International Business Machines Corporation

Lenovo (singapore) Pte. Ltd.

David Andrew Sawin

Tomoyuki Takahashi

David Wayne Hill

David Frederick Champion

Rod D Waltermann

Randall Scott Springfield

Aaron Michael Stewart

James Robert Lewis

Scott Edwards Kelso

Randal Lee Bertram

Hiroaki Yasuda

Kazuhiko Yamazaki

Fusanobu Nakamura

Mitsuo Horiuchi

Michael Peter Perrone

Peter J Kennedy

Hisashi Shima

Paul Turquand Keyser

Jayashree Subrahmonia

Ravi Shankarnarayan Adapathya

Paul Robert Carini

Masahiko Nomura

Hoyt Conis Simmons

Walter Cade Metz

Jeffrey S Schaffer

Naraiki Mieki

Robert L Appleman

Cary Frederick De Van

Computer implemented method, system and computer program product for controlling software entitlement. A computer implemented method for controlling software entitlement includes receiving a request to install a software item on a designated machine. A determination is made if the designated machine is of a machine type authorized for installation of the software item. If the designated machine is of a machine type authorized for installation of the software item, a determination is made, using stored configuration data, if at least one additional criterion specified for entitlement to install the software item on the designated machine is satisfied using stored configuration data. If the at least one additional criterion specified for entitlement to install the software item on the designated machine is satisfied, installation of the software item on the designated machine is enabled in accordance with the at least one additional criterion.

Computer implemented method, system and computer program product for controlling software entitlement

A method, apparatus, and computer-usable medium for computing a serviceability assessment, calculating a preventative maintenance assessment, and in response to computing the serviceability and preventative maintenance assessments, computing a projected service cost assessment. A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a processor, a data bus, and a computer-readable medium including a serviceability assessment tool. The serviceability assessment tool further includes a serviceability assessment module, a hardware installation assessment module, a preventative maintenance assessment module, and a projected service cost assessment module.

System and method of calculating a projected service cost assessment

A method and system for use with a computer based system having a touchscreen for distinguishing between a finger and a stylus. The method involves a series of steps including detecting contact with the touchscreen. Also, the method can include generating contact information for the detected contact with the touchscreen. The method includes comparing contact information corresponding to the detected contact with contact criteria, and, based on the comparison of the contact information, determining whether the contact was initiated by a finger or a stylus.

Method for touchscreen data input

A notebook computer force-controlled pointing stick device incorporates a more comfortable cap with enhanced ergonomic features. The device is generally cylindrical in shape and is located between the G, H, and B keys on the computer keyboard. The upper end of the device has a donut-like shape with a concave or crown-shaped central portion that forms well to the user's finger and provides better control, but does not interfere with typing. The upper end preferably has a rubber tip that provides improved control for a finger of a user. In an alternate version, the device is similar in shape to a bicycle saddle.

Notebook computer force-controlled pointing stick device

Provide is an input device that can be incorporated into a notebook computer that exhibits improved operability even in the case of including both a stick-type and a pad-type pointing devices. A Pad face of a pad-type pointing device is configured to incline against the horizon when a computer is used or against the operation face of a keyboard while lowering the keyboard side. A first button for stick-type pointing device, a guide member for fixing the pad face, and the pad face are configured to be adjacent to one another to make the height of the top surface of the guide member being almost as high as the top surface of the pressed first button. A button with a long stroke is used for a first button to improve usability.

Mobile system with ergonomically improved user pointing subsystem

Several methods, and related apparatus, are provided for the entry of formatted ink data (i.e., electronic ink) such that individual items in the data may be parsed and recognized more effectively. Each method allows users to enter formatted ink data in-line, which can then be recognized with constraints and parsed for use in other application programs or databases. In addition, a method is provided for allowing user-specialization of any of these entry methods (or other similar) methods. Note that in any of these methods, the user may send the formatted ink either to the default ink-processing application, or else directly to another application or database.

Methods and apparatus for formatted entry of electronic ink

A collapsible-light shield for a portable computer shields direct and indirect light from the computer display and from the eyes of the user. The light shield has four flexible panels that form a tubular shape when in use. One end of the light shield has a contoured viewing port through which the user may view the screen. The other end of the light shield has a ring-like elastic fastener that detachably secures to three sides of the computer display. Each panel has two bisecting fold lines about which the tubular light shield may be collapsed into a substantially flat profile that is a small fraction of its original size.

Device for enhancing the visibility of portable computer display screens by shielding direct and indirect light from the display screen and the eyes of the user

A data processor controlled user interactive display system for displaying hypertext documents, each including a sequence of display screen pages received over a communications network such as the World Wide Web. Each of the pages contains a plurality of hotspots of varying dimensions, each of said hotspots being responsive to user interactive pointing means to display a linked document. The system has means for determining the dimensions and positions of said hotspots on said display page and means responsive to said determining means for dynamically creating a plurality of expanded hotspot zones, each respectively including one of said hotspots. The system then provides means responsive to said user interactive pointing means within a selected hotspot zone to display the document linked to the hotspot in said zone. These hotspot zones are highlighted when the user points to them to provide the user with a large and highly visible target zone within which he may access his selected hotspot.

Ease of use interface to hotspots in hypertext document pages in network

Growing community of inventors

Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America

David Andrew Sawin