International Business Machines Corporation

Taligent, Inc.

Google Inc.

Object Technology Licensing Corporation

Mark E Davis

Judy Lin

Marc Jablonski

Steven Edward Atkin

Dale M Schultz

Andrew G Heninger

Glenn A Marcy

Michael Francis Moriarty

Luis Zapata

William James Sullivan

Michael C Werts

Christopher White

John R Matheny

Vladimir Weinstein

Russell Sonnenschein

Sanjay J Poonen

John H Jenkins

Markus Walter Scherer

A multi-language sorting index may allow sort keys for multiple languages to be stored in an auxiliary table associated with a primary table in which the strings to be sorted are stored. Sort keys may be generated for each string and stored in the auxiliary table, with duplicate sort keys excluded. Queries for sorted data in the first table may use the auxiliary table to identify and sort the requested data.

Parallel sorting key generation

Multi-language sorting index

Systems, methods, and apparatuses including computer program products for segmenting words using scaled probabilities. In one implementation, a method is provided. The method includes receiving a probability of a n-gram identifying a word, determining a number of atomic units in the corresponding n-gram, identifying a scaling weight depending on the number of atomic units in the n-gram, and applying the scaling weight to the probability of the n-gram identifying a word to determine a scaled probability of the n-gram identifying a word.

Segmenting words using scaled probabilities

A forward and backward compatible streaming protocol requires subsequent versions of the protocol to be purely additive relative to earlier versions. When a data segment is transmitted as a data stream, a first stream of data that is in accordance with a first version of the protocol is transmitted, with additional streams of data that are in accordance with subsequent versions of the protocol appended in sequence to the first stream of data. When a read module implements an earlier version of the protocol than a write module, the data segment is truncated to include only the data supported by the version implemented by the read module. On the other hand, when the read module implements a later version of the protocol than the write module, receipt of the data segment is terminated after the data supported by the version implemented by the write module is received.

Streaming computer system and method with multi-version protocol compatibility

Embodiments of the present invention can gather data from native language sources to produce a valid collation sequence that is appropriate for a particular language and application. Sequences of characters in this data are tested to determine strength levels used by the given language. The data is also recursively probed with other sequences to test for contractions and identify expansions. Sequences in the data may then be compared against a known or predetermined sequence to generate a set of sorting rules that is specific to the language and application. The rules are formatted to replicate the sorting order found in the data.

Methods and systems for detecting the alphabetic order used by different languages

A method, apparatus, and computer instructions for testing software. A set of questions regarding the application is presented, wherein the set of questions are selected from a database. In response to receiving a user input to the set of questions, the application is tested to form identified testing. In response to identifying testing, a testing report is generated using the identified testing, wherein the testing report includes links to testing instructions for the identified testing for the application.

Method and apparatus for facilitating software testing and report generation with interactive graphical user interface

An improved method, apparatus, and computer instructions for evaluating acquisition costs for a software product. A set of questions regarding the software product is presented. The set of questions are selected from a source. Costs for acquiring the software product are identified in response to receiving a user input to the set of questions. A report is generated using the costs, wherein the report is used to evaluate whether to acquire the software product in response to identifying the costs.

Method and apparatus for assessing products

A forward and backward compatible streaming protocol quires subsequent versions of the protocol to be purely additive relative to earlier versions. When a data segment is transmitted as a data stream, a first stream of data that is in accordance with a first version of the protocol is transmitted, with additional streams of data that are in accordance with subsequent versions of the protocol appended in sequence to the first stream of data. When a read module implements an earlier version of the protocol than a write module, the data segment is truncated to include only the data supported by the version implemented by the read module. On the other hand, when the read module implements a later version of the protocol than the write module, receipt of the data segment is terminated after the data supported by the version implemented by the write module is received.

A system and method for encoding an input sequence of code points to produce an output sequence of bytes that is compressed, but has the same relative binary order as the original sequence. This system and method includes the following steps: (1) receiving the input sequence of code points, wherein each character is represented by a numeric value; (2) calculating a signed delta value for each code point in the input sequence, wherein each delta value is determined by subtracting the value of a base code point from the value of the current code point; (3) encoding each delta value into a series of bytes wherein small deltas are encoded in a small number of bytes and larger delta values are encoded in successively larger numbers of bytes; (4) selecting a lead byte for the output sequence, the lead byte being represented by a value, chosen so that the binary order of the output sequence is the same as the binary order of the input sequence; (5) writing the lead byte into the output sequence; and (6) writing to the output sequence each delta value for each trailing code point in the input sequence.

Binary-ordered compression for unicode

A method and apparatus for performing compositions and decompositions of Unicode combined character sequences utilizes a preprocessor to generate compositions and decompositions of Unicode character sequences and a mapping table generates a plurality of tables use to access the tables. A decomposition mapping table, created from a Unicode database and rules, maps precomposed Unicode characters to their respective decompositions. A composition mapping table, derived from the decomposition mapping table, includes canonical equivalent combined character sequences of the mapped decompositions. Additionally, a normalized mapping table, created from the composition mapping table, maps valid combined character sequences consisting of the same characters, wherein one of the sequences is defined as a normalized form. The mapping tables are accessed by a runtime processor when a system entity requests a decomposition or composition of Unicode characters to provide the appropriate decomposition or composition.

Method and apparatus for optimizing unicode composition and decomposition

A set of stream writer and reader classes and methods enable object frameworks to communicate with each other despite problems with missing classes due to mismatched versions. The stream writers are modified to deal with a new version of a class that extends from a class in an existing version by writing alternate object information compatible with the existing version when the future object class information is streamed. In this manner, alternate object information is written for each older version. The information for each of the alternate objects corresponding to each older version is added after the existing object information as an extension with the length of the extension written at the beginning. The stream readers are modified so that when an older version stream reader reads the object information and does not understand the first alternate object (which might correspond to a later version), it skips the length specified for that extension and reads the second alternate object. If the second alternate object information is not understood, the reader skips the non-understood object information and continues with each alternate object. If none of the alternates is understood, then an exception is thrown. In one embodiment, the information for alternate objects which are not used is not discarded, but is instead saved in a temporary storage. Then, if the object is streamed out again, the stored information is added back into the stream.

Apparatus and method for allowing object-oriented programs created with different framework versions to communicate

A method and system for formatting numerical information. An object-based operating system provides various number formatting services. Some objects scan text and convert the text to numerical information, and convert non-text numerical information to text, and convert between different numerical formats and languages. The system provides a common ground from which application programs can speak a seemingly common numerical language without specifying the details of converting numerical information between systems of representation. The present system relieves application developers of the burden of handling details of numerical information, and provides ease of information transfer between monetary systems and cultures having differing languages. The system also provides for conversion between number formats to allow for easier processing and/or comprehension of the numerical information, and normalization and alignment of any textual representation of numeric information.

Number formatting framework

A computer system transliterates a text string from a first language to a second language using transliterator objects, each having a set of transliteration rules arranged in a preferred order. Each of the transliteration rules, in turn, has a test string and a replacement string and the transliterator object includes a method for comparing the test string in each of the transliteration rules to each of the characters in the text string to determine a subset of transliteration rules which exhibit a match. Using the preferred order, one of the subset of transliteration rules is selected and the replacement string of the selected transliteration rule is substituted for the test string in the text string.

Object-oriented rule-based text transliteration system

A method and apparatus for updating an application to conform to unique requirements of a specific locale. The update involves language translation, graphic substitution, and interface element reorientation. For example, the text used in labels, titles, and messages depends upon the selected language. Its direction and orientation may affect the placement and orientation of a menu, menubar, title, scrollbar, or toolbar. Similarly, the selection of icons and other graphical symbols may be culturally dependent. Once localized, user interface elements are stored in a disk dictionary. A disk dictionary is an object that, when given a key, returns a value after reading it in from disk. This disk dictionary is managed by an object called an archive. An archive is responsible for putting together the individual user interface elements that make up a particular presentation.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Mark E Davis