Ncr Corporation

Lucent Technologies Inc.

At+t Corp.

Peter G Selfridge

Loren Gilbert Terveen

Kenneth W O'Flaherty

Tejwansh S Anand

Drew T Lettington

Thomas Kirk

James F Knutson

Yih-Shiuan Hu

Richard N Schubert

Marshall P Lindsay

Alan J Meyer

Michael A Georgantos

Ronald J Brachman

Alexander Tiberiu Borgida

Divesh Srivastava

A system and method is described for providing shared access to a three dimensional virtual environment synchronously with hypertext browsing. A cospace server receives a messages indicating requests for hypertext files on a network from a client. The cospace server tracks the requests and stores components or the addresses of components of the requested hypertext files. When a threshold number of clients have requested a hypertext file, the cospace server constructs a virtual three dimensional room description and sends it to the clients that are browsing the file. The virtual three dimensional room description is rendered as a virtual three dimensional room at the client, and typically includes portals to other virtual three dimensional rooms. A user is represented in the virtual room as an avatar, and can communicate with other users at other clients. The present invention enhances an installed base of conventional hypertext files such as the World Wide Web with three dimensional and social features without having to carry out any modifications of the hypertext files where they are stored.

System and method for providing dynamic three-dimensional multi-user virtual spaces in synchrony with hypertext browsing

A data exploration tool which has a graphical user interface that employs directed graphs to provide histories of the data exploration operations. Nodes in the directed graphs represent operations on data; the edges represent relationships between the operations. One type of the directed graphs is the derivation graph, in which the root of the graph is a node representing a data set and an edge leading from a first node to a second node indicates that the operation represented by the second node is performed on the result of the operation represented by the first node. Operations include query, segmentation, aggregation, and data view operations. A user may edit the derivation graph and may select a node for execution. When that is done, all of the operations represented by the nodes between the root node and the selected node are performed as indicated in the graph. The operations are performed using techniques of lazy evaluation and encachement of results with the nodes. Another type of the directed graphs is the subsumption graph, in which an edge leading from a first node to a second node indicates that the second node stands in a subsumption relationship to the first node. If a result of the operation represented by the first node has been computed, the result is available to calculate the result of the operation represented by the second node.

Interactive data exploration apparatus and methods

An information retrieval system implemented as a virtual data base management system which uses a knowledge base management system to provide a problem-oriented conceptual schema for one or more standard data base management systems. In the conceptual schema, a hierarchy of concepts is used to organize individual objects. A classifier determines which concepts an individual object is a representative of and determines the relationship of new concepts to existing concepts. The use of a knowledge base with a classifier permits conversion of queries into concepts and detection of changes in the relationships between individual objects and the concepts. A window-based user interface permits flexible and experimental access to the information. Special features of the user interface permit the user to specify conversion of a query into a concept, to establish monitors to detect such changes, and to define a query by specifying a portion of a graph.

Interactive data analysis employing a knowledge base

A system and method for generating a report for a user which allows the user to make decisions, without requiring the user to understand or interpret data itself. A database management program executed by a server within a system for generating the report for the user includes a first subsystem for translating user requests for data, for generating dimensional queries for retrieving data from a database, and for processing user modifications to data types used in generating the report. A second subsystem coupled to the first subsystem reads data from the database, creates the data types, creates a mapping of the data types to the data, uses the mapping to translate user-initiated dimensional queries received from the first subsystem into Structured Query Language (SQL), and returns query results to the first subsystem. A third subsystem creates the report at a predetermined time.

System and method for generating reports from a computer database

A system and method for generating a report for a user which allows the user to make decisions, without requiring the user to understand or interpret data itself. An application within the system includes a graphical user interface (GUI) which allows the user to select and specify the parameters for the report, display the report, print the report, and save the report. A folder management subsystem allows the user to create a folder object for storing the report within the database, store the report within the folder object, and retrieve the report from the folder object using the GUI. A business information setup subsystem allows the user to create data types and create and constrain relationships between the data types. An analyst definition subsystem allows the user to select an analyst representing a method of analysis to use in generating the report using the GUI. Finally, a viewer module displays the report.

A system and method for generating a report for a user which allows the user to make decisions, without requiring the user to understand or interpret data itself. A method of creating data types and data relationships within a database for generating the report for the user includes the steps of organizing the data within the database into columns of tables, providing a computer coupled to the database that executes an application program that generates the report, recording a business concept by the application program, recording an attribute associated with the business concept by the application program, displaying a list of the columns of tables in the database by the computer, recording a mapping of the attribute to one of the columns in the list, displaying a list of business indicators by the computer, recording a mapping of one of the business indicators to the column, joining the attribute table with the business indicator table so that the application program can use the additional table to create the report.

Apparatus for constructing a complex artifact out of primitive artifacts and other complex artifacts. The apparatus has a permanent knowledge base of primitive artifacts, previously-made complex artifacts, and rules defining how complex artifacts are made from primitive artifacts. All artifacts in the permanent knowledge base have been checked for consistency. Artifacts from the permanent knowledge base are displayed in a search area as directed graphs in which the artifacts are represented by nodes. A user may search the permanent knowledge base, and the directed graphs in the search area show the results of the search. To construct a new complex artifact or to add to a complex artifact under construction, the user selects nodes of the directed graphs which represent desired component artifacts. Information about the desired artifacts is copied from the permanent knowledge base to a working knowledge base and a directed graph of the contents of the working knowledge base is displayed in a work area. When information is added to the working knowledge base, consistency checks are made using the rules and the information in the permanent knowledge base. The results of the consistency checks appear in the display in the work area. A user may store an artifact under construction in the permanent knowledge base. A mapping editor permits the user to determine how object artifacts are mapped to the displays of the directed graphs.

Graphical environment for interactively specifying a target system

Interactive data analysis apparatus employing a knowledge base

A knowledge-based artificial intelligence system which provides design advice. The artificial intelligence system includes a knowledge base of design information. Users of the system indicate an area about which they require design advice. The system provides the relevant advice. Included in the advice is an indication of the 'owner' of the advice. The advice and the relationship between the design made by the user are part of a trace of the users' session with the system. The trace becomes part of a design document for the design. When the design is reviewed, the trace is reviewed as well. The system includes an interface for updating the knowledge base, and if the design review indicates a need to correct the knowledge base, the corrections are made using the interface for updating. A preferred embodiment of the system is used to provide advice to designers of a large software system concerning the use of an error reporting and handling system in the system being designed.

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Watchung, NJ, United States of America

Peter G Selfridge