International Business Machines Corporation

Amazon Technologies, Inc.

Paccar Inc.

Suresh Kumar

Vijayeshwar Das Khanna

Sri Muthuthamby Sri-Jayantha

Muthuthamby Sri-Jayantha

James Kason Keiger

Patrick G Franklin

Zheyin Li

Ramanathan Palaniappan

Pradeep Varma

Ares Sakamoto

Kamil Jiwa

Zine-Eddine Boutaghou

Thomas R Albrecht

Akihiko Aoyagi

Jeffrey N Peterson

Hiroshi Matsuda

Vijay A Kumar

Jacob Adam Gabrielson

Hien Phu Dang

Arun Sharma

Mutsuro Ohta

Zachary Slaton

Keishi Takahashi

Kohji Takahashi

Jake Tyler Ferderer

Ichiroh Koyanagi

Kohji Serizawa

Craig Pape

Phu Vi Tran

Denise M Stecconi

Michael T Russell

Joseph K Hall

Matthew Wendling

David Randall Wrigley

David Randal Wrigley

Techniques are described for facilitating access of computing system users to restricted functionality, such as internal functionality of a business or other organization (e.g., internal systems and/or confidential information available to some or all business employees or other organization members). The restricted functionality access may in some situations be provided in conjunction with publicly available information from the organization, such as to use that publicly available information as part of a user interface that allows an authorized subset of users to access the restricted functionality. In some situations, the restricted functionality access may be facilitated by an access provider system that executes on a client computing system of an authorized user, such as a program operating in conjunction with another presentation program that presents publicly available information (e.g., as an extension program for the presentation program), and that modifies the interactions available to the user when using the presentation program.

Facilitating access to restricted functionality

An on-board vehicle computing system stores values in a memory of a first engine control unit (ECU) and stores corresponding backup values in a memory of a second ECU. In this way, the second ECU provides data backup functionality for the first ECU's data. The system may retrieve a backup value from the first ECU and restore the corresponding value in the second ECU using the backup value. In one illustrative scenario, if an original engine ECU (EECU) fails and a replacement EECU is installed, the system can retrieve backup values for vehicle speed limiter (VSL) parameters from memory in a cab ECU (CECU) and update the corresponding data in the replacement EECU with the backup values.

Vehicle computer system with data backup

Techniques are described for facilitating access of computing system users to restricted or other functionality, such as internal functionality of a business or other organization. The functionality access may be facilitated by an access provider system that executes on a client computing system of an authorized user, such as a program operating in conjunction with another presentation program that presents publicly available information by modifying interactions available to the user when using the presentation program or otherwise providing additional information to the user. In some situations, the additional information is provided by temporarily modifying the information being presented by the presentation program, such as to provide additional information that is related to functionality corresponding to a subject area of the currently presented information and/or corresponding to an aspect of the currently presented information that is indicated by the user.

Facilitating access to functionality via displayed information

A method and system for managing inventory by expected profitability. In one embodiment, a method may include individually evaluating a respective expected profitability for each of a number of inventory items, and individually determining a disposition of each of the number of items dependent upon its respective expected profitability. In one particular implementation of the method, individually evaluating the respective expected profitability of a given item may include forecasting an estimated date of transaction corresponding to the given item, forecasting an estimated revenue corresponding to the given item as of the estimated date of transaction, estimating accrued costs of holding the given item until the estimated date of transaction, and comparing a total cost of the given item against the estimated revenue, where the total cost may include the accrued costs of holding the given item until the estimated date of transaction.

Method and system for managing inventory by expected profitability

Generally described, aspects of the disclosed subject matter are directed to managing the configuration of a vehicle. In accordance with one embodiment, a method of modifying the configuration of a vehicle based on the vehicle's location is provided. The method includes receiving, from a remote Satellite Positioning System ('SPS') device, positioning data that identifies the location of the vehicle. Then, the positioning data is used to identify one or more regulations that are applicable, given the location of the vehicle. Based on collected vehicle readings, a determination is made regarding whether the configuration of the vehicle should be modified. In turn, the method may cause the configuration of the vehicle to be modified to comply with the one or more regulations.

Managing the configuration of a vehicle

A method and system for bidding on multiple auctions. The multiple auction bidding system allows a user to define various models for bidding at multiple auctions. The bidding system then automatically places bids on behalf of the user. The bidding rules may specify to win at most one of multiple auctions at the lowest price or to bid at an auction only if successful at bidding at another auction.

Method and system for bidding on multiple auctions

An electronic catalog system includes automated processes for detecting and handling specific types of browsing events, such as non-conversion events in which users browse but fail to purchase specific items. In one embodiment, when a user engages in a threshold level of browsing activity with respect to an item without making a purchase of that item or a substitute item, and a favorable change in the item's state thereafter occurs (e.g., the price is reduced or the item becomes available), the user is automatically notified of the state change. In another embodiment, when a user transitions away from an item or item category after engaging in a threshold level of browsing activity, a determination is made whether to present to the user a time-limited purchase incentive that is tied to that item or item category.

Service for automatically detecting and responding to transition events that occur during browsing of an electronic catalog

Service for selectively and proactively notifying users of changes in states of items in an electronic catalog

A synchronous collaboration environment that supports real-time collaboration of multiple participants, each having shared and independent views of the shared workspace. Multiple views per participant are provided. Some of the views seen by a participant can be shared views with the usual common cursor and annotation tools. The shared views need not be homogeneous, which means that for a given view, each participant can see more than just some common data in his or window for the view. What the participant sees separately from the common data can make his or her shared view different from that of other participants. The view can be different due to different data being exposed in the view. Some of the views seen by a participant can be independent views. This allows to the participant synchronous working with the shared workspace alone on his or her own. The collaboration system includes a user interface and support for aligning views including goto and overlaying. Participants can modify the workspace through their views in a synchronized manner provided the sharing and access rights of their views allow them to do so.

Shared and independent views of shared workspace for real-time collaboration

A method of keyless encryption of messages allows secure transmission of data where data security is not available for some technical or legal reason. The method of data transfer uses a challenge response in which a correct response to a challenge is used to transmit the value &ldquo;1&rdquo;, while a deliberately false response is made to transmit the value &ldquo;0&rdquo;. Any message can be transmitted as a binary string using successive applications of this method.

Keyless encryption of messages using challenge response

Effective real-time collaboration across remote sites in which any type of data can be shared in a common work space in a consistent manner is made possible by an annotation layer having multiple distinct modes of operation during a collaborative session with two or more people sharing the same work space. One mode is a discussion mode in which one or more users simply share a common view of the shared data and manipulate the view independent of the shared data. During the discussion mode, all user input is handled by the annotation layer which interprets user inputs to move common cursors, create, move or delete markings and text which, since the annotation layer is transparent, appear over the application. Another mode is an edit mode in which one or more users actually edit the shared data. The applications and the data are synchronized among all clients to display the same view. Manipulating the view includes moving a common cursor and placing markings on the common view using text and/or drawing tools.

Annotation layer for synchronous collaboration

Growing community of inventors

Issaquah, WA, United States of America

Suresh Kumar