International Business Machines Corporation

Dell Products Inc.

Hatim Yousef Amro

John Paul Dodson

George Kraft, Iv

Robert G Nadon

Daiqian Zhan

Dan Lee Dao

Scott Harlan Isensee

Ricky Lee Poston

Troy Lee Cline

Sandip A Amin

Elizabeth Silvia

Kurt Russell Taylor

William Paul Hyden

Rudolf V Bendixen

Steven D Romohr

Xiao Ping Fang

Dan Le Dao

Miller Paul Van Eaton

Kevin W Deike

A system, method, and computer-readable medium are disclosed for performing a customer operating system installation operation. The customer operating system installation operation includes performing a customer operating system installation operation onto an information handling system, comprising: performing a customer operating system installation operation; and, performing a UEFI boot entry operation, the UEFI boot entry operation accessing a UEFI boot entry when performing the customer operating system installation operation, the UEFI boot entry operation providing a communication abstraction between a manufacturing operating system and the customer operating system.

Tracking heterogeneous operating system installation status during a manufacturing process

As an example, a computing device having a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) may boot into a preinstallation environment (associated with a first operating system), determine that a second operating system is to be installed on the computing device, and write an image of the second operating system to the boot disk. The image may include a special partition. The computing device may write the preinstallation environment (associated with first operating system) to the special partition of the image of the second operating system, and create a boot entry in the UEFI to cause the computing device to boot into the preinstallation environment (Windows PE). After booting into the preinstallation environment, the computing device may execute one or more diagnostic tests, delete the boot entry, and reboot the computing device to install a basic input output system (Coreboot) to replace UEFI and install the second operating system (Chrome OS).

Using a single process to install a UEFI-supported OS or a non-UEFI supported OS on a hardware platform

A system including a server, a computer system, and a device coupled to a port of the computer system is provided. The server includes a script associated with an identifier. The device includes the identifier. The computer system is configured to read the identifier from the device, provide the identifier to the server, and cause a script associated with the identifier to be executed to cause one or more software components to be installed onto the computer system.

System and method for installing software onto a built-to-order computer system using an identification device

A system and method for providing dynamically shared documents to multiple computing devices. In a preferred embodiment, the system includes a hub and a plurality of computing devices in physical proximity with the hub. Each of the plurality of computing devices communicates with the hub via a wireless connection. The hub acts as a pass-through device receiving and transmitting requests from a requesting computing device to other computing devices and receiving and transmitting answers from the other computing devices to the requesting computing device. Each computing device translates requests and shared documents into a system independent language before transmitting the request of the document to the hub and each computing device translates received documents from the system independent language into a data format preferred by that particular computing device. Thus, documents may be securely shared between computing devices having different operating systems and data formats without having a physical network connection. Furthermore, the hub is portable, thus allowing the sharing of documents at any location in which several users have gathered for a meeting.

Instant selective multiple soft document sharing between multiple heterogeneous computing devices

A method that includes receiving a search term and an identifier associated with a bookmark is provided. A database is searched using the search term and a website associated with the bookmark is also searched using the search term.

System and method for searching websites associated with bookmarks

One embodiment is a system and method for facilitating factory-installation of software in a build-to-order ('BTO') manufacturing environment using a web-based software distribution system. Subsequent to physical assembly, the minimum software required for a computer to boot up and operate and connect to the Internet is installed on the hard drive thereof. Upon initial boot-up of the computer, a 'Web-Based Install' (&#x201c;WBI&#x201d;) icon is displayed on the desktop interface element thereof. Clicking on this icon causes the computer to be connected to a secure website of the computer manufacturer (&#x201c;Internet boot facility&#x201d;). An ID number identifying the particular computer is then automatically provided to the Internet boot facility and a page including a list of all of the software which the customer purchased for the identified computer is displayed to the customer. The customer may select one or more programs to be downloaded to and installed on the computer by clicking on the associated link(s) or icon(s). Alternatively, rather than a WBI icon, icons for each of the purchased software packages are displayed on the desktop interface element thereof when the computer is first booted. Clicking on an icon causes the computer to connect to the Internet boot facility, and, after the computer is identified thereto, downloading and installation of the software identified by the icon is performed. Alternatively, the download and installation process is initiated immediately and automatically when the computer is first booted.

Web-based factory manufacturing of computers in a build-to-order manufacturing environment

A method and apparatus in a data processing system for processing user input. A graphical widget is displayed on a display device within the data processing system, wherein the graphical widget is displayed using a first size. Responsive to receiving a selected user input, a display of the graphical widget is resized on the display device to a second size for receiving user input, wherein the second size is larger than the first size.

Method and apparatus for maximizing efficiency of small display in a data processing system

A data processor controlled user interactive display system for displaying hypertext documents, each including a sequence of display screen pages received at a receiving display station from a communications network such as the World Wide Web. Automatic sizing of the cache for received pages at the receiving display station is provided. This cache includes portions of the station's disk storage means and random access memory means for storing data representative of received screen pages. The size of the portions of disk storage and random access storage means needed for the cache are determined by prior monitoring of the quantities of disk storage and of random access memory used in said cache during prior transmission of screen pages to said receiving display station. The size of portions of disk storage and random access memory allocated to the present cache are based upon said prior monitoring. These sizing functions are most effectively included in a network interactive browser.

Network document transmission to receiving display stations with automatic sizing of received document caches based upon user activity in prior browsing sessions

A computing system including a plurality of data processing systems and a peripheral input device. The peripheral input device includes a computer selector for selecting one of the plurality of data processing systems for interaction with the peripheral input device. The peripheral input device also includes a wireless transmitter for providing communications with any one of the plurality of data processing systems. Each of the plurality of data processing systems includes a wireless receiver for receiving wireless communications from the peripheral input device.

Interoperable/heterogeneous environment keyboard

The present invention provides a method and system for a drag and drop in a computer system. The method includes beginning a drag and drop on an object in a first workspace, suspending the drag and drop, activating a second workspace, and resuming the drag and drop in the second workspace. The method of the present invention provides a drag and drop for a multiple workspace environment. The drag and drop is performed in one multi-step operation. This simplifies the moving of objects between workspaces and provides a graphical operation.

Workspace drag and drop

A caller identification callback list method and system. The system displays a callback list informing a user of a missed call received from a terminal on a central office telephone line from within an organization. The callback list includes the names and extension or branch telephone numbers for persons the user has defined exist within the organization. Once an indication that the user has missed a telephone call from within the organization appears on the user's terminal, the user may choose from a list of names and extension or branch telephone numbers and return the call without having to search outside sources for the correct number. The return call may be accomplished by either an automatic callback feature or manually using the terminal. Additionally, the caller identification callback lists allow a user to select the people and associated extension or branch telephone numbers in advance without the prospective caller first calling the user.

Method and system for caller identification callback lists

A method and system for remotely controlling an appliance including a first wireless communication port is disclosed. In one aspect, the method and system provide a portable digital device for remotely controlling an appliance. The portable digital device includes a processor, a second wireless communication port coupled with the processor, and a control program for use by the processor. Upon a query provided from the second wireless communication port to the first wireless communication port, an interface residing on the appliance is provided from the appliance to the portable digital device. This allows the control program to control the appliance using the interface. In another aspect, the method and system include providing the interface residing on the appliance. The interface is capable of being uploaded to a portable digital device including a processor, a control program, and a second wireless communication port. In another aspect, the method and system include providing a command from the second wireless communication port of the portable digital device to the first wireless communication port of the appliance, executing the command using the appliance, and providing a response from the first wireless communication port of the appliance to the second wireless communication port of the portable digital device.

Method and system for remotely controlling an appliance using a personal digital assistant

A method and system for providing a progress indicator for an application in a computer system is disclosed. The method and system includes issuing a task request to the application, and graphically indicating a current status of the task request by a progress indicator when the application is iconified. The preferred embodiment of the present invention uses a graphical extension of the icon representing the iconified application. In this manner, the user is informed of the current status of a task request issued to the application without the need to maximize the application. This saves both time and valuable system resources.

Method and system for providing an iconic progress indicator

The present invention provides a method for providing user-defined dynamic help text which is displayed integrally with the application. The method includes utilizing a monitoring program to monitor a plurality of events for the application; determining if a current event of the plurality of events is a spy event; if the current event of the plurality of events is a spy event, then displaying a help text corresponding to the current event of the plurality of events. In the preferred embodiment, the method also determines if the current event of the plurality of events is a user event if the current event is not a spy event. If the current event is a user event, then the help text corresponding to the current event of the plurality of events is updated according to a user text update. The method of the present invention uses a monitoring program which allows users to create customized help texts for any application. In the preferred embodiment, the monitoring program of the present invention uses spy threads and thus is non-intrusive to the application. In the preferred embodiment, because the monitoring program is a separate application which runs in synchronization with the application, the present invention may be used with any application.

User defined dynamic help

A data processing system and method of efficiently invoking a function within a data processing system wherein the data processing system includes a processing unit, a display device that displays graphical objects in response to receipt of signals from the processing unit, and a graphical user interface (GUI) manager stored within the memory and executable by the processing unit. A graphical application is displayed within the display device. The graphical application has an associated graphical window and an associated graphical selection area. After iconizing the graphical application such that the associated graphical window and associated graphical selection area are no longer displayed, in response to a selection of the iconized graphical application, only the associated graphical selection area is opened. Thereafter, in response to a selection of a particular region among multiple regions, the function associated with the particular region is performed without displaying the associated graphical window.

Growing community of inventors

Austin, TX, United States of America

Hatim Yousef Amro