International Business Machines Corporation

Jonathan Mark Wagner

Joseph Celi, Jr

Michael J Sullivan

Roger Louie

Joseph J Kubik

Michael Pierre Carlson

Michael Richard Cooper

Fabio Benedetti

Randy Scott Humphrey

Frank Eliot Levine

Newton James Smith, Jr

Scot MacLellan

Steven Francis Best

Steven Edward Atkin

Barry Alan Feigenbaum

Marcello Vitaletti

William J Tracey, Ii

Tatchi Placido Lay

Edwin James Hilpert, Jr

Ronald Bruce Capelli

Allen M Gilbert

Colin Victor Powell

Frank J Schroeder

Glenn T Puchtel

James Lee Gray

Darren Mark Miclette

David Andrews Kerr

Ivan Lomelli

Marilyn Diane Smith Dawkins

Mark Allen Fiechtner

John Monroe Blackmon

Paul R King

Kenneth C Knapp

John P Coffey

Michael Daniel Santivenere

Steven Donald Turner

Dao Nguyen

Sivakumar Rajendran

Jeffrey Thomas Galea

The present invention proposes a scheduler, which is used to submit execution of jobs according to a predefined plan. Each job is defined by a corresponding descriptor. The descriptor specifies the resources to be used by the jobs (through their properties). In addition, for each resource the descriptor can also specify one or more relationships with other resources (defined by their properties as well). When the job must be submitted, the scheduler identifies the actual resources that possess the desired properties and that satisfy the desired relationships. For this purpose, the scheduler accesses a repository with stores information about the available resources and their relationships.

Method and system for scheduling jobs based on resource relationships

A method for automatically adjusting the volume of individual conference call participants during a conference call. The present invention comprises a Configuration Program (CP) and a Volume Adjustment Program (VAP). The CP allows a user to configure the automatic volume adjustment options. The VAP continuously monitors the conference call and adds new participants to a display screen as the new participants are added to the conference call. Based upon the settings that the user selected in the CP, the VAP adjusts the volume of the conference call participant when the new participant is added, adjusts the volume of each conference call participant upon the occurrence of the time interval, or continuously adjusts the volume of each conference call participant. The VAP also allows the user to manually adjust the volume of all of the participants or an individual participant using a plurality of navigation buttons.

Server based conference call volume management

Mechanisms for performing an inventory scan of target data processing systems for ascertaining the presence therein of prerequisite resources are provided. The prerequisite resources are resources necessary for the execution, by the target data processing systems, of predetermined activities. The mechanisms may send to a target data processing systems a request for performing a selected activity of the predetermined activities and associate with the request at least one signature of at least one prerequisite resource different from the prerequisite resources required for performing the selected activity. The signature may include information allowing the target data processing system to locate where the prerequisite resource is to be searched for. Upon receiving, from the target data processing systems a result of the search of the prerequisite resource, the mechanisms may further update information to indicate the presence of the prerequisite resource in the target data processing system.

Performing inventory scan to determine presence of prerequisite resources

System and method for server based conference call volume management

A methodology for displaying a website on a hand held display device (HHDD) is disclosed. The present invention comprises an Image Modification Program (IMP) and a Navigation Program (NP). The IMP analyzes the webpage HTML to determine if an image is present and if the image exceeds the allotted image display space on the HHDD display screen. The IMP calculates the required number of x-axis and y-axis divisions and fragments the image accordingly. The IMP displays the reduced web page on the HHDD, but replaces the reduced image with a fragment from the fragmented image. The fragment is displayed at the intended resolution allowing the user to view a portion of the image at full size, as opposed to the whole image at a reduced size. The NP of the present invention allows the user to move from one fragment to another. An alternative embodiment utilizing a proxy is also disclosed.

Apparatus and method for distributing portions of large web images to fit smaller constrained viewing areas

A mechanism is provided for storing user identifications and passwords in a mobile device, such as a personal digital assistant. A modified keyboard device driver may be installed on each platform the user accesses. When the user is prompted for a password from a functioning terminal, the user may select the appropriate account on the mobile device. The mobile device then may send the user identification and password for the account to the terminal. The modified keyboard device driver receives the user identification and password from the mobile device and converts it into keyed text. The accounts with user identifications and passwords may be protected by a password. Thus, the user must only remember the one mobile device password to access a plurality of resources and computer systems. Furthermore, the communications between the mobile device and terminal may be encrypted to prevent snooping.

PDA password management tool

Broadcast information is classified in categories to facilitate user selection and filtration of the broadcast information which is processed for presentation to the user. The broadcast information is transmitted in the form of a meta frame and one or more category frames which are repeated in a continuous cycle. Meta frames and category frames are distinguished and identified by major and minor codes following a frame starting delimiter. The meta frame contains a description of each of the available categories, together with an identification of respective category major and minor codes, the frequency on which the respective category frame is transmitted if multiple frequencies are employed, and the relative position of the respective category frame within transmission cycle. If multiple frequencies are employed, the meta frame may be repeatedly broadcast on a base frequency while subsets of the category frames are transmitted on different frequencies, or the meta and category frames may be repeated in sequence on all frequencies but with varying offsets. Upon user selection of a category, the category information within the meta frame is employed to construct or key a filter for the broadcast information. The selected category frame data is received and added to a local database, formatted, and presented to the user.

Methods and apparatus of disseminating broadcast information to a handheld device

Expected service delays are determined from actual service data captured during service at an establishment. For each party seeking service at an establishment, the time at which the party seeks service and the time at which the party receives, or at least begins receiving, service are automatically captured, by sensors situated proximate to a cafeteria-style service line or from a data processing system-implemented waiting list. A subset of the collected data is selected utilizing defined criteria relevant to service times, such as time of day, level of service as a proportion to overall capacity, etc. An average service delay for parties is then calculated from the selected subset of collected service data. This average service delay is employed in determining an expected service delay for prospective customers, adjusting the average service delay by multiplication with a factor specified to correspond with relevant characteristics of service at the establishment, such as time of day, size of the party seeking service, etc. The projected service delay for a prospective customer is then transmitted from the establishment's Web site to the requester.

Method and apparatus to determine mean time to service

A client station on computer network uses an operating system such as JavaOS which is permanently stored at the server rather than on storage media at the client location. JavaOS is loaded and installed at the client upon bootup of the client. The JavaOS is loaded and installed at the client upon bootup of the client. Once the basic system is booted using local firmware, and the base file systems on the network are enabled, an application can begin running, and when it needs to use a particular class file a request will be made through the file system and will be routed over to a generic file system driver, on the client, which will then determine, using a set of configured information, where this class exists; it will utilize the particular file systems available on to that booted client, whether it be NFS, or TFTP, to determine where the server is and how to retrieve that particular class file. It will go ahead and force that operation to occur and the class file will be retrieved and cached locally on the client to be used by the application. In order to avoid loading unneeded or lesser-used parts of the JavaOS from the server to the client memory at boot time, groups of classes are broken out of the monolithic image of JavaOS, as part of the Java service loader model (JSL). JSL-provided packages allow an URL prefix to be provided as part of a package's configuration information. When a class method/data is requested by the loader via the filesystem, if it is not already present, the URL prefix is used to lazily retrieve and cache that file in memory. This allows classes and data files to be delivered as needed, and significantly reduces the amount of data to be retrieved by TFTP by the client at boot time.

Selective loading of client operating system in a computer network

A method and apparatus in a data processing system for processing errors during building of a program. A set of tools needed to build the program is identified. Each tool within the set of tools is called. Responsive to a tool within the set of tools generating output, a determination is then made as to whether an error is present in an output generated by the tool. Responsive to determining a presence of the error, a notification is automatically generated.

Method and apparatus in a data processing system for faster notification of errors in a software build

A system, method, and program of the invention enables a separating region to be displayed adjacent to at least one side of a problem menu choice within a menu list in a user interface. The problem menu choice may be any menu choice that has the potential for causing undesirable effects if it is inadvertently selected by a user, such as by overshooting a desired menu choice with a displayed pointer. The separating region creates a non-selectable area that buffers the problem menu choices from the other menu choices. The user is notified if the user moves the displayed pointer into the separating region. The notification may include any one or more of the following: i) changing the rate of movement of the displayed pointer, ii) causing the displayed pointer to change in appearance, and iii) causing an audible sound. The separating region may be partitioned into zones wherein certain characteristics of the notification is dependent upon the zone location of the displayed pointer. In addition, the displayed pointer may change in appearance or a tone may sound at various frequencies, pitches or volumes dependent upon the location of the displayed pointer in the separating region or within one of its zones. In a further embodiment, the displayed pointer decreases its rate of movement as it passes through a separating region towards a problem menu choice, and increases its rate of movement as it enters into a selectable area of the problem menu choice.

Displaying menu choices adjacent to spatially isolating regions enabling different cursor movement speeds and other user notification means

Disclosed is a system, method, and program for displaying data. A program receives first input graphics commands from a first application program to display first output on a display monitor and second input graphics commands from a second application program to display second output on the display monitor. The second output is graphically blended with an overlapping portion of the first output. Output graphics commands are generated from the first and second input graphics commands to display the graphically blended second output superimposed over an overlapping portion of the first output and the first output non-overlapping with the second output. This allows the content of the secondary output to be displayed without affecting user operations with respect to the primary application window.

Method, system, and program for superimposing data from different application programs

A client station on computer network uses an operating system such as JavaOS which is permanently stored at the server rather than on storage media at the client location. The JavaOS is loaded and installed at the client upon bootup of the client. The client loads certain standard file systems as part of the basic OS code that it receives from the server. These employ a generic file system driver, which is located in Java code rather than in native code at the client. In addition to the standard file systems, other file systems may be installed, using this generic file system driver. For example, a file system for a hard drive may be installed at a particular client, even though this file system is not part of the set of standard file systems. Providing the generic file system driver or handler switch in Java code rather than native code allows file systems to be dynamically added to a running system.

Installable file system for client in a computer network

In accordance with the present invention, a position of a vehicle is detected by a receiver at the vehicle from a global positioning system. A speed limit associated with the position is determined from a centralized database accessible via a wireless network. An actual speed of the vehicle at the detected position is compared with the determined speed limit for the detected position, such that if it is determined that the actual speed exceeds the determined speed limit at the detected position, the driver may be alerted.

Method, system, and program for auditing driver compliance to a current speed limit

A three-dimensional graphical user interface is provided wherein the windows have a &ldquo;thickness&rdquo; property. In the preferred embodiment, a window will have a Z plane position (z) and a Z plane thickness (cz) as well as the traditional x, cx, y and cy. This allows positioning anywhere in three dimensional space. Using either a three axis mouse or a conventional mouse with supplemental control (perhaps keyboard), each axis may be traversed to navigate the desktop. As the pointer moves along an axis, the user's point of view can change, bringing the view either closer/farther/left/right, depending on the direction of motion, which may cause the windows perspective to change, e.g., larger or smaller. The user's perspective can pass into and through the window-blocks. As the user moves through a window-block, the mouse mickey ratio changes so that, while the cursor position or user viewpoint might change relatively rapidly in &ldquo;empty space,&rdquo; it would change more slowly when the user's perspective or the cursor is moving through a solid window-block, thus making the window-block seem more substantial.

Growing community of inventors

Round Rock, TX, United States of America

Jonathan Mark Wagner