Abstract: An automation device interactive user interface and method of using the interface is provided herein. The interface is network based in that it employs a browser enhanced by an interactive program embedded therein and an execution engine to execute the program. The interface can be proximate to an associated automated device(s) or remotely connected thereto using a local area network (LAN) and/or a wide area network (WAN) such as the Internet. To facilitate ease of use, the embedded interactive program presents information in an appealing multimedia fashion such that interface appears live and changing. Furthermore, data associated with automation devices can be monitored, extracted, transmitted or otherwise manipulated in real time.

Abstract: Systems and methods that detect a phase loss condition in a three-phase electrical power source are presented. The system includes a detection component that measures and/or monitors a magnitude and frequency of a voltage of a power source, and a controller component that compares measured and/or monitored voltage characteristics to characteristics associated with phase loss.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and methodology providing automation services in a distributed industrial controller environment. In one aspect of the present invention, a data access service is provided that includes, sending and receiving data to and from a data access service namespace operative in the distributed controller environment. In another aspect of the present invention, an alarming service is provided wherein data values are monitored in a server component according to predetermined conditions configured by a user or other entity. If the data values are determined to be outside of boundaries as defined by the predetermined conditions, an alarm can be communicated to a plurality of other components cooperating in the distributed environment.

Abstract: A method of and apparatus for obtaining information about a product or service offering having an associated receiver responsive to an information request or query. The method comprise providing a portable subscriber device linked with a communication network, presenting at least one selectable query for information to a subscriber via the subscriber device, selecting the at least one query for information, providing a desired privacy status of the subscriber utilizing the subscriber device, transmitting the query and the privacy status and, at the associated receiver, processing the privacy status and responding to the query by providing the requested information to the subscriber. A corresponding apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A graphical user interface in which object thumbnails are rendered in a three-dimensional environment and which exploits spatial memory. The objects may be moved, continuously, with a two-dimensional input device. Pop-up title bars may be rendered over active objects. Intelligent help may be provided to the user, as visual indicators, based on proximity clustering or based on matching algorithms. The simulated location of the object thumbnails in a direction orthogonal to the surface is based on function, such as a linear, polynomial, or exponential function for example, of one or more object properties, such as number of mouse clicks since selected, age, size, etc.

Abstract: A user interface for facilitating a decision making process, such as planning a trip. A unified view of various types of information related to an event may be provided. The unified view may be presented in a simulated three-dimensional environment having different types of information depicted on different windows. Different types of information related to a common event may be visually linked. A window showing a particular type of information may be brought into a focus view for closer inspection by a user. Alternative decisions may be depicted to permit vagueness or uncertainty, particularly at early iterations in the decision making process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and methodology to facilitate collaboration and communications between entities such as between automated applications, parties to a communication and/or combinations thereof. The systems and methods of the present invention include a service that supports collaboration and communication by learning predictive models that provide forecasts of one or more aspects of a users' presence and availability. Presence forecasts include a user's current or future locations at different levels of location precision and usage of different devices or applications. Availability assessments include inferences about the cost of interrupting a user in different ways and a user's current or future access to one or more communication channels. The predictive models are constructed from data collected by considering user activity and proximity from multiple devices, in addition to analysis of the content of users' calendars, the time of day, and day of week, for example.

Abstract: A computerized system and method for transforming (formatting or aggregating) the results of a query into a hierarchical information stream, such as an extensible Markup Language (XML) data stream is disclosed. A database server receives a query and generates a rowset. A rowset processor, using the mode specified in the query, processes the rowset and query to generate the XML data stream. For the “auto1” mode, the rowset processor transforms a rowset into an XML data stream using primary-foreign key information specified in the query to determine nesting. For the “auto2” mode, the rowset processor transforms a rowset into an XML data stream using table ordering information included in the query to determine nesting. For the “explicit” mode, the rowset processor transforms a rowset into an XML data stream using the explicit organizational information specified in the query.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and methodology to facilitate I/O access to a computer storage medium in a predictable and efficient manner. A scheduling system is provided that mitigates the problem of providing differing levels of performance guarantees for disk I/O in view of varying levels of data access requirements. In one aspect, the scheduling system includes an algorithm or component that provides high performance I/O updates while maintaining high throughput to the disk in a bounded or determined manner. This is achieved by dynamically balancing considerations of I/O access time and latency with considerations of data scheduling requirements. Also, the system provides latency boundaries for multimedia applications as well as managing accesses for other applications.

Abstract: Disclosed are systems and methods of plating a tin alloy in an efficient, economical, and environmentally friendly manner. An electrochemical cell containing an anolyte compartment and a catholyte compartment separated by a selective membrane is employed. The selective membrane prevents ionic metals from migrating from the catholyte compartment to the anolyte compartment. A conduit may be employed in the electrochemical cell to permit one way flow of anolyte to the catholyte compartment thereby replenishing tin to the catholyte compartment.

Abstract: A system and method facilitating media browsing is provided. The invention includes a browsing component and a media display system that provides a focus media and related media. The focus media and the related media are associated based, at least in part, upon metadata. The invention further provides for an association identifier that identifies related media based, at least in part, upon metadata associated with the focus media and the related media. The association identifier can further cluster the related media based upon metadata associated with the related media.

Abstract: Methods for prioritizing documents, such as email messages, is disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method first receives a document. The method assigns a measure of priority to the document, by employing a text classifier such as a Bayesian classifier or a support-vector machine classifier. The method then outputs the priority. In one embodiment, the method includes alerting the user about a document, such as an email message, based on the expected loss associated with delays expected in reviewing the document as compared to the expected cost of distraction and transmission incurred with alerting the user about the document.

Abstract: Prioritizing text such as e-mail messages, given constrained resources, is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method first receives a plurality of messages, such as e-mail messages. The method prioritizes the messages, based on a predetermined criteria given a constrained resource. The method then outputs the messages to a user, as prioritized given the constrained resource. Specific constrained resources include limited bandwidth, limited storage space, and limited time in which to receive the texts. Embodiments include policies that include priority-sensitive truncation and summarization. Furthermore, in one embodiment, if context is detected, the priorities for caching are affected. In another embodiment, the likelihood that a user already knows all or part of the information being transmitted is considered.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a subscription modeling system and methodology. A query processor receives subscription query and subscriber information and transforms the query and subscriber information into data. An index component propagates at least one database with the transformed data; and a matching component that associates the transformed data with event data to generate a database of notification data that can be delivered to subscribers. The invention provides for abstracting subscription and subscriber information (as well as event information if desired) to high-level classes (e.g., data fields)—thus the invention provides for modeling such notification related information as data. Subscription applications can thus be developed at high levels wherein complex subscription queries and subscriber information can be defined as data fields for example. Databases in accordance with the data fields can be propagated with subscription/subscriber specific information.

Abstract: A method and system for matching digital information flow to the human perception system. In various embodiments, multi-monitor (multimon) support is leveraged to take advantage of multiple windowing and window positioning to separate elements of different tasks into information planes (which are based on a concept of “triage and focus”). Triage watches the flow of incoming information and determines the nature of the information. Based on the nature of the information and principles of human perception, Focus (or defocus) displays the information where the information is best viewed.

Abstract: A system for sensing vibration of a machine is provided. A light source directs a beam of light toward a light receiving system adapted to receive at least a portion of the beam of light. A light modulating system modulates the light beam received by the light receiving system so as to correspond to vibration of the machine. A processing system operatively coupled to the light receiving system processes data received from the light receiving system to facilitate determining vibration of the machine.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a personal shopping system for combined use in both the home of a user and a shopping establishment. The system includes a host computer which is coupled to a host modem and, optionally, to at least one wireless multi-access point. At least one shopping establishment kiosk cradle is employed to interface with a portable terminal which is also part of the system. The portable terminal can be used in both the shopping establishment and the home of the user. It is configured to read bar codes associated with items related to shopping, and includes a memory, a bar code reader, a wireless transceiver, and a data interface. The data interface of the terminal communicates with a data interface of the shopping establishment kiosk cradle. A home cradle for the portable terminal is also provided and is adapted to remain in the home of the user.

Abstract: The present invention relates to systems and methods that facilitate dynamic programming language execution in a managed code environment. A class component is provided that declares an inheritance hierarchy for one or more tagged values associated with a dynamic programming language. During execution of the tagged values, a rules component mitigates user-defined types from inheriting or deriving properties from the tagged values in order to support a type safe runtime environment. A bifurcated class tree is provided that defines non-tagged type elements on one side of the tree and tagged type element values on an alternate branch of the tree. The rules component analyzes runtime extensions that help to prevent data from one component of the tree deriving or inheriting properties from another component of the tree. The runtime extensions include such aspects as cast class extensions, test class extensions, and conversion class extensions for converting data types from one class subtype to another.

Abstract: A system and methodology that facilitates increasing the fill-factor of digital sensor arrays at a reduced cost. In general, fill-factor relates to the active area of the sensor array with respect to the inactive area or space between pixels on the array. By increasing the fill-factor, transmitting maximum amount of optical information to the array while mitigating information loss between pixels on the army is allowed. An image detector system is provided that includes a pixelated sensor array that is responsive to electromagnetic radiation. A coherent scattering medium diffuses the electromagnetic radiation with respect to the pixelated sensor array in order to increase the fill-factor of the array.