International Business Machines Corporation

Globalfoundries Inc.

Lenovo (singapore) Pte. Ltd.

Barton Allen Smith

Thomas Guthrie Zimmerman

Edwin Joseph Selker

Shumin Zhai

Eser Kandogan

Fei Wang

Wei Zhang

Jalal U Mahmud

Andrew M Homola

Dennis R McKean

Mark Whitney Hart

Sally Ann Swanson

Christian Benjamin Kau

Michelle Xue Zhou

Joseph Grover Gordon, Ii

Lawrence B Schein

Todd Clossen Wyant

Anuj Kumar

Sharathchandra UmapathiRao Pankanti

Nalini Kanta Ratha

Rudolf Maarten Bolle

Thomas P Moran

Xiaojun Bi

John Haggis

James Lin

Gregory Fraser Russell

Boris Kamentser

Hernan Badenes

Stephen Dill

Sharon L Nunes

Kim Wesley May

Min Yin

Tara L Matthews

Jonathan Noble Betts

Thomas F Zimmerman

A pairwise relationship data set with multiple attributes (such as, who, what, when, where, how) and with the what attribute (also called the topic attribute) having a word dimension and a people dimension. The data in the topic dimension of the what attribute relates to topics (including other people) relating to the specific, human, personal relationship between the first person and the second person of the pairwise pair. The what attribute data is derived by processing basis data, which includes correspondence data (that is, the substance of correspondence that the first and second persons participate in, including instant messaging and e-mail exchanges. Pairwise relationship data is displayed to a user in real time during a chat session.

Mapping relationships using electronic communications data

A method and apparatus for evolving a shared to-do list into a business process is disclosed. A business process includes one or more business steps and zero or more action rules related to the business steps. Members of a workgroup participate in the business process and are able to view, modify, add and delete business steps and action rules as needed. An action rule is comprised of one or more business actions and one or more events that trigger the actions to be executed. A computer program keeps track of the business steps, interprets the set of rules, and updates states of the business process, notifies the members and validates and accepts modifications by the members to the action rules of a business steps.

Method for evolving shared to-do lists into business processes

Embodiments relate to facilitating social interactions. An aspect includes determining that a first communications device is in communicative contact with a second communications device, identifying at least one artifact relating to a user of the first communications device, and searching at least one database for information about a user of the second communications device that is in common with the user of the first communications device with respect to the artifact. Also, results of the searching are provided as a topic of conversation to the first communications device.

Facilitation of social interactions

Ranking and recommendation of online content including social media, blog and forum posts is provided. A method of and computer program product for content analysis are provided. A subset of content items is selected from a set of content items. Each content item in the set has at least one attribute. For each content item in the subset, a user is queried to obtain a subjective value. A formula is derived that relates the at least one attribute of each content item of the subset to the subjective value of each content item of the subset. The formula is applied to each content item of the set to determine a calculated value of each content item of the set. A ranking of the set of content items is determined based on the calculated value of each content item. Recommendations are provided to a user based on the ranking.

Ranking and recommendation of online content

Embodiments of the invention relate to performing brand analysis based on user's interactions with search results. In one embodiment, at least one search result list is analyzed. The search result includes a set of items corresponding to at least one search request submitted by at least one user. The set of items in the at least one search result list is determined to include at least one item corresponding to a brand analysis target item, and at least one other item. A selection by the at least one user of one of the brand analysis target item and the other item from the at least one search result list is recorded for the at least one search result list. A brand analysis metric is generated based on the recording. The brand analysis metric indicates a ratio of selections between the brand analysis target item and the other item.

Brand analysis using interactions with search result items

A method, and program product for optimizing soft keyboards with multiple languages is disclosed. The text of multiple languages may be analyzed for optimization. Constraints may be chosen for key positions on the keyboard. A mean time of inputting a character in each of the multiple languages may be calculated, which may result in mean times for inputting the character in the languages. The average of the mean times may be determined and minimized. The keys on a soft keyboard may be arranged in a manner for optimal input on the soft keyboard for the multiple languages.

Method for optimization of soft keyboards for multiple languages

An apparatus and a method of locating a specimen with a microscope, the microscope including two point light sources, a transparent specimen holder, a digital imaging device, a processor, and a display. The method includes sequentially illuminating the two point light sources through the specimen holder, across the specimen, and onto the digital imaging device to create shadows associated with each of the two point light sources. Optical images of the specimen are received on the digital imaging device associated with each shadow from the light sources, and a disparity signal is output containing a horizontal, vertical, and depth position of the specimen relative to the digital imaging device. Location of the specimen is determined based on the disparity signal. The specimen is allowed to move freely throughout the transparent specimen holder.

Contact microscope using point source illumination

The embodiments of the invention include a microscope having a transparent specimen holder and a digital imaging device positioned within the transparent specimen holder. The digital imaging device can include a wireless transmitter. The transparent specimen holder can have a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the transparent specimen holder is completely transparent between the top surface and the bottom surface. Thus, the transparent specimen holder is completely transparent above and below the digital imaging device. Furthermore, a processor is operatively connected to the digital imaging device, wherein the processor produces an image of a specimen positioned on the specimen holder. A display is operatively connected to the processor, wherein the display displays the image.

One embodiment presented herein comprises a method of establishing at least two simultaneous forms of communication between at least two entities. The method can use a service to facilitate the communication or the entities can establish communications on their own (or one entity could be establishing multiple forms of communication with a service). One embodiment begins by connecting one of the entities to a service. The service is then used to establish an initial communication form between the entities. Alternatively, if a service is not used, the entities can establish the initial communication themselves. Next, a list of alternative communication forms that are possible between the entities is created. This list can be prioritized according to a number of different parameters. This list can be created using a previously established database maintained by the service or can be created by the entities themselves as they communicate over the initial communication channel. The alternative communication forms are tested (potentially in priority order) by the service and/or the entities. After or during the testing, the method establishes at least one additional communication form between the entities from the alternative communication forms that passed the testing, such that the entities simultaneously communicate over the initial communication form and the additional communication form.

Establishing two or more simultaneous channels of communication with a user

A touchpad input device is provided that is disposed about at least a portion of at least one outside edge of an electronic device housing. The present invention also provides electronic devices comprising the present touchpad input device. Furthermore, the present invention provides a method of sensing user input about an outside edge of an electronic device housing, wherein the user input is detected by a user input detector that relays a signal to a control circuit to be acted upon appropriately.

Edge touchpad input device

Smart cards systems that are utilized in biometric authentication are slow in processing and have the cards themselves have the added disadvantage of being misplaced or lost. Moreover, storing biometric data (on a database) over a network poses security issues that in extreme instances can be compromised. Significant security can be achieved if the biometric templates are stored locally in a portable device. A user can use the portable device to either transmit wirelessly the stored biometric for authentication purposes, or a user can locally measure a biometric using the portable device and match it against a biometric which is also stored locally (in the portable device).

Method for biometric-based authentication in wireless communication for access control

Growing community of inventors

Campbell, CA, United States of America

Barton Allen Smith