International Business Machines Corporation

Michael Negley Abernethy, Jr

Travis M Grigsby

Kulvir Singh Bhogal

Alexandre Polozoff

Gabriel Aaron Cohen

Daniel E Morris

Syed-Muasir Khalil

Truong-An Hoan Thai

Nazgol Sedghi

Michael A Paolini

Ronald Eugene Craig

Steven Michael Miller

Lisa A Seacat

Frank Lawrence Jania

Frank Anthony Nuzzi

Bryan Eric Aupperle

Jacob Lorien Moilanen

Renee Marie St Amant

Lakshmi Potluri

Robert Norris-Lance Krentler

Srinivasa R Borusu

Justin Kai-yuen Hong

Justin K Hong

A computer-implemented method of interlacing responses within an instant messaging (IM) system can include, responsive to a request from a user in an IM session, storing an IM message fragment input by the user and associating the IM message fragment with a message selected from an IM session transcript. The method can include recalling the IM message fragment and outputting, at least in part, the IM message fragment in response to the message.

Interlacing responses within an instant messaging system

A method for providing relationship-centric resources includes establishing a communication session between a first device and a second device, determining, during the communication session between the first and second devices, an intersection of mutual topics of interest between users of the first and second devices by cross-referencing sets of interests for the users, retrieving content based on a determination that the content meets a content descriptor, and simultaneously displaying the retrieved content. The content descriptor describes a nature of the communication session. The retrieving is further based on a determination that the content is related to a mutual topic of interest from the intersection of mutual topics of interest between the users of the first and second devices. The determination of relatedness is based on a cross-reference between the content and the mutual topic of interest. The cross-reference is stored in a lookup table.

Relationship-centric portals for communication sessions

Updating contact information for a first communication device according to metadata associated with a virtual world is provided. In response to an avatar of a first user interacting with an avatar of a second user in the virtual world, information comprising a name of the avatar of the second user and metadata associated with the avatar of the second user is sent to the first user. In response to receiving the information, contact information associated with the name of the avatar of the second user is determined. The contact information is organized based on the metadata. The organized contact information is prioritized according to the metadata. A speed dial setting corresponding to the prioritized contact information is assigned. The assigned speed dial setting is assigned to the first communication device. The assigned speed dial setting is stored in the first communication device.

Dynamic update of contact information and speed dial settings based on a virtual world interaction

Relationship-centric resources are provided to users during a communication session. After establishing a communication session between a first communication device and a second communication device, content that meets a content descriptor is retrieved. This content descriptor describes a nature of a relationship between users of the first and second communication devices. The retrieved content, which meets the content descriptor, is then simultaneously displaying on both the first communication device and the second communication device.

The present invention provides a method, system, and computer program product for updating contact information according to metadata associated with a virtual world. In response to an avatar of a first user interacting with an avatar of a second user in a virtual world, information comprising a name of the avatar of the second user and metadata associated with the avatar of the second user is sent to the first user. In response to receiving the information, contact information associated with the name of the avatar of the second user is determined. The contact information is organized based on the metadata to form organized contact information. The organized contact information is prioritized according to the metadata to form prioritized contact information. The prioritized contact information is stored.

The illustrative embodiments described herein provide an apparatus and method for facilitating tactile identification of a document attribute. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a document. The document has a set of document attributes. The apparatus also includes a fluid incorporated within the document at a designated location associated with a document attribute in the set of document attributes. The fluid changes rigidity in the presence of an electric field to facilitate tactile identification of the document attribute.

Facilitating tactile identification of a document attribute

Provided is a method for displaying information such as lists of data, files and icons in a window of a graphical user interface (GUI). Unlike a typical display methodology, which arranges items in a 'machine-dependent' sorting order, the disclosed technology provides a 'natural' sorting order. The list, or names associated with the files or icons are incorporated into a query and the query is transmitted to a web service. The web service parses the query to determine a natural order appropriate to the material represented by the list, files, or icons rearranges the list, files or icons into the natural order and returns a response to the originator of the query. The operating system or GUI that originated the query receives the response, parses the response and displays the list, files or icons in the corresponding natural order.

Natural ordering in a graphical user interface

An approach that smoothes a cryptographic function's timing footprint is presented. A processor includes a 'function timing smoother' that smoothes out spikes in the amount of time that a particular cryptographic function requires to execute. When a cryptographic function executes, the function timing smoother tracks the amount of time that the cryptographic function executes (current execution time) and compares the time with the amount of time that the same cryptographic function took for a previous execution (previous execution time). When the current execution time is less than the previous execution time, the function timing smoother adds instructions or varies an execution unit's clock speed in order to increase the cryptographic function's current execution time. Using this approach, a malicious user is not able to decipher sensitive information from the cryptographic function's timing footprint.

Providing CPU smoothing of cryptographic function timings

A first conversation between a user of a communications device and a first party is monitored. A conversation stub that includes information relating to a topic of the first conversation is generated and stored. It is determined whether a second party of a second conversation between the user of the communications device and the second party has expertise regarding the topic of the first conversation. Responsive to determining that the second party has expertise regarding the topic of the first conversation, the conversation stub is presented to the user during the second conversation.

Restoration of conversation stub for recognized experts

A mechanism is provided for controlling an output of a vehicle mounted display based on the current cargo loading of the vehicle so as to change the appearance of the vehicle. The mechanisms may identify at least one identifier of contents of a current cargo loading of the vehicle. The at least one identifier may identify at least one product currently being transported by the vehicle. The mechanisms may further correlate the at least one identifier with display data to be rendered on the vehicle mounted display. The mechanisms may further output the display data to the vehicle mounted display such that the display data is rendered on the vehicle mounted display.

Modifying an appearance of a vehicle based on content of the vehicle

Methods, systems, and computer program products are provide for accepting a user's selection of sort options for sorting a table according to embodiments of the present invention. Embodiments include selecting a representative shape for displaying sort options; identifying one or more columns in the table available for selection as a key for sorting; displaying, together in a GUI, identifications of the one or more columns and the representative shape; and receiving, as a user's selection of one of the columns as a key for sorting, an invocation of a GUI control associated with an identification of the selected columns.

Accepting a user's selection of sort options for sorting a table

A mechanism for sharing tasks is provided in which individuals in a share group may signal their intent to complete individual shared tasks and communicate that intent to other individuals in the share group. A required time for completion of the shared tasks may be associated with an individual's signaling of the intent to complete the shared task. The completion of the shared task by the individual signaling intent to complete may be monitored and, if not completed within the associated required time, the performance of the shared task may again be shared with the individuals of the share group. In this way, another individual may signal that individual's intent to perform the shared task and the process may be repeated until the shared task is completed.

Providing shared tasks amongst a plurality of individuals

A mechanism for sharing tasks is provided in which individuals in a share group may signal their intent to complete individual shared tasks and communicate that intent to other individuals in the share group. A required time for completion of the shared tasks may be associated with an individual's signaling of the intent to complete the shared task. The completion of the shared task by the individual signaling intent to complete may be monitored and, if not completed within the associated required time, the performance of the shared task may again he shared with the individuals of the share group. In this way, another individual may signal that individual's intent to perform the shared task and the process may be repeated until the shared task is completed.

Methods, apparatuses, systems, and media to perform operations on filtered components of documents are disclosed. Embodiments comprise a method of performing an operation on selected components of an electronic document using at least one criterion to filter selected parts from other parts of the electronic document. In some embodiments, the method includes analyzing the electronic document to generate the filtering criteria. One embodiment includes presenting a list of filtering criteria to a user, whereupon the user may choose one or more criteria. Other variations of embodiments generally include apparatuses, systems and media that allow a user to choose specific text fonts, text styles, text entry dates, and text entry authors as filtering criteria, for such operations as spell checking, grammar checking, printing, and copying the document components, or text.

Operations on document components filtered via text attributes

A computer implemented method and computer program product for managing conversational input. The process authenticates a user on a device in a set of communication devices for manipulating conversation stubs. The process monitors an exchange of conversation for a triggering event on the device in a set of communication devices. Responsive to detecting the triggering event, the process generates a conversation stub that contains information relating to the topic of conversation. The conversation stub is stored in a storage device located remotely to the set of communication devices. Responsive to receiving a selection of the conversation stub, the process presents the conversation stub on a communication device selected from the set of communication devices.

Growing community of inventors

Pflugerville, TX, United States of America

Michael Negley Abernethy, Jr