Michael L Emens

US Patent:

6418452, Jul 9, 2002

Filed:

Nov 3, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/433116

Inventors:

Reiner Kraft - Gilroy CA
Michael Lawrence Emens - San Jose CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1730

US Classification:

707200, 707 1, 707 10, 7071041, 707201, 707203, 709201, 709203, 709223, 709224, 709225, 709226

Abstract:

A master repository service maintains a directory of web servers and the most recent times that their web contents were modified, and provides this information to web crawlers to increase their efficiency. The master repository service receives web content update reports from a plurality of web servers, updates the directory to keep it current, and provides crawlers with web site modification information. The web site modification information preferably comprises identifiers for new web sites, âdeadâ web sites, and modified web sites. Each crawler is preferably provided only with web site modification information received since it last received information from the master repository service. The information allows web crawlers to know immediately about new web sites, and allows them to spend time visiting only those web sites that are new or that have changed their content.

US Patent:

6418453, Jul 9, 2002

Filed:

Nov 3, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/433118

Inventors:

Reiner Kraft - Gilroy CA
Michael Lawrence Emens - San Jose CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1730

US Classification:

707200, 707 1, 707 10, 7071041, 707201, 707203, 709201, 709203, 709223, 709224, 709225, 709226

Abstract:

A network repository service supplements the functions of a web server to enable an increase in the efficiency of web crawling. The repository service: (a) automatically maintains a file modification list that contains the names of files on the server that have been modified (i. e. , added, deleted, or otherwise modified), together with the date and time of the file modification; and (b) provides a requesting crawler with the file modification list (or a portion of the list corresponding to a time period specified by the crawler). The repository service may also (c) limit or restrict access privileges of crawlers that do not request the file modification list prior to crawling, thereby protecting the server from overcrawling. The repository service enables a crawler to request the file modification list, and avoid unnecessarily recrawling files that have not been modified since its last visit, thereby preventing considerable waste of time, network bandwidth, server processing resources, and crawler processing resources. Using the file modification list, the crawler can remove all prior references to deleted files, and efficiently recrawl only those files that have been added or changed since the crawler last visited the web server.

US Patent:

6434548, Aug 13, 2002

Filed:

Dec 7, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/456737

Inventors:

Michael Lawrence Emens - San Jose CA
Reiner Kraft - Gilroy CA
Peter Chi-Shing Yim - San Francisco CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1730

US Classification:

707 3, 707 10, 709202

Abstract:

A system and method of distributed metadata searching is disclosed. The present invention permits an extension of the searching and retrieval functions of existing Internet web search engines by utilizing computational resources embodied in user computer systems and search browsers. By distributing the searching and scanning functions to the user level, the present invention reduces the computational and communications burden on Internet web search engines and crawlers, resulting in lower computational resource utilization by Internet search engine providers. Given the exponential growth rate currently being experienced in the Internet community, the present invention provides one of the few methods by which complete searches of this vast distributed database may be performed. The present invention permits embodiments incorporating a Search Manger ( ) further comprising a Service Results Manager ( ), User Profile Database ( ), Service Manager( ), and Service Database ( ); a Light Weight Application SCANNER ( ); and a Search Engine ( ). These components may be augmented in some preferred embodiments via the use of a Search Browser ( ), Internet Communications ( ); Web Site(s) ( ), Web Crawler(s) ( ), and a Repository Database ( ).

US Patent:

6463343, Oct 8, 2002

Filed:

Aug 10, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/371739

Inventors:

Michael Lawrence Emens - San Jose CA
Reiner Kraft - Gilroy CA
Neelakantan Sundaresan - San Jose CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G05B 1942

US Classification:

700 83, 700 17, 700 18, 700 19, 700 65, 700 86, 700 87, 709201, 709203, 709217, 709218, 709219, 382115, 382119, 382232

Abstract:

A method, apparatus, and article of manufacture for controlling a remote device from a client computer using a digital image of a remote location associated with the remote device. Using graphical user interface (GUI) provided by a client computer, the user select areas in the digital image for mapping to control functions for the remote device. These control functions are associated with command objects downloaded from a server computer and displayed on the graphical user interface. The control functions for the remote device can then be selected by moving a cursor over the selected areas of the digital image. When a control function is selected, the client computer formulates a request that the server computer and/or remote device can understand. Instantaneous feedback is provided by the digital image for any control functions that may be invoked by the user.

US Patent:

6484162, Nov 19, 2002

Filed:

Jun 29, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/342991

Inventors:

Stefan B. Edlund - Sunnyvale CA
Michael Lawrence Emens - San Jose CA
Reiner Kraft - Morgan Hill CA
Peter Chi-Shing Yim - San Francisco CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1730

US Classification:

707 3, 707 5

Abstract:

A system and method associates a label and description with a search query such that the query, label, and description can be stored in a shared query repository so that queries can be retrieved by multiple users for reuse. The shared query repository can be searched, so that an appropriate query can be located, retrieved, and then submitted for execution over a document database by a search engine. Retrieved queries can be combined with other retrieved queries or modified with new search terms, and the new combined search query can be used for a new search on the database. The database search system and method efficiently permits reuse of search queries and facilitates sharing of search strategies.

US Patent:

6487553, Nov 26, 2002

Filed:

Jan 5, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/477844

Inventors:

Michael L. Emens - San Jose CA
Reiner Kraft - Gilroy CA
Peter Chi-Shing Yim - San Francisco CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1730

US Classification:

707 5, 707 3, 707100, 707103 R, 7071041, 707200

Abstract:

A method and apparatus which enables a user to streamline the number of results presented to the user during a search session most typically performed over the Internet. The present invention allows the user to select specific results from a search result set which are to be excluded and are not to reappear in a subsequent result set in the search session. The present invention is capable of automatically excluding results from a search result set unless the user specifically flags the specific search results they want to keep and have reappear in a subsequent result set in the search session. This allows a user to save time during a search session by not having to view repeated results, and allows the user to focus on more relevant and related results.

US Patent:

6493744, Dec 10, 2002

Filed:

Aug 16, 1999

Appl. No.:

09/374644

Inventors:

Michael Lawrence Emens - San Jose CA
Reiner Kraft - Gilroy CA
Neelakantan Sundaresan - San Jose CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1516

US Classification:

709203, 709228, 709229, 707 1, 707 9, 707 10, 725 28, 386 69

Abstract:

An automatic method for rating data files for objectionable content in a distributed computer system includes preprocessing the file to create semantic units, comparing the semantic units with a rating repository containing entries and associated ratings, assigning content rating vectors to the semantic units, and creating a modified data file incorporating rating information derived from the content rating vectors. For text files, the semantic units are words or phrases, and the rating repository also contains words or phrases with corresponding content rating vectors. For audio files, the file is first converted to a text file using voice recognition software. For image files, image processing software is used to recognize individual objects and compare them to basic images and ratings stored in the rating repository. In one embodiment, a composite content rating vector is derived for the file from the individual content rating vectors, and the composite content rating vector is incorporated into the modified file. In an alternate embodiment, semantic units with content rating vectors exceeding preset user limit values of objectionable content are blocked out by display blocks or, for audio, audio blanking signals, for example, beeps.

US Patent:

6519557, Feb 11, 2003

Filed:

Jun 6, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/588250

Inventors:

Michael L. Emens - San Jose CA
Reiner Kraft - Gilroy CA
Peter Chi-Shing Yim - San Francisco CA

Assignee:

International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY

International Classification:

G06F 1720

US Classification:

704 8, 707513, 707536, 704 5

Abstract:

A system for identifying different language versions of the same structured format document (e. g. , HTML web page) detects the language of the two documents and translates one or both into a preferred language if necessary, parses the two candidate documents and builds two hierarchical data structure based on the document. The data structures are used to compare the hierarchical structure of the two documents and also to access text portions in congruent positions in the two documents. A fuzzy measure of similarity of a set of text portions occupying congruent positions in the two documents is then obtained, to induce a measure of the similarity of the two documents which is compared to a fuzzy threshold.