Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Other

Xiaohai Zhang

Christian F Huitema

Alexandru Gavrilescu

Liang Zhang

Yang Chen

Jeremy Lee Dewey

Haifeng Zhao

Michael A Menarguez

Computer-implemented techniques for enhanced tagging of natural language queries that are initially segmented and tagged by a named entity recognition system. By doing so, enhanced tagging of a natural language query that represents a deeper understanding of the query is provided. The enhanced tagging improves the operation of search engines that use the enhanced tags by enabling the search engine to identify and return more relevant search results in answers to natural language queries.

Enhanced natural language query segment tagging

A shared concept of time, called 'graph time,' is agreed upon by all nodes within a graph. Each node maintains its own local delta representative of a difference in the node's system clock and graph time. Upon connecting to a neighbor node in a graph, a node is sent graph time as perceived by the neighbor node. In accordance with an embodiment, the node assumes that the lag time in receiving the graph time from the neighbor node is one-half of the lag time between the request for the connection and the receipt of the graph time. Graph time as sent by the neighbor node is added to one-half of the total delay and the sum is subtracted from the node's system time to calculate the delta for the node requesting connection.

Method for establishing and maintaining a shared view of time in a peer-to-peer network

A system and method of serverless peer-to-peer group management and maintenance is presented. Group formation and discovery of private, public, and enumerated groups are provided, as is a method of joining such a peer-to-peer group. Group information management provided by the present invention ensures that each node maintains a current database from the initial joining of the group through the run phase of membership. Group graph maintenance utilizes a group signature to ensure that partitions in a graph may be detected and repaired. The utility of connections within the graph are also monitored so that non-productive connections may be dropped to increase the efficiency of the group. The diameter of the graph is also monitored and adjusted to ensure rapid information transfer throughout the group. A disconnect procedure is used to maintain the graph integrity and prevent partitions resulting from the departure of a group member.

Peer-to-peer group management and method for maintaining peer-to-peer graphs

A peer graph is formed by assigning published identifiers to peer nodes that each map to network addresses. A signed number space is defined based on the published identifiers. Given a key, a closest peer node is determined by maintaining data identifying other peer nodes. Index information identifying the key and an associated value are stored as a pair on a storing peer node. Further key and value pairs are maintained in a local indexing database. Hierarchically structured levels are organized in a peer indexing database as a factor of the number space size. A group identifier is stored at a peer indexing database level determined as a function of the storing peer node, level and number space size factor. The key is hashed as a function of the initial group identifier and number space size factor to identify a closest peer node. Key and value pairs are transiently maintained.

System and method for providing a peer indexing service

A method for ensuring valid and secure peer-to-peer communications in a group structure. Specifically, the system of the present invention presents a method of ensuring secure peer-to-peer group formation, group member addition, group member eviction, group information distribution, etc. Such functionality may be distributed to the individual peers in the group to further enhance the overall security of the group while enhancing flexibility. The P2P group security allows every peer who is a valid member of the group to invite new members. The recipients of these invitations are then able to contact any member of the group to join the group, not only the inviter. Further, groups may function when the group creator is not online. Likewise, the method allows the creation of secure groups with users from different security domains, relying on their security credentials in those domains for initial authentication.

Growing community of inventors

Kenmore, WA, United States of America

Xiaohai Zhang