International Business Machines Corporation

Geoffrey David Alexander

David Mark Ogle

Robert J Sundstrom

Diane Phylis Pozefsky

Renee Marie Kovales

J Smith Doss

Lucinio Santos-Gomez

Jeremy Gray Perry

David Kirk Grotjohn

A system for setting data list parameters for displaying a data list in pages. An application program receives a first and second user input, wherein the first user input defines a number of items displayed within a page, and wherein the second user input defines a page size tolerance. In response to receiving the first and second user input, the application program sets the number of items displayed within the page and the page size tolerance. Then the application program displays the data list in a graphical user interface according to the set number of items displayed within the page and the set page size tolerance.

Method and system for defining page size when displaying a data list

A method and system for providing online comparison shopping are disclosed. The system provides online comparison shopping through a designated website accessible by a user via a communication network such as the Internet The method includes the steps of compiling a shopping list identifying specific items to be purchased, receiving optimization criteria specified by the user, optimizing, by the system, the shopping list based on the optimization criteria to produce an optimal shopping order, and displaying the optimal shopping order to the user if the optimal shopping order exists.

Method and system for providing online comparison shopping

The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for defining calendar events for users of electronic calendaring systems and using those calendar events to customize information pertaining to the user. A multi-level hierarchy of calendar events is defined, where a top level of the hierarchy is used for context events which have a relatively long duration and a lower level of the hierarchy is used for specific events which occur during context events. The calendar user may specify attribute values for attributes of context events and/or specific events, such as how the user can be reached when that event is active; whether, and how often, the user checks his e-mail or voice mail when that event is active; etc. Attribute values are hierarchically coalesced, with specific event attribute value taking precedence over the values of corresponding context attributes. Overrides may be provided for the context and specific event values as well, enabling a user to fine-tune his preferences. Use of the present invention enables other persons trying to contact a calendar owner to be informed of the calendar owner's status for the applicable date and time, as well as information such as when the calendar owner will next be available or how he can be reached in the interim, without requiring the calendar owner to manually change configuration settings of his e-mail or greetings of his voice mail, etc. The techniques disclosed herein are also applicable to other scenarios such as instant messaging and project management.

Calendar events and calendar-driven application technique

The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for using calendar events for users of electronic calendaring systems to prepare customized responses to incoming events (such as incoming electronic mail, voice calls, instant messages, etc.), where the response supplies information pertaining to the user. Electronic calendars are analyzed, and information from this analysis is stored in advance of detecting an incoming message. The stored information can then be used to quickly generate a response when a message does arrive. A multi-level hierarchy of calendar events is used, where a top level of the hierarchy is used for context events which have a relatively long duration and a lower level of the hierarchy is used for specific events which occur during context events. The calendar user may specify attribute values such as how the user can be reached; whether, and how often, the user checks his e-mail or voice mail; etc. Attribute values are hierarchically coalesced. Overrides may be provided, enabling a user to fine-tune his preferences. Use of the present invention enables other persons trying to contact a calendar owner to be informed of the calendar owner's status and other information, without requiring the calendar owner to manually change configuration settings of his e-mail or greetings of his voice mail, etc. The techniques disclosed herein are also applicable to other scenarios such as project management.

Growing community of inventors

Chapel Hill, NC, United States of America

Geoffrey David Alexander