFVL paradigm calls are mapped into DataManager(s)/Control Repository calls.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for optimizing SQL queries in a relational database management system involving aggregate and grouping functions. A local aggregation operation is performed on one or more processors of a massively parallel processor (MPP) computer system, wherein rows of the table that are local to each processor are locally aggregated to create one or more aggregate result rows. The aggregate result rows created by each of the local aggregation operations are then re-distributed to one or more processors and coalesced into a global aggregate result row by a global aggregation operation.

Abstract: A relational database management system (RDBMS) efficiently evaluates correlated subqueries by decorrelating them and taking care of the so-called SQL count bug and yet avoid using the expensive outer join operation When there is no tuple match from a correlated subquery, the RDBMS query processor returns a tuple of null(s) from a scalar derived table, and then uses COALESCE function to generate a proper count value of zero from the null The correlation level remains one The query processor also performs a pass-through optimization to eliminate a join operation for floating SELECT operation by removing a join operation involving the magic operation, so that the correlation bindings are received from the correlation source table rather than the magic operation

Abstract: A system for implementing a graphics address remapping table as a virtual register in system memory. The remapping table includes virtual registers that each store a target index that references a block of the system memory that stores graphics data using an indirect addressing scheme that enables the individual virtual registers of the remapping table to be accessed in response to a transaction request. Accessing a selected virtual register indirectly requested by the transaction request enables the access to the graphics data pointed to by the selected virtual register.

Abstract: A relational mapper supports the storage of objects from an object oriented environment in one or more relational databases. The relational mapper generates tables in a relational data store for abstract class types, and it generates a mapping, in any predetermined relationship, to map at least one member of an object to a table for the class type in the relational data store. The relational mapper maps members of a class type to members of a data source. A storage type map is generated to map the data source members of the data source to columns of the relational database table for the class type. The relational mapper is bidirectional such that the relational mapper maps data from a relational database to create objects in accordance with a type system of an object oriented environment. The relational mapper generates metadata to describe the object such that the object, created from the relational database, is a full fledged object of the object oriented system.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for using a relational database management system to support on-line analytical processing (OLAP) systems A relational database has a fact table and at least one related dimension table A dimension identifier is received that identifies a data block in a multi-dimensional database The dimension identifier comprises one or more multi-dimensional member identifiers Rows are accessed from the fact table through the related dimension tables using the received dimension identifier Then, the accessed rows are formatted as a data block for the multi-dimensional database

Abstract: An apparatus and method for approximating the data stored in a databases by generating multiple projections and representations from the database such that the OLAP queries for the original database (such as aggregation and histogram operations) may be applied to the approximated version of the database, which can be much smaller than the original databases. Other aspects optimize a mapping, via a mapping (or dimension) table, of non-numeric or numeric attributes to other numeric attributes such that the error incurred on applying queries to the approximated version of the database is minimized. Still further aspects define boundaries of approximations so that the boundaries are preserved when approximated versions of the databases are generated.

Abstract: A system and computer-implemented methods for accessing and storing information embedded in a column of a database row, especially useful for complex data, that is, data which is logically multi-valued or hierarchical. Embedded data is not stored in a separate table but is stored directly in a complex column comprising embedded data a subtables. A row of data is physically stored in a tagged, variable-length object-relational format, which allows the data to be stored as atomic data values or embedded as collections of data values, data structures, or collections of data structures. The structures can have further levels of embedding, i.e. more collections and/or structures. Embedded data may further include typed data embedded in multiple tables and columns. The query language for accessing the data includes a series of extensions that provide additional access paths to the data. Searches can access data within tables and sub-tables, and can access data by user defined type (UDT) in a single table or across multiple tables.

Abstract: A program object providing an interface between a computer database manager and a client application program external to the interface object. The interface object includes associations between columns of the table and associated editing styles, a retrieve method, and an update method. Each editing style specifies a display format for data of the associated column. The column/style associations specify modifying methods for modifying data of respective columns of the table. The interface object is programmed to allow an applications programmer using the interface object to tailor the column/style associations to the database table without access to source code of the interface object. The retrieve method accepts an invocation message from the client program, and uses the column/style associations to issue commands to the database manager to retrieve data from the database into a buffer maintained by and within the interface object. The modifying methods accept directives to modify the retrieved data in the buffer and store a transcript of corresponding modification directives. The update method uses the column/style associations and the modification directives of the transcript to issue commands to the database manager to update the data of the database table in accordance with the modification directives.

Abstract: The present invention is a computer software system that allows the developer of a speech-enabled system to create a grammar and corpus for use in the system. A table interface is used, and phrases in the grammar are entered into cells in the table. The table also includes token data which corresponds to each valid utterance. When the grammar is defined, the computer software system automatically traverses the table to enumerate all possible valid utterances in the grammar. This traversal generates a listing (corpus) of valid utterances and their respective tokens. This listing can then be used to interpret spoken utterances for a speech-enabled system. The computer software system also transcribes the grammar rules found in the table to a format compatible with a variety of supported commercially-available speech recognizers.

Abstract: An apparatus for installing software onto a computer system includes a step table and a component table The step table contains a set of software installation steps shared among different components of substantially all computer systems being manufactured The component table contains a set of substantially all possible components that are included within computer systems being manufactured The computer system corresponds to a family of computer systems and the apparatus further includes a family relation table, a family relation table and a family component relation table The family relation table identifies the relationship between a set of software installation steps and each family of computer system being manufactured The family component relation table identifies the relationship between the family of computer systems and the set of components The family step relation table identifies the relation between a component and a set of software installation steps appropriate for the corresponding component

Abstract: The pattern shows how to map aggregation to a relational data model by integrating all aggregated objects’ attributes into a single table.

Abstract: A collating apparatus generates a sparse state transition table by reducing the amount of data indicating a specific transition operation and a shift operation in a state transition table in which a collating operation corresponding to each symbol contained in one or more retrieval keys is defined. Then, the collating apparatus stores the table after compressing it into an array format, and retrieves the keys in the file to be retrieved while referring to the compressed state transition table. This collating apparatus is applied to a word processor, database system, full-text search system, etc.

Abstract: A method and system for generating a database query language request for performing a join between a plurality of database tables including a first database table and a second database table. The first table includes a first plurality of fields and the second database table includes a second plurality of fields, where each one of the plurality of fields has a particular meaning. The method and system includes providing a plurality of expressions that communicate the meaning of the each of the fields in the first and second plurality of fields. A user then submits a query requesting information from the tables in the form of a conjunction of literals. Each of the literals are then mapped to all matching expressions to provide a list of fields to be queried. The list of fields includes a first field from the first table and a second field from the second table, such that the mapping indicates that the first and second fields have the same meaning. After mapping the literals to the expressions, the database query language request is generated using the list of fields, such that the database query language request includes a join between the first and second fields. The first and second tables are then queried using the database query language request to provide the requested information.

Abstract: A multimedia database system effectively retrieves the contents in an optional storage position of an optional medium among a large amount of video and audio media. When a user puts an annotation to a specific range of a medium, the system registers an annotation object comprising the object ID of the target medium, specific range, and annotation information in a table. Next, when an annotation is put to a specific range of a medium once, the system automatically produces annotation objects for all media in the citation relation to it. The system manages the link relation between the citation destination and the citation source by a management table which is newly installed. The system retrieves the table and displays an annotation list coincident with the retrieval condition.

Abstract: A system, method, and software product dynamically determine network applications associated with any ports being used by packets on a network, allowing the packets to be properly routed, counted, and reported according to their applications. In one embodiment, an application-port mapping table stores static associations or mappings between applications and ports, as defined by a standards body or other source. The application-port mapping table is dynamically updated during runtime to reflect dynamic associations between applications and ports as extracted from packet data. The associations are identified by a packet analysis module which performs a two step verification of an application for a packet. In a first step, the packet analysis module applies the ports from a packet to the application-port mapping table to obtain a first application identifier. In a second, separate step, the packet analysis module applies identification logic to the packet to identify an application based on packet data. The second step may be used for each packet or only where the packet is not identified by the application-port mapping table. If a second application is successfully identified, the packet analysis module updates the application-port mapping table by adding a new association between the second identified application, and a port of the packet. To keep the application-port mapping table current, the table is periodically scanned to remove associations which have expired; alternatively, an association is removed when an end of sequence packet for its application is detected.

Abstract: A method and system for rewarding complimentary rewards, such as frequent flyer miles, are disclosed The system includes a plurality of reward counters and a controller coupled thereto Each reward counter includes an input device capable of receiving input from the dealer to register the complimentary reward The controller, which is coupled to the reward counters, includes a memory device for storing reward information received from the reward counters Such reward information includes, in alternate embodiments, the number of the gaming table where the reward is made, the dealer identification number, the date of the reward, the player's player identification number, and the quantity of reward points, such as the number of frequent flyer miles A method for receiving complimentary rewards and an apparatus for tracking such rewards are also disclosed

Abstract: A distributed database system includes a plurality of nodes connected via a network medium. Each node runs at least one application and stores a database. Each database at least partially overlaps at least one other database. Each database includes a plurality of tables, and each table includes at least one record. Ownership of each table in the database is assigned to only one application, and only an owning application can modify a table owned by the owning application. Each node also schedules running of the applications on the node such that only one application reads from and writes to the database at a time, distributes updates made to the database to every other database, and updates the database in accordance with received distributed updates.

Abstract: A system and method selects rows from a fact table in a dimensional database containing a fact table, a time dimension table and other dimension tables. The other dimension tables each contain rows containing a time invariant attribute to identify an item described by the row, an effective time attribute for the row, and other attributes. If an attribute for an item changes, a new row is added to the dimension table containing the time-invariant attribute for the item and current attributes for the item, without deleting or overwriting any existing rows for that item. Such dimension tables can be selected or used to create other tables using one or more time attributes of the dimension tables. The tables created can be selected or used to create still other tables using one or more time attributes of those tables. One or more of the resulting tables or one or more tables created from a resulting table are then joined to a table in the dimensional database or a table created from a table in the dimensional database.

Abstract: A relational data base management system includes a query processor that permits consideration of alternative query plans by the query optimizer so one table can be sent to a selected network location for subquery evaluation in consideration of maximum processing efficiency. Subqueries are converted from "predicate push-down" form to scalar subqueries, enabling upper tables to be sent to nodes of lower tables and vice versa, thereby permitting selection of the node direction depending on the least cost alternative. The optimizer of the query processor is presented with rewritten query code that permits more than one alternative for sending tables for evaluation. The optimizer evaluates the alternatives permitted by the rewritten code, determines the optimal plan for each alternative, and selects the least-cost plan from among the plans evaluated. Thus, the optimizer can decide to send an outer table to where a subquery table is located, or can decide to send a subquery table to where an outer table is located, depending on which is more efficient.

Abstract: A record management system is provided for generating a multi-dimensional view for different measures. A set of records is retrieved in response to a set of queries. The records include dimension values and measure values, which are associated with the measures. The set of records is maintained in a master table. The record management system generates a record structure foundation, including a query map and a master table index. The record management system then employs the record structure foundation to generate a multi-dimensional layout mapping for the measures that are to be represented in the view. The record structure foundation and measure values in the master table are used to convert the layout mapping into the desired multi-dimensional view. The record management system includes data storage units for implementing the master table, query map, master table index, and layout mapping. These data storage units are coupled to a set of processing engines, which include a control engine, query engine, index engine, and layout engine that provide for performing operations that result in the generation of a multi-dimensional view.

Abstract: A method for storing map data in a database and a method of searching the database to find objects in a given area and to find objects nearest to a location. To generate the map data, a map plane is divided into a number of squares and the squares are numbered with spatial key numbers according to a space filling curve. Objects identifying places such as restaurants or hotels are placed in a main table of the database along with one of the spatial keys (object keys) intersecting an area of the map occupied by the object. A secondary table of the database is then created with one column including object keys corresponding to the main table, and other columns identifying ranges of spatial keys for objects identified by the object keys. To search the database to find objects in a given area, ranges of spatial keys are calculated for the given area and compared with ranges in the secondary table to identify object keys. The object keys identified are then used to obtain the desired objects from the main table.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to an apparatus and process for storing information object collections in a database. Examples of such object collections are nested tables and variable length arrays. In an embodiment, the invention provides mechanisms and methods for storing nested tables in either a base table of a database, or an index-organized table. In one embodiment, mechanisms and methods are provided for storing variable length arrays into a table column, as a large object ("LOB"), or as an index-organized table. The invention also provides methods and mechanisms for accessing data from these storage mediums.

Abstract: The invention is a system and method for database compression which creates partial indexing into compressed sub table blocks of databases. Table rows with the same or related indexing parameters are grouped as "sub-table blocks" and are stored as compressed binary objects, with the indexing fields stored in the same row, external to the binary block. The binary object expands to multiple database rows when accessed via the sub table block interface, thus forming a hierarchical, pre-joined database organization. Mechanisms are provided for creating, accessing, and manipulating the data blocks, and a date-based versioning mechanism. The compression employed is the known Vdelta package, which operates at a byte level to provide a useful compromise between speed and compression efficiency, even for relative short compression blocks. In realistic tests, the I/O time gained through compression results in a time saving which exceeds the processing penalty. The overall compression ratio is data dependent, but in a realistic test it averages about 4.

Abstract: In a method of operating a computer system having a plurality of processes, creating a plurality of object references, each object reference corresponding to a target object. The processes optionally executing on a plurality of computers connected by a network. For each object reference, creating a table of binding information hints. The table is indexed by a particular transport protocol and each entry in the table of binding information hints includes information to be used to attempt to establish a connection from the process to the target object using the indexing transport protocol. Merging the tables of binding information hints upon receiving an object reference. Other systems and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing a query combines the use of different index types to minimize the rows of data that need to be retrieved from a table. A first index is accessed based on a query to produce a first result having a first format, for example a bitmap index outputting a bitmap. A second index, for example a B-tree index, is also accessed based on the query to produce a second result having a second format, for example a sequence of rowids. The first result is converted to a converted result having the second format, and the converted result and the second result are combined to obtain an end result. The end result can then be used to locate data that satisfies the query while minimizing the rows of data that need to be retrieved from a table during the query processing.