Other

Bell Communications Research, Inc.

Di-walkor III Services LLC

Tamiras Per Pte. Ltd., LLC

Richard Michael Nemes

Mikhail Lotvin

David Garrod

A method and apparatus for performing storage and retrieval in an information storage system cache is disclosed that uses the hashing technique with the open-addressing method for collision resolution. Insertion, retrieval, and deletion operations are limited to a predetermined number of probes, after which it may be assumed that the table does not contain the desired data. Moreover, when using linear probing, the technique facilitates maximum concurrent, multi-thread access to the table, thereby improving system throughput, since only a relatively small section is locked and made unavailable while a thread modifies that section, allowing other threads complete access to the remainder of the table.

Methods and apparatus for information storage and retrieval using a caching technique with probe-limited open-address hashing

A computer to track earned points accumulated, to an online user account, related to a completed task is disclosed. More points may be earned based on a criteria level related to each category of dynamically changing categories. Earned points may be reduced based on redemption used to purchase and download to a mobile client computer music, video, or games provided on a custom menu.

Tracking points related to a user account for online redemption

A method and apparatus for performing storage and retrieval in an information storage system cache is disclosed that uses the hashing technique with the external chaining method for collision resolution. In order to prevent performance deterioration due to an unrestrained growth in the length of chains, an on-the-fly record removal technique is combined with background chain-pruning processes that continually trim long chains to keep chain lengths at an acceptable equilibrium without triggering abrupt, disruptive action at the time the system senses that it is stressed. More specifically, each insertion, retrieval, or deletion of a record is an occasion to rid an entire linked list of its records that have aged out. Additionally, concurrent background processes continually navigate the hash table, trimming those chains that are deemed excessively long. The aggressiveness of chain-pruning varies dynamically as the local and global state of the system fluctuates, pruning more when chains are long and the system is heavily loaded, and pruning less when chains are short and the system load is light.

Methods and apparatus for information storage and retrieval using a caching technique with external-chain hashing and dynamic resource-dependent data shedding

Generating telephone service logic based on received data is disclosed. The telephone service logic may include caller priority levels. A caller priority level may be updated based on a change in information associated with a caller. The telephone service logic may be upgraded in accordance with new telephone service logic. The new telephone service logic may be automatically located, purchased and downloaded over at least one network via a buying request script. The buying request script may represent a collective buying group as an aggregation of compatible buying request scripts created by a plurality of different users. The telephone service logic may be transmitted to a computer.

Acquisition of telephone service logic via buying request script

Receiving from a wireless electronic device, positioning data indicating that the wireless electronic device is within a predetermined range of a particular geographical location that is of a type authorized to service a device is disclosed. A current condition of the device may also be provided. Triggering a new location sensitive trigger event based on the current condition of the device indicating the device needs to be serviced and the positioning data indicating that the wireless electronic device is within the predetermined range of the particular geographical location is also disclosed.

Providing location based triggers in a mobile environment

The computer apparatus and methods of the preferred embodiment uses computer technology in a unique way to motivate children to devote more time to educational and cultural enrichment. In the preferred embodiment, educational material is provided at a child's local computer under control of a central computer system connected to it over a computer network. On completing a particular educational task, the child is rewarded with a certain number of points. Points that the child accumulates are stored centrally, and at least some of the points can be redeemed towards the purchase of goods and services offered through the system of the preferred embodiment by its commercial participants. The purchasing transactions are also administered by the central computer. Parents, preferably, use the system to support their children's purchasing activity financially and to select content available for presentation to the child. In other embodiments, the disclosed apparatus and methods can be used for purposes unrelated to education of children, and distribution of functionality between the central and local computers may be different, including wholly local implementations.

Online system enabling control of educational and advertising content

A central computer system preferably communicates with local computers of users over the Internet and stores account information of users. Preferably, users may interact with information provided by the central computer system or third party computer systems. The availability of such information is preferably controlled by a different user. The central system preferably stores data representing rewards available to the users as a result of interaction with such information. The users preferably may obtain products or services, in accordance with the stored rewards, wherein at least some of such products or services are promoted by a different user, which provides financing for at least some of the items obtained with the reward. Preferably, the central system includes administrative software that may provide monitoring and managing performance of the system, fraud detection, and management of the information available to the users.

Computer apparatus and methods supporting different categories of users

In the preferred computer system, the user is provided with a separate Internet-accessible entity referred to here as the 'personal page.' A personal page, preferably, includes memory for storing information related to the user. For example, on his/her personal page the user indicates what he/she wishes to purchase, possibly along with other criteria associated with the purchase, such as, for example, a time that the purchase should take The user is provided with the ability to create personalized bidding rules that vendors that offer goods and services must respect. Vendors have the ability to specify similar criteria, which describe the goods and/or services they offer. Vendors can indicate, for example, the prices of their goods, times and places that their services are available, etc. Preferably, these specifications, called 'vendor scripts,' are embodied in active software/data entities (agents) that traverse sites on the Internet visiting sites hosting users' personal pages. Thus, preferably, vendor software/data agents (comprising vendor scripts) are the mobile, active elements in the system and purchasing requirements are stationary and more passive in comparison.

Methods and systems for electronic transactions

A method and apparatus for performing storage and retrieval in an information storage system is disclosed that uses the hashing technique with the external chaining method for collision resolution. In order to prevent performance deterioration due to the presence of automatically expiring data items, a garbage collection technique is used that removes all expired records stored in the system in the external chain targeted by a probe into the data storage system. More particularly, each insertion, retrieval, or deletion of a record is an occasion to search an entire linked-list chain of records for expired items and then remove them. Because an expired data item will not remain in the system long term if the system is frequently probed, it is useful for large information storage systems that are heavily used, require the fast access provided by hashing, and cannot be taken off-line for removal of expired data.

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Woodmere, NY, United States of America

Richard Michael Nemes