International Business Machines Corporation

Nuance Communications, Inc.

Lisa A Seacat

Pamela Ann Nesbitt

Travis M Grigsby

Lydia Mai Do

Robert Ross Peterson

Steven Michael Miller

Kulvir Singh Bhogal

Fuyi Li

Ruthie D Lyle

Bernadette Alexia Carter

Belinda Y Chang

Frank Lawrence Jania

Christina Karen Lauridsen

Mark William Talbot

Loulwa F Salem

Sushma Bharat Patel

Timothy R Chavez

Angela Richards Jones

Nicole Marie Arnold

Charles Willard Cross, Jr

Marc White

Hilary A Pike

Christopher S Alkov

Anne I Ryan

Shruti Gandhi

Samuel Scott Adams

Michael Negley Abernethy, Jr

Jason Alan Cox

Ravi Krishna Kosaraju

Daniel E Morris

Belinda Ying-Chieh Chang

Vandana Mallempati

David Warren Zysk

Margaret Beth Morgan

Ryan Gabriele

Larissa Nicole Wojciechowski

In a user-interactive method and system, a display application for enhancing user interaction over a network is provided. The method includes receiving preference information from a first user, the preference information indicating at least one type of image the first user wishes to view. In response to a network interaction being established between at least the first user and a second user, the method further includes retrieving a plurality of images associated with the second user based on the preference information. The method further includes displaying the plurality of images based on the preference information.

Enhancing user interaction by displaying images from a network

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for synchronizing a media presentation. A locally stored electronic copy of the media presentation is displayed on a presenter's presentation device and a locally stored copy of the media presentation is displayed on each of one or more participants' presentation devices. The presenter's presentation device and each participant's presentation device is operable to communicate with each other through a communications network. In response to the presenter performing an action on the electronic copy of the media presentation on the presenter's presentation device during the media presentation, data pertaining to the action is transmitted through the communications network to each participant's presentation device. The appearance of the media presentation on each participant's presentation device is changed in accordance with the data transmitted from the presenter.

Synchronization of media presentation software

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to virtual world management and provide a method, data processing system and computer program product for conversation detection in a virtual world. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for conversation management in a virtual world data processing system can include detecting a sequence of statements from at least two avatars in a virtual world, and locating the avatars in the virtual world, computing a temporal proximity of the statements. The statements can be grouped in the virtual world if the avatars are geographically proximate to one another in the virtual world and if the statements have occurred within a threshold temporal proximity of one another. Thereafter, the grouped statements can be persisted in the virtual world as a conversation.

Conversation detection in a virtual world

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for providing a notification to a user about the progress of a task running on a digital processing device. A user input identifying a progress indicator for the task running on the digital processing device is received. A user input selecting a threshold value is received. The threshold value indicates a point on the progress indicator at which the user is to be notified about the progress of the task. A notification is provided to the user when the threshold value is reached.

User-selectable progress bar threshold triggers and notification by detecting color change

A method, system and compute program product for modifying sporting event participant decorations displayed on a fiber optic 'Turf TV' playing surface. A utility calculates a direction of movement of a player or object in proximity to the playing surface, which is configured to display images, during a live sporting event. The utility adds a graphical aura to a real-time graphical image displayed in proximity to the player on the playing surface. The utility animates the aura in response to wind and/or noise in proximity to the playing surface. The utility modifies the aura based on pre-defined custom attributes, penalties, errors, and/or player status. If the player moves, the utility adds a graphical player trail to the image. The utility also adds a graphical object trail that includes previous locations of an object. The object trail may also include spin and a visual appearance corresponding to an object height.

Modification of turf TV participant decorations based on multiple real-time factors

A method, system and computer program product for identifying which participant joined or exited a conference call. A participant to a conference call is able to select a personalized tone from a list of predetermined tones or to upload a personalized tone to a designated site, where the personalized tone is to be played upon the participant joining and/or exiting the conferencing call. In this manner, the other participants of the conference call would know which participant joined or exited the conference call.

Using personalized tones to indicate when a participant arrives and/or leaves a conference call

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for keeping confidential records pertaining to selected communications made with a communication device. A user input is received designating one or more contacts with whom communications made with the communication device are to remain confidential. Information about the designated one or more contacts is transmitted to a server which stores records pertaining to communications made with the communication device. A statement is generated for the communications made with the communication device based on information stored on the server. Records pertaining to communications that are to remain confidential are displayed as an alias on the statement.

Keeping conversations confidential

A tagging event can be detected where a software entity is associated with a tag resulting from a user interaction. At least one situational attribute relating to the tagging event can be automatically determined. The one or more situational attribute can be stored in a data repository so that the stored situational attribute is associated with the tag. The detecting, determining, and storing can be repeated for a set of different tags, each associated with a software entity. A search of tagged software entities can be conducted. The results of the search can be modified based at least in part upon the stored situational attributes of the tagged software entities.

Assisting users in searching for tagged content based on historical usage patterns

A method, system and computer program product for improving accuracy and experience of a game. Hot zone areas are determined using game rules. 'Hot zone areas' are areas on the playing field where a call may be made based on the rules of the game. Signals are sent from a computer system to appropriate sensors to activate connected light-emitting fibers that are blended with grass on the playing field to indicate when a player and/or game object enters or exits a hot zone area. The light-emitting fibers are activated in such a manner as to display an image (e.g., footprint) indicating the entrance/exiting of a player and/or game object in/from a hot zone area (e.g., out of bounds line) thereby ensuring the game is fair and accurate and enhancing the experience of the game.

Accuracy and experience of game by activating appropriate light-emitting fibers intertwined in grass related to a game object or player entering or leaving a hot zone area

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to deep tagging of media content and provide a method, system and computer program product for coordinating deep tagging of media content with chat postings. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for coordinating deep tagging of media content with chat postings can be provided. The method can include monitoring a group chat of participants co-browsing media content, identifying a token in the group chat appearing a threshold number of times within a temporal window, and creating a deep tag in the media content in association with a portion of the media content played back concurrently with the temporal window.

Coordinated deep tagging of media content with community chat postings

Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to discussion forum management and provide a method, system and computer program product for instant conversations in a thread within a discussion forum. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for instant conversations in a thread within a discussion forum can be provided. The method can include providing a discussion forum and initiating a thread in the discussion forum and measuring a temporal proximity of postings between two or more users in the thread. In response to determining a close temporal proximity, an instant messaging session can be launched between the two or more users and entries in the instant messaging session can be inserted as responses to the thread in the discussion forum.

Instant conversation in a thread of an online discussion forum

Methods, apparatus, and products are disclosed for displaying documents to a plurality of users of a surface computer, the surface computer comprising a surface, surface computer capable of receiving multi-touch input through the surface and rendering display output on the surface, that include: registering a plurality of users with the surface computer, the plurality of users including a moderator and a plurality of participants; assigning, to each registered user, a portion of the surface for interaction between that registered user and the surface computer; selecting, by the moderator for sharing with the plurality of participants, a document stored in the surface computer; rendering contents of the document on the moderator's assigned portion of the surface; and rendering the contents of the document on each of the participants' portions of the surface.

Displaying documents to a plurality of users of a surface computer

In V2V or other networks in which multiple video feeds are available to a participant, the participant's ability to select a particular video feed for display can be eased through the use of guided scanning. A guided scanning strategy is built based on operator inputs and used to select a particular set of video feeds that are initially shown as a video 'slideshow' on the display used by the participant. Each video feed appears only for a limited period of time to enable easy participant review. Once the participant sees a particular video feed of interest, that video feed to can be selected for persisted presentation on the display.

Guided video feed selection in a vehicle-to-vehicle network

A computer program product for a multi-point touch-sensitive sensor user interface using distinct digit identification. The computer program product may include a relationship module, an assignment module, a receiving module, a determination module, and an initiation module. The relationship module may determine a relationship between at least two digits. The assignment module may assign a distinct digit identity to each digit of the at least two digits. The receiving module may receive a digit event comprising at least one digit interaction. The determination module may determine a digit identity for each digit involved in the digit event and a digit interaction associated with each digit of the digit event. Finally, the initiation module may initiate a digit event function associated with the determined digit identity and the digit interaction. Therefore, a user has greater control over a device through the interface with each digit having a distinct function and identity.

System and apparatus for a multi-point touch-sensitive sensor user interface using distinct digit identification

An interactive cooking preparation device is presented. The user places ingredients that the user wishes to use in a recipe. The interactive cooking preparation device detects the ingredients placed by the user in the detection area of the interactive cooking preparation device using sensors. The detection results in a set of ingredient identifiers that correspond to the placed ingredients. A recipes database is then searched for the detected set of ingredient identifiers. The database search results in one or more suggested recipes. The suggested recipes are displayed to the user on a display device that is included in the interactive cooking preparation device. The user then selects one of the suggested recipes.

Growing community of inventors

San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Lisa A Seacat