Abstract: A method and system for tracking memory usage by software agents operating in a computer system is disclosed. A memory resource tracking application is executed in the system. When an operating software agent is detected, a determination is made about the memory consumed by the running agent. Measurements are made at periodic intervals to determine if the agent has ended. When the agent has ended, all memory allocations associated with the agent are added together to arrive at a peak memory usage for the agent.

Abstract: A system that enables a user to conveniently reduce the size of one or more mailboxes stored on the client computer system. The user can indicate that “unimportant” email messages are to be removed from one or more mailboxes. Unimportant email messages are automatically removed before important ones. To calculate the importance of a message for a given user, message attributes such as users associated with and/or terms contained in the message are compared against a personal interest profile associated with the local user. Additionally, dates associated with the message, such as when the message was added to the mailbox, and/or when the message was last read, may be used to further determine message importance. The size of a message may also be considered when determining whether a message should be removed.

Abstract: Mechanisms for measuring network availability are described. A first network element produces a first knowledge digest encoding the first set of forwarding policy indicators associated with a set of packets into a fixed length bit array. The first network element periodically sends probe messages containing the knowledge digest to a second network element. The second network element produces a second knowledge digest encoding a second set of forwarding policy indicators into a fixed length bit array. The second network element compares the first knowledge digest to the second knowledge digest to determine whether the first set of forwarding policy indicators is a subset of the second set of forwarding policy indicators. The second network element indicates the availability of the path as long as probe messages are received from the first network element.

Abstract: A first device generates a first knowledge digest encoding first configuration information associated with current communications information related to a second device. The first device also generates a second knowledge digest encoding second configuration information associated with cumulative communications information related to the second device. The first device receives from the second device a message including a third knowledge digest encoding third configuration information. The first device compares the first knowledge digest to the third knowledge digest and produces a first indication if the third configuration information encoded in the third knowledge digest is not a subset of the first configuration information encoded in the first knowledge digest. The first device compares the second knowledge digest to the third knowledge digest if the first indication is produced, and produces a second indication if the third knowledge digest is not a subset of the second knowledge digest.

Abstract: Resources, such as bandwidth, are allocated on a network as follows. A request for reservation of network resources is received. The reservation includes a destination address on the network. Resources on network devices on a path to the destination address are allocated to accommodate the reservation if the network devices have sufficient resources to accommodate the reservation.

Abstract: A system for network accounting statistics collection including a statistics collector associated with each packet forwarding engine. Each statistics collector has one or more accounting elements, each of which includes some number of counters, such as packet and byte counters. Each statistics collector receives accounting instructions from the associated forwarding engine for packets processed by the forwarding engine, including packets that will be discarded without being forwarded. Each accounting instruction includes an identifier uniquely indicating one of the accounting elements, and information used to increment the counters within the accounting element. Upon receipt of an accounting instruction, the receiving statistics collector increments the counters in the accounting element. The accounting instruction is a relatively simple primitive operation in the disclosed system, enabling high-speed operation.

Abstract: A technique for expediting an operation in a computer system involves raising the priority level of an operating system task from a low priority level to a high priority level in order to perform the operation at the high priority level and lowering the priority level of the operating system task back to the low priority level upon completion of the operation. Task priority control logic causes the operating system task to execute at the low priority level as a default priority level. The task priority control logic monitors for a trigger condition indicating that the operation is to be performed. Upon detecting the trigger condition, the task priority control logic raises the operating system task to the high priority level, and begins monitoring for completion of the operation. Upon determining that the operation is complete, the task priority control logic lower the operating system task back to the low priority level.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for receiver access control in a multicast communication network uses a policy service to determine whether a subscriber device can be admitted to a multicast group. The subscriber device accesses the multicast communication network via an access device. The access device uses a policy service to obtain a policy decision from a policy server, where the policy decision indicates whether or not the subscriber device can be admitted to the multicast group. The access device enforces the policy decision by admitting the subscriber device to the multicast group if and only if the policy decision indicates that the subscriber device can be admitted to the multicast group.

Abstract: An enterprise network services architecture providing an interface to enterprise application programs, that enables enterprise application programs to define end to end network service parameters on an application specific basis, across multiple forwarding domains within the enterprise network. Communication service parameters defined by the application are enforced by software programs, referred to as network services modules (NSMs), operating on a per-forwarding domain basis. A network services protocol (NSP) provides communications between application servers and the NSMs, and a network services exchange protocol (NSEP) is used for communications between the NSMs. The disclosed NSMs enforce quality of service (QoS) levels within forwarding domains as needed to support end to end communication service parameters defined by enterprise applications.

Abstract: A data storage and retrieval system with optimized categorization of information items using intelligent category selection, based on the information items that are to be checked for category membership. The set of categories for which an information item may be a candidate member is determined, and only that set of categories is checked for membership of the information item during the categorization process. The determination of which categories an information item can be a candidate member of is based on the properties defined for that information item, which are compared to the properties checked for category membership of specific categories. A category index tree may be built and maintained to support efficient determination of which categories a given information item may be a candidate member of. The efficiency of categorization provided by the disclosed techniques enables the disclosed system to maintain category definitions indefinitely with minimal performance impact.

Abstract: A method and system for displaying comment documents within a parent document. to the parent document allows the user to enter content to be included in the comment. In response to indication that the entered comment should be saved, the comment contents are captured and stored into a newly created comment document associated with the parent document. The comment document contents are presented through a display region within the user interface to the parent document. In response to detection of a transition of a parent document from a state in which comments can be added to a state in which comments cannot be added, comment documents associated with the parent document are located, and the contents of those comment documents are copied into the parent document such that they are displayed as part of the parent document, and all associated comment documents for that parent document are deleted.

Abstract: In an electronic multidimensional spreadsheet, a method for displaying and/or hiding on a user interface including (A) detecting a command for hiding at least one element in a selected range of cells, the command identifying a display focus level selected among a plurality of ordered display focus levels defined for the selected range of cells; (B) identifying the selected range of cells comprising the element to hide; (C) identifying the selected display focus level; (D) identifying a table associated with the selected range of cells, the table associating each defined display focus level with at least one cell content criteria to apply to the content of the at least one cell; and (E) selectively displaying the element on the user interface based on the relationship of the selected display focus level with the display focus level associated with the element.

Abstract: A system that enables users to conveniently and intuitively send email messages that automatically publish information in appropriate shared content sources. The system allows users to send email messages to shared sources based on keywords within text entered as destination email addresses. The shared sources register interest in certain topics by registering keywords with the email server system. An email server program then sends the email messages it receives for publication to the appropriate shared source(s) based on matching text in the destination address fields of the received messages with the keywords registered by the shared sources.

Abstract: A system providing video data in which a constant bit rate data stream is provided between a video source and a video destination, and has a fixed data rate exceeding a predetermined minimum display rate associated with the video destination. Video data is conveyed from the video source to the video destination at the data rate, and is processed for display at the video destination at a varying display rate, between a minimum rate and a maximum rate. The minimum video data display rate at the video destination is less than the fixed data rate of the stream between the video source and the video destination, and excess received video data is stored in buffers in the video destination. Display of the received video data by a display device at the video destination is delayed from when the video data is received by a delay period, allowing buffers at the video destination to fill with video data.

Abstract: A method for providing personalized, shared bookmarks that determines which bookmarks are to be shared with a given user based at least in part on an interest profile associated with that user. The interest file can be used to define important other users, based on attributes, titles, or names associated with those other users. Shareable bookmarks defined by important other users are provided to the local user through the local navigation program. The list of important persons used to define which bookmarks should be shared may be determined in various specific ways. An interest profile may be automatically maintained containing a list of persons that are important for a specific user. The list may be automatically calculated based on information such as recent email traffic, and/or can be defined manually. Privacy issues may be addressed by enabling a user to prevent certain bookmarks they define locally from being shared.

Abstract: A pop-up window is generated when the user clicks on the slider within the scroll bar display object. The pop-up window displays information from one or more categories in a currently selected list entry, including the category on which the list is currently sorted. As the user moves the slider, the information in the pop-window is updated to reflect the current location in the list, as determined by the current location of slider within the scroll bar. When the user stops scrolling, i.e. releases the scroll slider, the matching entry for the current location becomes highlighted, and the system enters a search mode. In the search mode, the disclosed system continues to display the pop-up window for a few seconds to allow the user the option of editing the text in the pop-up (as derived from the current position in the list) in order to go to another entry in the sorted list.

Abstract: A system to monitor and report the use of communication software applications in a computing environment including an instant messaging system, that provides local users with information describing detected uses of communication software applications by remote users. The monitored communication applications may include, for example, electronic mail, voice over IP applications, on-line meetings, and other specific types of communication applications, as well as instant messaging activities. The system potentially stores specific information regarding each use of the monitored communication applications, and sends the communication application information to one or more server process that stores the information in association with a user identifier provided with the information.

Abstract: A system for providing dynamic queue splitting to maximize throughput of queue entry processing while maintaining the order of queued operations on a per-destination basis. Multiple queues are dynamically created by splitting heavily loaded queues in two. As queues become dormant, they are re-combined. Queue splitting is initiated in response to a trigger condition, such as a queue exceeding a threshold length. When multiple queues are used, the queue in which to place a given operation is determined based on the destination for that operation. Each queue in the queue tree created by the disclosed system can store entries containing operations for multiple destinations, but the operations for a given destination are all always stored within the same queue. The queue into which an operation is to be stored may be determined as a function of the name of the operation destination.

Abstract: A method for information item categorization in which each non-leaf node in a hierarchical organization of nodes represents a category, and each leaf node represents an information item. A number P is associated with each node. For non-leaf nodes, the associated number P is selected from a subset of relatively prime elements chosen from an appropriate Unique Factorization Domain (UFD), such as a set of relatively prime numbers which are a subset of the familiar set of integers. For leaf nodes, P is set to 1. A number M is also associated with each node. For each root node, M is set to the value of P for that node. For each non-root node, M is set to the product of the M's of all parent nodes of the node and the P of that node.

Abstract: A system, device, and method for providing personalized services in a communication system detects physical presence of a user and provides personalized services to the user based upon the physical presence of the user. The user is typically identified to some degree, and user-specific information is obtained based upon the identity of the user. The user-specific information is used to provide the personalized services to the user.